An Overview of America’s Megachurches

Scott ThummaHartford Institute For Religion ResearchHartford Seminary, Hartford CT

www.hartfordinstitute.org

Basic Definition:

A Megachurch is any Protestant Christian congregation with a sustained average weekly attendance of 2000

persons or more in its worship services. 

The over 1200 Protestant megachurches in the United States

share many other traits. Virtually all megachurches have a

conservative Christian theology, a large number are nondenominational, most have an active small group ministry, and the majority have

multiple services with a contemporary worship style.

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Growth of Megachurches

Where they are located

•Throughout the United States, but mostly in the southern states•Around major cities•In the suburbs - older and newer suburbs•At the intersections of major highways•Along major Interstate Highways•In plain view – obvious, not hidden

National Location

63% are located in or around cities of 250,000 or more, 23% in cities between 50,000 and 250,000

Place in the Metro Area

Type of Location in the city: Residential……………39% Mixed Residential and Commercial……55% Commercial…………... 5%

There Are Many Myths About Megachurches

MYTH: All megachurches are alike.

FACT: They differ in growth rates, size and the things they emphasize.

There Are Many Myths About Megachurches

MYTH: Megachurches are just spectator worship and are not serious about Christianity.

FACT:  Our data shows that most megachurches demand a lot; they

have high spiritual expectations and serious orthodox beliefs

and preaching.

Small Fellowship Groups

88% of megachurches invite new members to participate in small groups

Ninety-six percent (96%) of congregations strongly encourage their new members to volunteer

in church ministries.

Over three quarters of churches (76%) require new members to take an informational class

prior to or after joining.

50% of megachurches say that small group use is central to their strategy for

Christian nurture and spiritual formation.  

Another 44% have such groups but say the small groups are not central to the church's program.  

According to members:

7% say they have no group involvement.

23% say they are not regularly involved in small groups.

Seventy percent (70%) are involved in some formof small group.

There Are Many Myths About Megachurches

MYTH: All megachurches are homogeneous congregations with little diversity.

FACT:  A large and growing number of megachurches are multi-ethnic.

Many have considerable diversity of class, education levels, income, ages, backgrounds, occupations, and

even theological and political styles. 

Michael Emerson found in a major national study that multiracial churches, those having no more than 80 percent of any one racial group, represented 7 percent of American congregations.  About 15 percent of Catholic churches and only roughly 5 percent of Protestant churches were multiracial.

The 2005 megachurch research found 35 percent of megachurches claimed to have 20% or more minority presence in their congregations. 56 percent of megachurches stated that their congregations were making specific efforts to become intentionally multi-ethnic.

These efforts included: •diversifying the race of staff and clergy•giving them more prominent roles in leadership•creating services in other languages, •developing outreach programs to meet the needs of other races, •inviting those outside the majority racial group, •reshaping worship services to appeal to variety of ethnic & cultural groups and, •encouraging a attitude of racial acceptance in the congregation.

There Are Many Myths About Megachurches

MYTH #10: Megachurches grow primarily because of great programming.

FACT: Megachurches grow because excited attendees tell their friends. 

They may be encouraged and helped to do so by church leadership

but it is not what megachurches “do” in terms of evangelistic programs,

that makes them grow.

Based on a survey of 6400 megachurch members

Percent of members saying they always or usually experience these in Worship:

Sense of God’s Presence 86%Inspiration 85%Joy 84%Frustration 3%Boredom 3%

There Are Many Myths About Megachurches

MYTH: The megachurch phenomenon is over and on the decline

because it was a Baby Boomer phenomenon. New generations aren’t interested

in megachurches.

FACT: The numbers of megachurches continues to grow. Many of the fastest

growing, newest megachurches are full of people under 35 years old.  Not all youth like megachurches,

but then neither do all Baby Boomers.

47% of the megachurches had between 40 or 80 percent of adults under 35

Another 46% of the megachurches had 21-40% of adults under 35