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Gateway Church is considered the largest megachurch in the United States, with an average weekly attendance of 100,000.
This is a list of the largest megachurches in the United States with an attendance of more than 10,000 weekly, sometimes also termed a gigachurch.[1][2] According to The Hartford Institute's database, approximately 50 churches had attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000 in 2010.[3] The same source also lists more than 1,300 such Protestant and Evangelical churches in the United States with a weekly attendance of more than 2,000, meeting the definition of a megachurch.[4]
As the term megachurch in common parlance refers to Protestant congregations; although there are some Catholic parishes which would meet the criteria, they are not listed.[5] St Ann's in Coppell, Texas, would be near the top, with almost 30,000 registered parishioners in 2013.[6] St Matthew's Catholic Church in the Ballantyne neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina likewise has been described as a Catholic megachurch[7] with nearly 36,000 registered members in 2017 and 11 weekly masses.[8] Weekly attendance figures may be lower than the number of registered parishioners, and the differences in the way the churches operate and the way attendance is counted are given as reasons for not including Catholic churches in lists of megachurches.[3]
Membership numbers of the following churches give only a very rough indication of size. They vary from year to year. Also, some churches report typical Sunday attendance while others report the number who are listed in church records or make financial contributions, which may be higher. Some of the larger churches are multi-site churches. Many churches deliver their message through television or other media, sometimes reaching much higher numbers than those who physically attend the church.
List
Note that the attendance numbers are often provided by the church itself.
↑ Prestonwood also operates two Spanish congregations, one at its main campus in Plano and the other in Lewisville under a facility arrangement with an existing Southern Baptist congregation which has no other ties to them.
↑ Although Southeast Christian has a Louisville mailing address, its main worship complex is within the city limits of Middletown. The governments of Louisville and surrounding Jefferson County merged in 2003, but Middletown and the 82 other cities (apart from Louisville) in Jefferson County retained separate city limits and some governmental powers.
↑ Although Southland Christian is historically associated with Lexington, it moved to an unincorporated area of Jessamine County, about a half-mile (800 m) from the Lexington boundary, in 1981. The church long maintained a Lexington mailing address, but now has a Nicholasville mailing address. Southland opened a new satellite campus in Lexington in 2013.
↑ Village previously operated three additional campuses, in Denton, Dallas, and Plano, but those congregations are now independent; Village plans to spin off its two campuses in Fort Worth and Southlake in the future.
Related Research Articles
A megachurch is a church with a very large membership that also offers a variety of educational and social activities. Most megachurches are Protestant, and particularly Evangelical, although the word denotes a type of organization, not a denomination. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research defines a megachurch as any Protestant Christian church that draws 2,000 or more people in a weekend.
Saddleback Church is an evangelical, non-denominational Christian multi-site megachurch based in Lake Forest, California. It is the largest church in California, and one of the largest in the United States of America. The church has several campuses in California and around the world, as well as a number of extensions. Weekly church attendance was 30,000 people in 2023. Its senior pastor is Andy Wood, and his wife, Stacie Wood, is a teaching pastor. Saddleback was formerly associated with the Southern Baptist Convention, until 2023.
Southeast Christian Church is an Evangelical multi-site megachurch based in Louisville, Kentucky. It is a part of the Restoration Movement, and it’s denomination Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. As of 2024, it is the eleventh-largest church in the United States by average weekend attendance.
Prestonwood Baptist Church is a Baptist multi-site megachurch based in Plano, Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. It is one of the largest churches in America, with a membership of over 45,000 and a weekly attendance of around 17,000.
North Point Community Church is a non-denominational, evangelical megachurch located in Alpharetta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. North Point has an attendance of 23,000 people in eight locations in the north metro Atlanta area. The senior pastor Andy Stanley serves as the church's lead pastor and, in turn, leads the North Point Community Church staff.
Dream City Church is a multi-site Pentecostal megachurch based in Phoenix, Arizona. It is affiliated with the Assemblies of God USA. The weekly attendance was around 22,500 in 2013. The senior pastor is Luke Barnett.
Mariners Church is a non-denominational, Christian megachurch located in Irvine, California, situated in central Orange County, and as of 2022 was the 41st largest church in the United States by number of attendees as well as one of the fastest growing.
Southland Christian Church is an evangelical Christian church based in Kentucky, US.
Elevation Church is an Evangelical non-denominational multi-site megachurch based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Weekly church attendance was 14,000 people in 2023. Elevation has 20 locations. Its senior pastors are Steven Furtick and Holly Furtick.
Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV) is a non-denominational evangelical Christian multi-site megachurch based in Metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona. The church has several campuses in Arizona. Weekend church attendance was 32,000.
Church of the Highlands is a non-denominational evangelical Christian multi-site megachurch based in Birmingham, Alabama. It is the largest congregation in Alabama with an average of 60,000 attendees every week as of 2023. The senior pastor is Chris Hodges.
Shepherd Church is a nondenominational megachurch based in Porter Ranch, Los Angeles, California, USA. The senior pastor is Dudley Rutherford.
Second Baptist Church Houston is a Baptist multi-site megachurch based in Houston, Texas, US. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. Its senior pastor is Dr. Ben Young.
Flatirons Community Church is a large non-denominational church in Lafayette, Colorado, approximately 10 miles east of Boulder, Colorado, United States.
EPIC Church International, formerly Faith Fellowship Ministries World Outreach Center is an independent non-denominational Christian megachurch in Sayreville, New Jersey, USA. The pastor is John J. Wagner. As of 2013, Outreach Magazine ranked the church 44th in congregation size in the US, with weekly attendance of 10,100.
The Potter's House is a megachurch in Dallas, Texas, United States, founded by T. D. Jakes. Outreach magazine ranked it the 10th largest in the US as of 2008 based on a weekly attendance of 17,000 and a capacity of about 8,000.
Parkview Christian Church is a non-denominational church. It located in Orland Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
NewSpring Church is a Baptist Evangelical multi-site megachurch based in Anderson, South Carolina, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Eagle Brook Church is a Baptist megachurch with multiple locations, based in Centerville, Minnesota. It is affiliated with Converge. Weekly church attendance was 20,923 people in 2023. The senior pastor is Jason Strand.
↑ Nathanson, Rick; Porter, Gabrielle; Jackson, Anthony (May 16, 2020). "Churches moving slowly to reopen in-person services". Albuquerque Journal. Clippings of the first page and second page via Newspapers.com. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
↑ "Year at a Glance: An Analysis of Growth". The Southeast Outlook. Middletown, KY: Southeast Christian Church. February 7, 2019. p.11. Retrieved April 14, 2019. This number reflects the average weekend attendance at all campuses for 2018.
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