The Largest Megachurches in the US

Churches with more than 1,000 members fall under the classification of "megachurches". In the United States, megachurches are distributed across various cities. According to data from Hartford Institute, about 1,300 churches qualify to be classified as megachurches. While others have passed the 1,000 membership mark by a little margin, most of the megachurches in the country have memberships which range from 10,000 to 64,000. A megachurch refers to the attendance numbers of a church, and not the size of the church itself, which makes it different than the world's largest churches.

The Largest Megachurches in the United States

The Distribution Of Megachurches

Megachurches are distributed unevenly across the country. A look at the distribution clarifies the fact that many megachurches are located in Texas. Second Baptist Church Houston, Lakewood Church, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Gateway Church, Greater Cornerstone Baptist Church, New Light Christian Center Church, Woodlands Church, Sagemont Church, Fellowship Church, and The Potter's House are all located in the state of Texas. The list of megachurches located in Texas makes the state a leader in relation to the distribution of megachurches. Amazingly, even the largest Catholic Church, St Ann, and the biggest church in membership, Second Baptist Church Houston, which has over 64,000 members, are in Texas. Other states like New York have a small number, a confirmation that the distribution is indeed uneven.

Membership Of The Megachurches

Many of the churches in the United States do not only surpass the 1,000-membership mark to qualify, but have high numbers that range from 10,000 to 53,000. Some of the largest churches include Life.Church, which has 53,000, and Lakewood Church that has 43,000 members. The membership of the churches then drops to the 30,000 mark with the likes of Saddleback Church leading with 38,000 members and Christian Cultural Center being the last with 30,000 members. Those churches that have a membership below 30,000 include First Baptist Church of Jacksonville and Newspring Church, which tie at 28,000 members. Churches that have members who do not exceed 20,000 include Christ Fellowship 19,000 and Cross Church, which has 16,000 members. Texas Magnolia's First Baptist Church, which has 1,100 members, and Love of Christ Church, with 1,400 members and located in Delaware are among megachurches that qualify by slim margins.

Some Important Facts And Figures

Several megachurches in the United States are unevenly distributed. While the churches are located in almost every part of the country, other states such as Texas have more mega churches as opposed to others. Moreover, the church membership varies from 64,000 to as low as 1,100. Surprisingly, Magnolia's First Baptist Church, which has 1,100 members, and Second Baptist Church Houston that leads with 64,000 members are in the state of Texas.