2018 Fast Facts about Megachurches and Emerging Megachurches

These statistics from 2018 are gleaned from megachurch and emerging megachurch data collected by Kent Fillinger. Be sure to read Fillinger’s article, “2018 Special Church Report, Part 1: Megachurches and Emerging Megachurches,” and look at the accompanying tables, “The 2018 Charts: Megachurches and Emerging Megachurches”.

Compiled by Kent Fillinger

_ _ _

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE

Megachurches: 5,363

Emerging Megachurches: 1,332

Combined average weekly attendance (125 churches): 388,243

_ _ _

GROWTH RATES

Megachurches: 6.6% (up from 5.7% in 2017); overall, 74% of the megachurches grew (up from 71% in 2017)

Emerging Megachurches: 4.1% (unchanged from 2017); overall, 71% of emerging megachurches grew (up from 57% in 2017)

_ _ _

FASTEST-GROWING MEGACHURCHES

The Crossing, Quincy, IL: 43%

Pantano Christian Church, Tucson, AZ: 26%

Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, MD: 22.5%

_ _ _

FASTEST-GROWING EMERGING MEGACHURCHES

Hope City Church, Joplin, MO: 40.4%

Crossroads Christian Church, Joliet, IL: 39.5%

Newberg Christian Church, Newberg, OR: 31.5%

_ _ _

BAPTISMS

Megachurches baptized 21,292 people (an average of 402 baptisms per megachurch)

Emerging megachurches baptized 5,522 people (an average of 79 per church)

_ _ _

BAPTISM RATIOS

Number of baptisms per 100 people in average attendance:

Megachurches:  6.7

Emerging megachurches: 5.8

_ _ _

HIGHEST BAPTISM RATIOS—MEGACHURCHES

Compass Christian Church, Chandler, AZ: 13.5

Pantano Christian Church, Tucson, AZ: 12.4

Christ’s Church of the Valley, Phoenix, AZ: 11.6

(Note: Same three churches and same order as the previous year—the first time this has happened)

_ _ _

HIGHEST BAPTISM RATIO—EMERGING MEGACHURCHES

Eastside Christian Church, Jeffersonville, IN: 15.7

Third City Christian Church, Grand Island, NE: 13.6

Calvary Christian Church, Bellevue, NE: 11.3

_ _ _

STATES WITH THE MOST MEGACHURCHES

Indiana—8

California—7

Arizona & Illinois—5 each

_ _ _

STATES WITH THE MOST EMERGING MEGACHURCHES

Illinois—10

Ohio—8

Indiana & Missouri—6 each

_ _ _

OLDEST AND YOUNGEST CHURCHES REPORTING—YEAR STARTED

Oldest Megachurch: Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, MD—1824

Youngest Megachurch: New City Church, Phoenix, AZ—2011

Oldest Emerging Megachurch: Greenford (OH) Christian Church—1832

Youngest Emerging Megachurch: Hope City Church, Joplin, MO—2014

_ _ _

GIVING

Average weekly per-person giving (based on general fund only):

Megachurches: $31.94 (down from $32.28 in 2017)

Emerging Megachurches: $33.82 (up from $30.84 in 2017)

_ _ _

OUTREACH GIVING

Percentage of total budget spent on ministry “outside the walls”:

Megachurches: 12.5%

Emerging Megachurches: 13.6%

_ _ _

BUDGETED FOR STAFFS

Percentage of total budget invested on ministry staff:

Megachurches: 49%

Emerging Megachurches: 49.6%