Megachurch “Awards” Snapshot
This roundup highlights several “award” categories comparing emerging megachurches and megachurches across key ministry metrics. Categories include attendance increases, long-term senior minister tenure, number of weekly worship services, multisite expansion, baptisms per giving, mission-trip participation, church planting, and per-person giving. It also notes the most common internal business operation among churches surveyed.
- Attendance, services, giving, and outreach metrics are compared across multiple churches.
- Each category names an “Emerging Megachurch” and a “Megachurch” (and sometimes an overall average).
- The list concludes with a snapshot of popular internal business operations.
By Kent Fillinger and Ben Simms
The CEO Award
(The church with the greatest percentage attendance increase for Christmas and Easter combined)
Emerging Megachurch: Mountainview Community Christian (Highlands Ranch, CO): 124% increase over average attendance
Megachurch: Crossroads Christian (Evansville, IN): 104% increase over average attendance
The Energizer Bunny Award
(The senior minister who has served in his current position the longest)
Emerging Megachurch: John Russell (37 years/started 1970)—Lakeside Christian (Lakeside Prairie, KY)
Megachurch: L.D. Campbell (35 years/started 1972)—First Church of Christ (Burlington, KY)
The “Play It Again Sam” Award
(The church with the most weekly worship services)
Emerging Megachurch: Tomoka Christian (Ormond Beach, FL): 7 services
Megachurch: Community Christian (Naperville, IL): 28 services
The Starbucks Award
(The church with a multisite location on every corner . . . or maybe it just seems that way)
Emerging Megachurch: New Life Christian (Chantilly, VA): 3 locations and more to come
Megachurch: Community Christian (Naperville, IL): 8 locations and counting
The Baptisms Per Buck (BPB) Award
(The church that spent the least amount of money per baptism based on general fund giving)
Emerging Megachurch: Southpoint Community Christian (Trenton, MI): $6,870 per baptism
Megachurch: Abundant Life Church (Happy Valley, OR): $6,785 per baptism
The Frequent Flyer Award
(The church taking the highest percentage of people on a mission trip)
Emerging Megachurch: Chapel Rock Christian (Indianapolis, IN): 257 participants (21.1% of average worship attendance)
Megachurch: Pantano Christian (Tucson, AZ): 473 participants (21.2% of average worship attendance)
The Green Thumb Award
(The church that partnered to plant the most new churches)
Emerging Megachurch: New Life Christian (Chantilly, VA): 10 churches planted
Megachurch: Southeast Christian (Louisville, KY): 7 churches planted
The Deep Pockets Award
(The church with highest per person weekly giving average based on general fund offerings only)
Emerging Megachurch: First Colony Church of Christ (Sugar Land, TX): $55.91 per person weekly
Megachurch: First Christian (Huntington Beach, CA): $56.53 per person weekly
Overall average: $26.84 per person per week
The Field of Beans Award
(The most popular internal business operation)
Overall: Coffee Shop, Café or Food Court
- Overall, half of the churches operate one
- 24 emerging megachurches (39 percent)
- 32 megachurches (62 percent)
