A Closer Look at the Numbers*

By Kent Fillinger

 

AVERAGE SIZE

Megachurches: 4,810

Emerging Megachurches: 1,354

Combined average weekly attendance: 382,144

The three largest megachurches account for more than 20 percent of all megachurch attendees.

 

GROWTH RATES

Megachurches: 5.6 percent (up from 3 percent in 2012); overall, 73 percent of megachurches grew.

Emerging Megachurches: 2.4 percent (down from 4 percent in 2012); overall, 52 percent of emerging megachurches grew.

 

FASTEST-GROWING CHURCHES

2|42 Community Church, Brighton, MI, 112%

Third City Christian Church, Grand Island, NE, 31.6%

Eastside Christian Church, Anaheim, CA, 26.3%

Current””A Christian Church, Katy, TX, 22.1%

Ten Mile Christian Church, Meridian, ID, 21.3%

Real Life Christian Church, Clermont, FL, 21.2%

 

BAPTISMS

Megachurches baptized 25,823 people, an average of 417 baptisms per megachurch.

Emerging megachurches baptized 6,061 people, an average of 98 per church.

Megachurches baptized an average of 8.2 people per 100 in attendance, up from 7.8 in 2012.

Emerging megachurches baptized an average of 7.2 people per 100 in attendance, up from 6.6 in 2012.

Megachurches invested an average of $17,266 per baptism, based on general fund giving, and emerging megachurches spent an average of $20,558.

 

HIGHEST BAPTISM RATIO PER 100

Central Christian Church, Beloit, WI, 18.7

Parkview Christian Church, Orland Park, IL, 18.1

Whitewater Crossing Christian Church, Cleves, OH, 17.5

The Crossing, Quincy, IL, 16.9

Generations Christian Church, Trinity, FL, 15.0

 

AVERAGE TOTAL GIVING

Megachurches: $8.1 million (or $34.08 per person per week)

Emerging Megachurches: $2.4 million ($32.38 per person per week)

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“¢These numbers relate to the 2013 megachurch statistics posted here: 2013 Megachurches and Emerging Megachurches.