Beyond the Ordinary

Six flags over Jesus? Worshipers flock to megachurches

By Deborah Bruce

Does it seem as if megachurches are taking over the religious landscape these days?  Here in Louisville, Southeast Christian Church regularly draws 21,000 worshipers to services at three locations.  It’s hard to imagine anyone living in the area who doesn’t know at least one person who attends there.  And the press seems to pay a lot of attention to these 200-pound gorillas.  They’re hard to ignore.  Peter Smith, the reporter covering religion for the local paper, has discussed Southeast Christian three times since the beginning of the year.

What is a megachurch?  The term megachurch generally refers to any Protestant church with a sustained weekly worship attendance that averages at least 2,000 persons. Megachurches often have a huge sanctuary; multiple services in a contemporary style; an evangelical, conservative theology; a charismatic senior pastor; and a wide variety of ministries.  (Note 1)

How common are megachurches?  In the United States there are around 1,200 such congregations.  That’s out of about 330,000 congregations in this country.  Do the math:  Fewer than one percent of congregations today are megachurches.  Why do we pay so much attention to them?  One reason—because there are more of them today than in the past.  In 1970, only about 50 Protestant churches had worship attendance of at least 2,000.  (Note 2.)

How many people attend megachurches?  We also pay attention to megachurches because so many people worship there.  Although megachurches comprise just one percent of all churches, ten percent of all worshipers attend megachurches.  In Louisville, we have several megachurches that together draw more than 32,000 worshipers, giving the impression that “everyone” attends a megachurch.  (Note 3.)

Most congregations are small; most worshipers attend large congregations.  Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?  But it’s true.  There is a substantial gap between where the largest numbers of people worship and the size of the typical congregation.  This gap means that what a typical congregation looks like is remarkably different from what the typical worshiper experiences.  Most congregations are small—about six in ten congregations in this country have fewer than 125 people in worship.  But most worshipers attend large congregations—the largest ten percent of congregations attract half of all worshipers.

What is typical?  These facts show that “typical” means something very different when talking about worshipers than when talking about congregations. 

Note 1.  Hartford Institute for Religious Research; Beyond Megachurch Myths, Scott Thumma and Dave Travis (Jossey-Bass, 2007). 

Note 2. Insights into Religion

Note 3.  Searchable database of megachurches.

Can You “Tab Sweep”? I Can!

By Deborah Bruce

I first learned the term “tab sweep” from my brother.  He occasionally does a tab sweep post on his blog, briefly pointing to a number of interesting things he’s seen on the web (left open in various tabs on his browser).  Here’s my tab sweep.  None of these items warrants a whole blog post, but I found each intriguing.  Maybe you will, too.

What’s a congregation worth?  Christianity Today created a fascinating infographic addressing this issue.  Based on Ron Cnaan’s work, it shows that urban congregations provide, on average, $476,663.24 in services and benefits to the community. And new research shows that figure might be closer to $6 million dollars for historic Philadelphia churches. 

Online giving.  Lifeway Research recently released survey results showing that 14% of Protestant churches overall now offer online giving.  Among large churches (those with at least 500 in worship), a majority offer online giving.  The U.S. Congregational Life Survey found that in 2008, just 9% of mainline Protestant churches and 4% of conservative Protestant churches included online giving in their websites. 

Mission as the emerging entry point for new people.  Lovett Weems (Lewis Center for Church Leadership) recently speculated that service may be what motivates young people to visit a church.  “The sense of commitment to help others among young adults is as strong as their excitement about most churches is weak.”  

Fewer sermons; more discipleship.  An Atlanta pastor is moving to monthly worship services with the goal of helping worshipers be Christians in discipleship and service to others.  He hopes to return to “the original vision of Courageous Church to take bold leaps of faith to bring about real change in peoples’ lives, in our city and in the world.” (The pastor’s blog is here, though it’s currently down.) 

A worshiper is a worshiper is a worshiper—or not

By Deborah Bruce

The U.S. Congregational Life Survey provides an accurate picture of worshipers across the country. The typical worshiper is female, 54 years old, employed, well-educated, and married. 

But that snapshot masks lots of differences and variability. Though the median age of worshipers is 54, most worshipers are not age 54.  In fact 30% are over the age of 65.  Most worshipers are employed, but 29% are retired and 7% are full-time homemakers.  As a group, worshipers have more education than the general population, but 5% did not complete high school.  Most worshipers are married, but 14% have never been married, and 16% are widowed or divorced.

And the overall picture varies for subgroups of worshipers, as well.  Focus on worshipers in conservative Protestant congregations and the median age is lower (47 years).  Focus on worshipers in mainline Protestant churches and the education level is even higher (57% have a college degree).  Focus on first-time visitors and only half are married. 

What subgroups make a real difference in the worshiper profile?

Faith Group.  When we present results of the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, we often look at differences based on faith group.  We compare three groups—conservative Protestants, mainline Protestants, and Catholics.  The polity, practices, and beliefs of these groups set them apart and have an influence on the types of people who choose to worship in such churches and the ministries of the congregation.  Conservative Protestants include Southern Baptists, Assemblies of God, Seventh-day Adventists, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Church of the Nazarene, most non-denominational churches, and other congregations with an evangelical focus.  Mainline Protestants (sometimes called old-line Protestants) include Episcopal Church, United Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), United Church of Christ, and other more liberal denominations.  There are enough Catholic parishes in this country that they comprise a group by themselves.

Faith group influences everything from experiences in worship to sermon length to values to voting.

Congregational Size.  A congregation with 20 people in worship on Sunday morning is remarkably different from one where hundreds attend multiple services each week.  We focus on average worship attendance rather than membership in determining size because different denominations count membership in different ways, and some don’t use the term “member." Average worship attendance fits almost all congregations.  Typically we use three size groups—small congregations with 100 or fewer worshipers, mid-size churches with between 101 and 350 worshipers, and large congregations with more than 350 worshipers in attendance.  We don’t have a mega-church category because they are such a small percentage of all congregations in this country (less than 1% of all churches). 

Congregational size influences whether a congregation: has a web presence, uses email to stay in touch with worshipers, and has helped send members into ministry.

Other Ways to Compare Worshipers and Congregations.  For other issues, regional differences or specific subgroups (grassroots evangelists or emerging adults, for example) make a difference.

 So What?  Knowing the “high peaks” of America’s religious landscape helps us see the big picture.  A profile of typical worshipers and congregations provides a reference point for assessing future possibilities. However, the nuances of diversity in the nation’s congregations reveal just as much, if not more. One size does not fit all.  What works in one location or congregation probably won’t work at all locations, or in the same way in other places. Knowing the ways your congregation is different from others is the first step toward effective ministries. 

How Do You Compare to Other Worshipers?  Find out. 

How Is Your Congregation Different?  Your congregation can take the U.S. Congregational Life Survey to discover how what make it unique and what strengths it has. Learn more.  

 

What can congregations do with new information that they didn't have before?

By Cynthia Woolever

Even though I’ve had my new car for more than a year, I still marvel at all the advanced information accessible on my dashboard. The GPS map system and its voice commands keep me from getting lost (well—most of the time!). Sometimes I put in the address of a place I go on a regular basis, just to see if the GPS knows a faster or shorter route. I’ve found that some of my regular routes from home to a store or meeting aren’t the best. My car also keeps track of how many miles I can drive before my gas tank is empty. This information makes a difference in my plans for filling the tank.

Having fresh information that you didn’t have before is the first step in breaking habits or assessing your current strategies. Additional information gives insights about reality that sharpen your focus of where you can best place your efforts.

Congregations can also benefit from new information that they didn’t have before. The U.S. Congregational Life Survey (US CLS) is one tool for obtaining new information.

Here are three examples of up-to-the-minute information that churches get when they use the US CLS as a tool for new insights, reflection, and change:

• Worshipers’ giving patterns. US CLS results show that at First Church of Typical Town (USA), about one in four worshipers give 10% or more of their income to the church. This percentage is the same as the national average for all congregations. Previous studies and our own research indicate that the primary factor influencing total giving across congregations is the percentage of worshipers who give 10% or more. So it’s an important figure to know about your congregation. But at First Church, 14% of worshipers report that they give nothing to the congregation. This non-giving percentage is more than double the national average (currently about 7% of all worshipers do not financially support their congregation). If First Church of Typical Town wants to increase worshiper giving, they could focus on both groups with one simple plan—challenge everyone to grow in their giving by giving 1% more! Church leaders could encourage those who currently give nothing to commit to contribute 1% of their net income in the coming year. Similarly, those currently giving 10% or more could be challenged to give an additional 1%.

(See these two excellent resources about increasing congregational giving:  Eight Ways to Raise Pledges; New Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program Kit from Cokesbury)

• Commitment to the congregation’s vision and ministry. Most worshipers (84%) who attend First Church of Typical Town declare that the church has a clear vision for its ministry and say they are strongly committed to it. This percentage is twice the national average. First Church’s high level of commitment to its vision is outstanding even in comparison to the fastest-growing Presbyterian congregations, where 74% of worshipers are strongly committed to the congregation's vision. With this new information, leaders at First Church can confidently pursue innovative strategies that fit the church’s mission, knowing that worshipers are strongly committed to making it happen.
• Welcoming new worshipers. The U.S. Congregational Life Survey results for First Church of Typical Town reveal that—compared to the national average—their new worshipers (those who began attending in the past five years) are more likely to be returnees (those who are attending services after not going anywhere for several years) and switchers (those who previously participated in another church with a different faith tradition)—rather than first-timers with no church background or transfers (those who previously attended another church from the same denomination). Several years ago, First Church began offering a class for worshipers who were thinking about becoming new members. With this new information, leaders can reflect on the curriculum for the new member class and ask, “What would be most helpful to people who are returnees and switchers as they consider becoming engaged members of First Church?”

New information is new—providing insight about something that you didn’t realize you didn’t know or a revelation that might alter your course of action. The first step toward change is openness to new insight. The U.S. Congregational Life Survey is one tool to get that innovative information, which can reset your congregation’s direction.

Learn more.