Compiled by Kent E. Fillinger
Average Weekly In-Person Only Worship Attendance
Megachurches: 4447 (33 churches)
Emerging Megachurches: 1154 (35 churches)
Large Churches: 565 (34 churches)
Medium Churches: 329 (41 churches)
Small Churches: 152 (59 churches)
Very Small Churches: 49 (59 churches)
Average Weekly In-Person & Online Combined Worship Attendance
Megachurches: 6119
Emerging Megachurches: 1467
Large Churches: 689
Medium Churches: 378
Small Churches: 174
Very Small Churches: 53
77% of the churches reported online worship attendance numbers
Total Attendance Growth Rates (2023 to 2024)
Megachurches: 15.9%
Emerging Megachurches: 10.4%
Large: 11.5%
Medium: 4.6%
Small: 5.5%
Very Small: -0.02%
Overall: 7.0%
Percentage of Churches that Grew vs Declined in Attendance from 2023-2024
| Church Size | % Of Churches that Grew last year | % Of Churches that Declined last year |
| Megachurches | 94% | 6% |
| Emerging Megachurches | 89% | 11% |
| Large | 79% | 21% |
| Medium | 71% | 29% |
| Small | 65% | 35% |
| Very Small | 39% | 61% |
Top 3 Fastest Growing Churches (2023-2024)
Megachurches:
85.5%: Mosaic Christian Church, Elkridge MD
51.8%: Northside Christian Church, New Albany IN
31.4%: Hope City Church, Joplin MO
Emerging Megachurches:
56.1%: Northview Christian Church, Danville IN
44%: Valley View Christian Church, Littleton CO
34.8%: River Hills Christian Church, Loveland OH
Large:
100.5%: Central Christian Church, Portales NM
29.4%: Northeast Christian Church, Grand Junction CO
28.6%: Venture Christian Church, Katy TX
Medium:
26.2%: Towne South Church of Christ, Elizabeth City NC
24%: Lakeside Christian Church, Lakeside CA
23.3%: First Christian Church, Monticello KY
Small:
72%: Kenwood Heights Christian Church, Louisville KY
48.2%: Lyndon Christian Church, Louisville KY
30.7%: Licking Christian Church, Licking MO
Very Small:
32.7%: Blue Springs Christian Church, Elizabethton TN
29%: Christian Church of Riverton, Riverton WY
16.9%: Peeled Oak Christian Church, Owingsville KY
Easter vs. Christmas Eve Attendance
- Easter Total Attendance: 547,689 (260 churches reporting)
The average total Easter worship attendance per church was 58% higher than the typical average total weekend worship attendance. - Christmas Eve Total Attendance: 479,351 (241 churches reporting)
The average total Christmas Eve worship attendance per church was 32% higher than the typical average total weekend worship attendance.
Total Baptisms
Megachurches baptized 18,701 people, an average of 567 baptisms per church.
Emerging Megachurches baptized 3223 people, an average of 92 baptisms per church.
Large churches baptized 1413 people, an average of 42 baptisms per church.
Medium churches baptized 1002 people, an average of 24 per church.
Small Churches baptized 627 people, an average of 11 baptisms per church.
Very Small Churches baptized 204 people, an average of 4 baptisms per church.
Baptism Ratios
Megachurches: 8.6
Emerging Megachurches: 6.2
Large: 6.0
Medium: 6.4
Small: 6.1
Very Small: 5.7
Overall: 6.4
Top Baptism Ratios
Megachurches:
17.3: Pantano Christian Church, Tucson AZ
16.7: Valley Real Life, Spokane Valley WA
15.6: Compass Christian Church, Chandler AZ
Emerging Megachurches:
15.9: Third City Christian Church, Grand Island NE
12.7: Active Church, Yucaipa CA
11.1: Suncrest Christian Church, St. John IN
Large:
12.0: Tri-Village Christian Church, Pataskala OH
10.7: Rise Christian Church, Newark OH
10.3: Fairdale Christian Church, Louisville KY
Medium:
24.1: Christ’s Church, Ft. Wayne IN
14.1: Crosspoint Christian Church, Conyers GA
12.0: Northfield Church of Christ, Fort Dodge IA
Small:
14.4: South Fork Christian Church, Verona KY
12.4: CrossPointe Church, Mansfield MA
11.8: Cherokee Hills Christian Church, Oklahoma City OK
Very Small:
31.6: Early Chapel Christian Church, Earlham IA
22.2: North Baltimore Church of Christ, North Baltimore OH
21.4: First Christian Church, Montoursville PA
Bucks Spent Per Baptism (based on total giving in most recent fiscal year)
Megachurches: $12,189
Emerging Megachurches: $30,687
Large: $34,381
Medium: $33,024
Small: $31,630
Very Small: $30,956
Overall: $17,269 (8% more than in 2023)
Lead Minister Age
Megachurches: 49.2
Emerging Megachurches: 49.1
Large: 51.6
Medium: 52.5
Small: 51.6
Very Small: 59.4
Overall: 52.9
* 28% of the lead ministers were 60 years old or older
* 17% of the lead ministers were 65 years old or older
* 9% of the lead ministers were 70 years old or older
Lead Minister Tenure
- Megachurches: 11.9 years
- Emerging Megachurches: 12.6 years
- Large: 12.9 years
- Medium: 10.6 years
- Small: 11.0 years
- Very Small: 10.3 years
- Overall: 11.4 years
Average Start Date of Church
- Megachurches: 1951
- Emerging Megachurches: 1961
- Large churches: 1951
- Medium churches: 1930
- Small Churches: 1936
- Very Small Churches: 1927
- Overall: 1940
Church Locations
An older residential area in the city (> 50,000 people): 9%
A downtown or central area of the city (> 50,000): 6%
A newer suburb around the city (> 50,000): 13%
An older suburb around the city (> 50,000): 20%
A city of 10,000 to 49,999, or in an area where a city of that size serves as a hub: 24%
A small town or rural community (< 10,000): 28%
State by State Locations
35 states represented plus 1 church from Canada.
- Ohio: 33 churches
- Indiana: 29 churches
- Kentucky: 27 churches
- Illinois: 16 churches
- Missouri: 14 churches
- Florida: 12 churches
- Kansas: 11 churches
- Michigan: 10 churches
- Tennessee: 9 churches
- Georgia, Iowa: 8 churches
- North Carolina: 7 churches
- Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia: 6 churches
- California, Oklahoma: 5 churches
- Arizona, Idaho, Minnesota, Nebraska: 4 churches
- Washington, Wyoming: 3 churches
- Maryland, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia: 2 churches
- Arkansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Ontario (Canada): 1 church
Kent E. Fillinger serves as president of 3:STRANDS Consulting.
0 Comments