Megachurch Attendance in America

Data from the Hartford Institute for Religious Research ^ | 3/31/06 | Dangus

[dangus]

Yesterday, I posted an article about new data from the National Council of Churches about the decline of mainline Protestant churches. The NCC had no data to report about non-denominational churches. Several posts referred to "non-doms" and megachurches.

Turns out there was a very recent study by the Hartford Institute for Religious Research, that found 1336 "megachurches." (Although the study supposedly defined "megachurches" as having more than 2,000 attendees per weekend, 124 churches did not meet this definition.) This is a substantially greater number than has been tossed bout in research; a 2001 study found only about 800.

Most of these "megachurches" are not non-denominational, although non-denominational churches make up the largest number.

299 churches defined themselves as Non-denominational. 131 simply reported "none" and 58 reported "Christian." (Are these the same people who fill out "human" on their census form when it asks their race? I mean... duh! Or are they calling everyone else non-Christian?) Together, these totaled 1.85 million attendees. (200,000 answered they were Christian; 400,000 did not answer.)

The next biggest numbers were Baptist, with over 1.1 million attendees. Most were Southern Baptist (216 congregations with 692,000 members); with many simply answering "Baptist" (123 congregations with 376,000 members).

Other sizeable groups included Assemblies of God (257,000 members in 90 congregations), United Methodists (231,000 attendees in 68 congregations), and the Church of Christ (108,000 in 29 congregations). And yes, there are Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Seventh-Day Adventist. Only one Catholic church was included, although I know of several which are easily large enough to be included.

[dangus]

I presume "CAL" stood for Calvinist? There were 250,000 attendees in 51 "CAL" congregations.

[GSlob]

A church is to be measured by the yield of its collection plate, not by attendance. A mega-church has mega-collection. What definition could be simpler?

[Alex Murphy]

I presume "CAL" stood for Calvinist? There were 250,000 attendees in 51 "CAL" congregations.

CAL stands for Calvary Chapel.

[dangus]

Now that I know what to look for, I can plainly see that you are absolutely correct...

[John 6.66=Mark of the Beast?]

So in your view a church of 50 that gave a 1,000 each week totaling 50,000 aweek would be a megachurch? And a church of 1,000 people in a poor area giving 10 a week totaling 10,000 would be a small church?

[DocRock]

Words have meanings. Define mega-church and when everyone accepts that definition, we'll know how many there are.

[GSlob]

Church with collection in the thousands would be a kilo-church. Like kilotons and megatons. Verstehen?

[John 6.66=Mark of the Beast?]

How much money do you think the mega chuch is receving each week?

[GSlob]

To qualify as a mega-church one million is a threshold. [and NOT one million pennies - that's cheating].

[Larry Lucido]

Only one Catholic church was included, although I know of several which are easily large enough to be included.

Some (many) Catholics would be inclined to remind that there IS only one Catholic church. And I would add that it is quite mega.

[Larry Lucido]

I've never measured my wealth in megabucks. I'd be happy with a few kilobucks.

[GSlob]

Well, a kilobuck these days does not go as far as it used to, say, about 100+ years ago. Then $1000 was real money.

[John 6.66=Mark of the Beast?]

Do you have any proof to back this up with? Your saying they take in a million each sunday?

[GSlob]

Nope. What i said is that to be a proper mega-church they NEED to be taking in at least a million in one sitting. Otherwise they are not a mega-church but impostors.

[Cvengr]

Mega-churches are to small independent churches as Costco or Sam's are to the local supermarket or Mom & Pop store.

There were organizational management professionals in the last 30 years who believed a larger number of people could be served in both evangelism and in Bible study via a centralized 'mega-church' vice numerous local churches.

Just as there are small churches that might have drifted away from fellowship, there are more public spectacles of 'mega-churches' that have given 'church' a bad name.

A church is merely a body of believers. A mega-church is a large body of believers, colloquially associated with gleaning from economies of scale.

In either church, the believer only advances in spiritual growth by sanctification from the Holy Spirit, a very personal and equal opportunity for all believers.

[dangus]

Sorry, but 1 Megachurch=1 million CHURCHES.

Larry's right... There is only 1 denomination with a megachurch... and if that denomination has only 1 Mchurch, it would still have at least 1 Kparishioners per church!

That's right folks... Catlicks got a gigaparishioner, worldwide!

(Yes, Larry, I know that's not what you meant!)

[dangus]

... now checking to see if my library has 2 KMockingbird

[dangus]

... The Christian Church, now installing 1 TPacem.

(That would be 1 Terra Pacem... :^D ( ~Peace on Earth))

[Nihil Obstat]

that's good, 'cause there are a lot of Mlomaniacs out there.

[Salvation]

**A church is to be measured by the yield of its collection plate, not by attendance. A mega-church has mega-collection. What definition could be simpler?**

Oh, really????????

These Gospels differ with your assumptions:

Gospel
Mt 5:17-19

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

 

Gospel
Mk 12:28-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

[Salvation]

LOL!

[Cvengr]

Did you write Mchurch?

From

By Al Speegle, Jr.

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Remember each Sunday, "Let's Do Church!"

McChurch! Did somebody say "Church?"

[P-Marlowe]

What i said is that to be a proper mega-church they NEED to be taking in at least a million in one sitting.

I don't think there is such a church.

[Cvengr]

Oops, above was from http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/archives/mcchurch.html

[Salvation]

And besides, is that really what Jesus wants?

I heard He was all about saving souls, not saving dollars.

[Quix]

Uhhhhh . . . one ROMAN Catholic Church.

In my construction on Christian reality . . . God has not granted a monopoloy or trademark on "Catholic" to the Roman church.

A centuries old political success has never equaled God's Good Heaven Keeping seal of approval.

But I really don't care to go back and forth about it. Just wanted to note this perspective in the face of the assumption that "Catholic" was trademarked and belonged to one sect of Christianity.

[dangus]

Lakewood claims 30,000 people each Sunday. At $33 a pop (Heck, CATHOLICS tithe better than that!), that's a cool mill.

[dangus]

>> I heard He was all about saving souls, not saving dollars. <<

When they call Him the redeemer, please keep in mind what he redeems is worth a lot more than 5 cents (or ten cents in MI, MA, OR, VT, whatever...)

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

(Are these the same people who fill out "human" on their census form when it asks their race? I mean... duh!)

It is a polite way of rejecting the artificial boxes that others wish to put us in.

[Salvation]

You are aware, aren't you that over 20 (if I'm not mistaken) churches use the title "Catholic".

For example:
Eastern Catholic
Maronite Catholic

NYer can fill us in on the details.

[Quix]

True.

I just like to . . . uhhh . . . speak up when the largest one sounds like they think they are the only one.

[P-Marlowe]

Lakewood claims 30,000 people each Sunday. At $33 a pop (Heck, CATHOLICS tithe better than that!), that's a cool mill.

Nope, you're still $10,000 short of a mil.

[P-Marlowe]

And besides, is that really what Jesus wants? I heard He was all about saving souls, not saving dollars.

Are you bashing Protestants?

[GSlob]

Well, a few strategic mergers and takeovers - and there you are.

[Salvation]

Absolutely not! Just pointing out that saving souls was Christ's main purpose while on earth -- and it still is.

Guess I should have put a sarcasm on that remark. (But I figured everyone on this thread would understand.)

[ovrtaxt]

As for the response when they fill in 'Christian', what do you want?

My church used to be Baptist about 30 years ago, now it's independent. We sort of resemble an Assembly of God, but maybe we're more emergent, or third wave, or faith movement- we have some elements of all these stupid labels, but we are ourselves.

How silly do you want to get? We don't identify with anything but Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. These denominational labels are pointless. 'Christian' seems like a pretty good response to me.

[ovrtaxt]

How about measuring it by not how much they receive, but by how much they give?

I think God probably measures a church that way. :^)

[P-Marlowe]

Guess I should have put a sarcasm on that remark. (But I figured everyone on this thread would understand.)

I don't know how many times I've posted an innocent little sarcastic remark like that on one of the "Catholic" Threads only to be chased off as a troll.

[P-Marlowe]

So what church do you go to?

[GSlob]

"So what church do you go to?"
I belong to the First Church of the Almighty Dollar.

[P-Marlowe]

I belong to the First Church of the Almighty Dollar.

I trust from your answer that you really have no religious affiliation.

So what dog do you have in this race?

[Larry Lucido]

I hear you. My comment was more directed at the sloppiness of the reporting. The [Roman] Catholic Church considers itself one and undivided, so you wouldn't have "one" [Roman] Catholic Church in a certain location, but you might have a parish or diocese. Sort of like saying that "The Ford Motor Company in Wixom was closed," instead of "The Ford Wixom Assembly Plant was closed."

[Larry Lucido]

Meant to comment on that. I'm one of those smart-asses who've answered Human for race (only halfway tongue in cheek) and Christian for religion (not tongue in cheek at all). And I did so never suggesting that anyone else was neither human nor Christian, but at most possibly suggesting that some were inclinded to over-categorize themselves or others.

[Larry Lucido]

I am going to comment that the discussion over "mega" churches is pointless, for two reasons. First, we can never come to an adequate definition of mega. All the mainlines are in the millions, so each one is mega if you add up all the adherents. Ah, but you say they meet in small groups. Well, yes, ranging from a handful to several thousand (some individual Catholic, Presbyterian and Methodist congregations number well over 2000, megachurches in their own right). Second, bigness is frankly not a criterion of anything that matters. There are fine big churches and there are sorry tiny churches. So, again, what is the point of the whole size discussion, except to reinforce certain caricatures folks hold of massive scam services headed by plastic-haired televangelists?

[GSlob]

My dog in this race is called "tax exemption" which religious joints enjoy and I am left to pick the slack. Once this provision of tax code is abolished, I will not have a dog in this race any longer.

[Quix]

No sweat. Thanks.

[Larry Lucido]

Universal Life Church online - Become ordained today!

[GSlob]

You mean ordained as a Universal Life Church insurance salesman? Thanks. I always held the insurance salesmen intermediate in my regard - between the lawyers on one side and the journalists on another.

[NYer]

Some (many) Catholics would be inclined to remind that there IS only one Catholic church. And I would add that it is quite mega.

Indeed! Although it is not widely known in our Western world, the Catholic Church is actually a communion of Churches. According to the Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, the Catholic Church is understood to be "a corporate body of Churches," united with the Pope of Rome, who serves as the guardian of unity (LG, no. 23). At present there are 22 Churches that comprise the Catholic Church. The new Code of Canon Law, promulgated by Pope John Paul II, uses the phrase "autonomous ritual Churches" to describe these various Churches (canon 112). Each Church has its own hierarchy, spirituality, and theological perspective. Because of the particularities of history, there is only one Western Catholic Church, while there are 22 Eastern Catholic Churches. The Western Church, known officially as the Latin Church, is the largest of the Catholic Churches. It is immediately subject to the Roman Pontiff as Patriarch of the West. The Eastern Catholic Churches are each led by a Patriarch, Major Archbishop, or Metropolitan, who governs their Church together with a synod of bishops. Through the Congregation for Oriental Churches, the Roman Pontiff works to assure the health and well-being of the Eastern Catholic Churches.

While this diversity within the one Catholic Church can appear confusing at first, it in no way compromises the Church's unity. In a certain sense, it is a reflection of the mystery of the Trinity. Just as God is three Persons, yet one God, so the Church is 22 Churches, yet one Church.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes this nicely:

"From the beginning, this one Church has been marked by a great diversity which comes from both the variety of God's gifts and the diversity of those who receive them... Holding a rightful place in the communion of the Church there are also particular Churches that retain their own traditions. The great richness of such diversity is not opposed to the Church's unity" (CCC no. 814).

Although there are 22 Churches, there are only eight "Rites" that are used among them. A Rite is a "liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary patrimony," (Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, canon 28). "Rite" best refers to the liturgical and disciplinary traditions used in celebrating the sacraments. Many Eastern Catholic Churches use the same Rite, although they are distinct autonomous Churches. For example, the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Melkite Catholic Church are distinct Churches with their own hierarchies. Yet they both use the Byzantine Rite.

To learn more about the "two lungs" of the Catholic Church, visit this link:

CATHOLIC RITES AND CHURCHES

The Vatican II Council declared that "all should realize it is of supreme importance to understand, venerate, preserve, and foster the exceedingly rich liturgical and spiritual heritage of the Eastern churches, in order faithfully to preserve the fullness of Christian tradition" (Unitatis Redintegrato, 15).

To locate an Eastern Catholic Church in your community, follow the following link:

Eastern Catholic Churches in the U.S.

A Roman rite Catholic may attend any Eastern Catholic Liturgy and fulfill his of her obligations at any Eastern Catholic Parish. A Roman rite Catholic may join any Eastern Catholic Parish and receive any sacrament from an Eastern Catholic priest, since all belong to the Catholic Church as a whole. I am a Roman Catholic practicing my faith at a Maronite Catholic Church. Like the Chaleans, the Maronites retain Aramaic for the Consecration. It is as close as one comes to being at the Last Supper.