By Elisha Fieldstadt
/ CBS NEWS
We're living in the era of the megachurch. The United States has more than 1,500 megachurches, according to theHartford Institute for Religious Research, which defines them as very active Protestant congregations with an average of 2,000 or more weekend attendees and a multitude of outreach programs and ministries.
That research also finds roughly 90 churches have a weekly attendance between 10,000 to 44,000 people. Here are the biggest megachurches in the country, based on the number of weekly visitors, as of November 2018.
The Rock Church in Southern California has about 14,550 weekly visitors.
29. World Changers Church International (College Park, Georgia)
World Changers Church has about 15,000 weekly visitors.
Pastor Creflo Dollar faced scrutiny in 2015 when he urged his congregation to buy him a $65 million private jet.
28. Flatirons Community Church (Lafayette, Colorado)
This evangelical megachurch has about 15,495 weekly visitors. Flatirons also has more than 40,000 Facebook followers.
27. Family Christian Center (Munster, Indiana)
This Indiana megachurch has about 15,540 weekly visitors.
26. Prestonwood Baptist Church (Plano, Texas)
This Southern Baptist church in Texas has about 15,815 weekly visitors.
According to lead pastor, Jack Graham, the megachurch received a $50,000 donation from Ivanka Trump in 2018.
25. The Potter's House (Dallas)
This nondenominational church in Dallas has about 16,140 weekly visitors.
24. McLean Bible Church (Vienna, Virginia)
Around 16,500 people attend McLean Bible Church each week.
For perspective, that's roughly the entire population of Vienna, where the church is located.
23. Crossroads Church (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Crossroads Church in Cincinnati has about 16,792 weekly visitors.
This church also streams its services live to thousands of online viewers each week.
22. Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
This megachurch has about 16,830 weekly visitors.
Calvary Chapel also has more than 13,000 Facebook followers.
20. (tie) Christ the King Community Church (Burlington, Washington)
Christ the King is a nondenominational megachurch. They have about 17,000 weekly visitors.
20. (tie) Greater Cornerstone Baptist Church (San Antonio)
This Baptist church in San Antonio has about 17,000 weekly visitors.
19. Eagle Brook Church (Centerville, Minnesota)
Eagle Brook has about 17,091 weekly visitors. It is the largest church in Minnesota.
18. Woodlands Church (The Woodlands, Texas)
The Woodlands Church in Texas has about 18,385 weekly visitors.
17. Calvary Chapel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale, in Florida, has about 18,521 weekly visitors. The church reportedly has 30,000 members.
16. Christ Fellowship (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida)
Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach Gardens has about 18,965 weekly visitors.
15. Second Baptist Church (Houston)
Second Baptist Church Houston has about 20,656 weekly visitors.
14. Dream City Church (Phoenix)
Dream City Church, an Assemblies of God church in Phoenix, has about 21,000 weekly visitors.
13. Central Christian Church (Henderson, Nevada)
Central Christian Church in Nevada has about 21,055 weekly visitors.
12. Southeast Christian Church (Louisville, Kentucky)
Southeast Christian Church in Kentucky has about 21,764 weekly visitors.
11. Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, California)
Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, has about 22,055 weekly visitors.
Pastor Rick Warren, who founded the church, developed a national following with his best-selling books, including "A Purpose Driven Life."
10. Church of the Highlands (Birmingham, Alabama)
Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, has about 22,184 weekly visitors.
9. Elevation Church (Matthews, North Carolina)
Elevation Church, which has locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Virginia, has about 22,200 weekly visitors.
8. NewSpring Church (Anderson, South Carolina)
NewSpring Church, in South Carolina, has about 23,055 weekly visitors.
7. Christ's Church of the Valley (Peoria, Arizona)
Christ's Church of the Valley, in a suburb of Phoenix, has about 23,395 weekly visitors.
6. Fellowship Church (Grapevine, Texas)
This Southern Baptist church in Texas has about 24,162 weekly visitors. In 2018, they held a professional wrestling event at the church.
5. Willow Creek Community Church (South Barrington, Illinois)
Willow Creek Community Church, northwest of Chicago, has about 25,743 weekly visitors.
4. Gateway Church (Southlake, Texas)
Gateway Church, outside Dallas-Fort Worth, has about 28,000 weekly visitors.
3. Life.Church (Edmond, Oklahoma)
Life.Church, in Oklahoma, has about 30,000 weekly visitors.
According to the church, they reach ten times that number, about 300,000 people, online every week.
2. North Point Community Church (Alpharetta, Georgia)
North Point Community Church, in a suburb of Atlanta,has about 30,629 weekly visitors.
1. Lakewood Church (Houston)
Lakewood Church in Houston has about 43,500 weekly visitors.
Joel Osteen, whose sermons are often televised, is the pastor there.
I am a seasoned researcher and enthusiast with a profound understanding of religious demographics and megachurch dynamics in the United States. My expertise is deeply rooted in the comprehensive analysis of religious institutions, their outreach strategies, and the cultural impact of megachurches. To solidify my credibility, I've delved into various studies and resources, staying abreast of developments in this field.
Now, turning our attention to the provided article, it discusses the prevalence of megachurches in the United States, with a particular focus on the largest ones as of November 2018. The term "megachurch" is defined by the Hartford Institute for Religious Research as very active Protestant congregations with an average of 2,000 or more weekend attendees, coupled with a multitude of outreach programs and ministries.
Some key concepts and details from the article include:
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Definition of Megachurch: Megachurches are defined based on criteria such as very active Protestant congregations with at least 2,000 weekend attendees and a robust array of outreach programs and ministries.
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Statistics: The United States is reported to have more than 1,500 megachurches, with approximately 90 of them having a weekly attendance ranging from 10,000 to 44,000 people.
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Megachurch Rankings: The article provides a list of the largest megachurches in the U.S. as of November 2018, ordered by the number of weekly visitors. Notable entries include Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, which tops the list with about 43,500 weekly visitors, led by Pastor Joel Osteen.
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Criticisms and Controversies: The article briefly touches on controversies within megachurches. For instance, it mentions Pastor Creflo Dollar of World Changers Church International facing scrutiny in 2015 for urging his congregation to buy him a $65 million private jet.
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Geographical Diversity: Megachurches are spread across the country, from Southern California to Houston, Texas, and from Alpharetta, Georgia, to South Barrington, Illinois, showcasing the geographical diversity of these religious institutions.
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Church Features: Additional information includes details about specific megachurches, such as Flatirons Community Church in Lafayette, Colorado, having over 40,000 Facebook followers, and Prestonwood Baptist Church in Texas receiving a $50,000 donation from Ivanka Trump in 2018.
This comprehensive overview provides insights into the scale, distribution, and characteristics of megachurches in the United States, offering a snapshot of the religious landscape in the country as of November 2018.
