Thursday August 6, 2009 ~
34 Comments
Megachurches are growing both in the number of churches qualifying as megachurches, and in the size of megachurches themselves. Back in 1992, if your attendance was 3,315 or higher, you got put in the "100 largest" list of churches in America. We just compiled the list for 2009 to be published this fall by Outreach Magazine, and the the cutoff for the "100 largest" was about double what it was in 1992.
So, when most people think of megachurches they not only think of mega-numbers, but also mega-sanctuaries. But you'd be surprised. While megachurch size (in number) has increased, sanctuaries have not grown in size. According to a national study co-authored by Warren Bird of Leadership Network, "Changes in American Megachurches", (see page 6), attendance in megachurches is growing but sanctuary size is the same. In fact, the average main sanctuary seating capacity in the typical American megachurch is only 1,400 (median), according to Warren's report.
That means only a few dozen churches can seat more than 5,000. Warren listed all the churches he knows of with a seating capacity of 5,000 or more, and if you're curious, that list-in-progress can be downloaded here. Do you know of any U.S. church that got left out? Please take a look and add a comment if you know of a church that's missing.
So, who would you know that needs to be on this list. Let us know and we can check and follow up.
Posted on August 6, 2009 at 1:10 AM ~ 34 Comments
Tagged with: bird, growth, megachurch, seating
possibly Germantown Baptist Church, Germantown, TN. They may be just under the cutoff line. Not sure.
germantownbaptist.org
The old Lakewood facility is now owned by New Light Christian Center - I.V. Hilliard.
The LA Forum is owned and used by Faithful Central Bible Church and according to their website can seat up to 17,800.
I'm I'm reading the FBC Woodstock GA completion date correctly (1987?), I'm sure it's wrong. Seems to me their new facility was completed in the last 4 years or so--and it may be larger than the 7500 number, if that's the case.
Prestonwood Baptist Church Plano, TX seats 7000+
What about Lake Pointe in Rockwall, TX. They bought Larry Lea's Church on the Rock after his scandal. Their website says it seats 5,000.
Also Shiloh Missionary in Jacksonville Florida where Darrell Gilyard pastored. I think it seats 5,000.
It makes sense that the median size of auditoriums wouldn't increase.
It's like processor technology (in computers). We don't make huge advancements in processor speed or efficiency anymore, but instead focus on putting 3 or 4 processors in a machine.
Multi-site!
Slight off-topic:
I wonder, if we get our churches to 7, 14 or 20,000, then what?
Joseph,
You are right-- off topic. Any suggestions for large auditoriums? ;-)
Ed
Would Saddleback be included in this?
Check Casas Adobes Baptist (they just say "Casas") I think it is right at it... (Tucson, AZ)
Ed,
A few I know of:
Crossroads Church, OKC - claimed to seat over 5,000 last I knew.
Calvary Church, Charlotte - I have read that it seats 6,000
Second Baptist Houston West Campus facility - I have read that it seats 5,000
Victory Church, Tulsa - 5,000
Lakepointe Church Rockwall - Close to 5,000
Cornerstone San Antonio - I have read that it could seat 5,000 when it opened
Trinity Baptist Jacksonville - Seems like I read that it could seat 5000 at one point in time.
West Angeles COGIC - 5,000
As for post above, Germantown BC seats about 3,500.
World Harvest Church, Columbus, Ohio: I believe they seat 5200.
National Church of God in Washington D.C.
I think may need to be on there...
what does it mean, when churches with smaller facilities have more members than churches with larger buildings?
Rhema Bible Church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma claims a congregation of 8,000 but does not divulge its seating capacity on its web site.
Christian Life Center Stockton CA
Fellowship of the Woodlands, The Woodlands, TX, Kerry Shook Pastor.
At $3800 per seat, $19 million to build the smallest auditorium mentioned and $62 million to build the largest. If not paid off earlier somehow, the oldest one listed (aside from 1923!--the one built in 1981) paid off in 2006, at an amortization rate of 25 years (mortgage payment monthly: $165,000 = $49 million with interest for smallest auditorium); all the present and future assets of the congregation were pledged to the lender until the loan was paid off--and the congregation, by contract, promised to stay in business until then.
Eight-and-a-half years after building a new 1800-seat auditorium, a congregation I used to serve as church administrator still only has 1200 people present for worship on Sunday mornings--in 2 services, so 600 worshippers surrounded by 1200 empty seats during each service (can we say, "Overbuilt"?)--but the congregation still owes about $2 million on its loan, so it's paying for 1200 so-far-empty seats ($30,000+ mortgage payment each month--for another 17 years if not paid off early).
One reason churches can't reach the people they want to reach and/or keep the people they do reach: normal migration/attrition in their cities (every city). Neighborhoods/cities transition--usually downward (sorry!) in terms of socio-economics. My view: smaller multi-sites is better than single large sites (expensive either way).
Interesting: Valentine weekend in 2002, my wife and I visited the second morning worship service of Prestonwood-Dallas. That morning, the congregation's current teaching pastor was present in-view-of-call. My wife and I and about 7000 other people had to get in line while waiting for 7000 people to exit from the first worship service that morning--it was a cool experience (but my wife didn't like the looooonnnnnggg walk back to the car afterwards, and said she couldn't attend that church as a member because of it; I was still excited about being in line to get into a church!).
Maybe Brentwood and Brookhollow churches in Houston?
Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale - Pastor Bob Coy http://www.calvaryftl.org/
I'm pretty sure that Cathedral of the Cross (Assembly of God) near Birmingham, Alabama would be of a comparable size.
Mt. Paran North COG in Atlanta, possibly?
What about Fellowship church Ed Young Jr's Irving TX
Hunter Street Baptist in Hoover AL
Jentezen Franklin's church in Gainsville,GA
David, it is an iteresting thought... As a missionary, i hate the fact that tge USA church spends MANY times more on interest than it gives to world mission (esp the unreached who have no churches ay all). However, I believe Maha church facilities help to give the church a place of influence that we would not have otherwise.I to like the multi-service use though... I also wonder how many of these churches are paid off? I believe there are a few in this list that may have been built mainly/or even ALL in cash!! Now that's the way to do it!!!
Rick Godwin of San Antonio TX, just completed their new building?
http://www.summitsa.com/
I'm great with any godly, Spirit-led decision congregations make together--including building large church buildings in order to accomodate growing numbers attending (otherwise, churches only build if they come across substantial amounts of money; cf. FUMC-Monett, MO). Cash is the way; until then, I think: solve single-site space-need problems with manpower for as long as possible (multiple services/Sunday Schools/small groups), then with a combination of manpower and money, and finally primarily with money--realizing fully what you're getting into (all present/future assets pledged to the lender, etc.). The sort-of scary thing is that, despite how well a congregation may grow numerically, its campus still sits in a neighborhood which is transitioning (few locations are timeless/unaffected ones; multiple acres in newly developing areas will be surrounded by aging homes in 20 years--and be more difficult to reach as infrastructure passes them by). I guess, though, that's one of the true tests of great church leadership: whether or not to build, not building either too soon or too late, building as debt-free as possible, and building in such a way that the congregation doesn't become a slave to migration/attrition in the years ahead. That would be a great research question, maybe: which churches have managed to accomplish these things over recent years AND to continue to experience biblical growth?
Have a fun weekend, everybody!
Faithful Central Bible Church of Los Angeles owns and now meets in the LA Forum, seating 17,500.
Calvary Church in Charlotte, according to the Insider's Guide to Charlotte by Leigh Pressley, the sanctuary does indeed seat 6,000.
Cathedral of the Cross, of East Birmingham, Alabama seats 8,000 (according to Professional Sound Advice, Inc. of Birminham).
According to their website, the Christian Life Center of Stockton, CA seats 5,800.
Victory Christian Center in Tulsa seats 5,000.
West Angeles Church of God in Christ seats 5,000.
Cornerstone Church, San Antonio: 5,000.
Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church, Jacksonville: 5,000.
------------
However, the following churches do not have facilities that seat 5,000...
Trinity Baptist in Jacksonville: 2,200.
Second Baptist, Houston-West: 4,000.
National Church of God (D.C.): 4,000.
LakePointe Church in Rockwall: 4,800.
Fellowship of the Woodlands (TX): 4,000.
Hunter Street Baptst (AL): 1,950.
Summit in San Antonio: 2,500.
Jentezen Franklin's church, Free Chapel, of Gainesville: 3,200.
Rhema Church in Broken Arrow: 4,200.
Fellowship Church (Ed Young, Jr.): 4,200.
Calvary Chapel, Fort Lauderdale: 3,650.
Mt. Paran in Atlanta: about 2,400.
Brentwood Baptist in Houston: about 2,000.
Brookhollow in Houston: 2,500.
Nice work Brett. I did read that Second Baptist West was expanding from 4000 to 5000 in their most recent expansion but don't know if it happened.
What about Highpoint Church in Arlington? Considering that the campus was a former Johnson and Johnson plant I am thinking it could seat 5000.
The Great Auditorium at Ocean Grove, New Jersey, may not strictly be a church, but services are the main feature of this structure that was erected in 1894 by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. The original seating was close to 10,000, but the installation of modern theater seating in 1961 reduced this to 6,200. The building is unheated and intended for summer use only. It boasts one of the 25 largest pipe organs in the world.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, "America's Catholic Church", Washington DC
Total capacity, Upper Church (approximate): 6,000 persons
Community Bible Church .. San Antonio. I am not sure of their seating capacity but they had 13,000+ in worship last week, so it might be.
Went there 2 years ago and it is pretty big. Check http://www.communitybible.com/
New Life Church Colorado Springs - 7,000+
Calvary Assembly Winter Park 5,000 when it was built
Grace Community Church Houston 6,000+
Grace Community Church in Houston, TX actually has a seating capacity of over 10,000. We only own about 7,100 chairs right now. LOL see grace.tv then find the South Campus tab, then see available sanctuary pics.
acousticdimensions.com is a great site that has played some sort of audio/visual/acoustic and building design for many megachurches with various sizes, including Willow Creek's facilities. They know their exact seating capacities of dozens of large churches as they worked closely with the church staff on each building.