SDA - Seventh-day Adventist He also is the founder of North Point Ministries, a global network of more than 30 churches. Romildo Ribeiro Soares Net Worth $125 million, 7. He rose to fame in the late 1980s when he debuted his faith and revival meeting summits called Miracle Crusades. Besides the summits, he ran his Christian television program called This Is Your Day. Ultimately, the television show made him rich in the 1990s since it quickly became popular worldwide. The organization generally helps underprivileged people meet their needs. We minister to more than 30,000 people in weekly attendance with campuses across the state of Alabama. Thousands of church leaders join the 2007 Willow Creek Leadership Summit in South Barrington, Ill. Church Growth Today is a research center which publishes annually lists of evangelical Christian megachurches in USA and the world. She also enjoys creative writing, content writing on nearly any topic (particularly business and lifestyle), because as a lifelong learner, she loves to do research and possess a high skill level in this area. During the 80s, he served as one of the founders of the Moral Majority along with Jerry Falwell. John Piper, longtime pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis and founder of Desiring God. AG - Assemblies of God Christian - Independent Christian Churchesor unspecified Hodges founded Church of the Highlands in 2001. 1. Jerry Falwell, and sitting at the far end of Liberty University, Thomas Road remains one of Americas largest and most influential churches. BRETHREN - Brethren With a heart to reach people at their point of need, Christ Fellowships external focus keeps the church moving in the direction towards the communityfeeding the homeless, creating homes for neglected and abused children in the South Florida and caring for the underserved communities in our region. Urgent: Who Should the GOP Nominate in 2016? ICC - International Church of Christ VOTE NOW: Is Christ Returning? It is posted for the specific purpose of sharing the information only. Paul Adefarasin Net Worth $50 million, 9. With his earnings, he purchased houses worth $10.5 million. UMC - United Methodist Church As an individual congregation, North Point could be much more influential in the public arena, but it chooses not to be in order to extend its influence through the training of hundreds of thousands of leaders. By the latest reckoning, it has 33 billionaires and more millionaires than you can, Read More The 10 Richest People in BrazilContinue, Seth MacFarlane is a writer, director, actor, and a singer. That question is at the heart of a quiet (and, for. Among megachurches by common definition, a megachurch draws 2,000 or more weekly attenders the " most senior " department includes Charles Stanley who came to Atlanta's First Baptist Church in 1971. Cross Church, Springdale, Ark. , about 10 million Americans view his televised sermons. A multisite megachurch pastor and adjunct professor of preaching at Truett, West has reflected on Martin Luther King Jr. as a preacher, and a sermon of his on Christian maturity was featured in Preaching Today. Jesse is a minister of the Covenant Church. Ordained in the Progressive National Baptist Convention and the United Church of Christ, the late-40s activist and preacher is the youngest on the list. 17. Chris is a Nigerian televangelist and faith healer. While influence is notoriously subjective and therefore difficult to quantify, we based our list on the notoriety of the megachurches leaders, the reach of their books, the ratings of their television and radio programs, and the way the public views them. We integrated that public data with the self-reported survey from . Charles Swindoll, senior pastor at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. Besides pastoring, he hosts a television program called Destined to Reign, which airs in 150 countries. 9. Pastor John K. Jenkins Sr. leads one of the most influential congregations in metropolitan Washington, D.C. Hes a national figure who plays a prominent role in the National Association of Evangelicals. But how can we live with intention? Yet, the church is known to be comfortable for them without catering to them. 35. They have the power to bless and to curse, to wound and to heal, to build and to destroy. In 2009, he released a book dedicated to his favorite stories, quotes, and anecdotes from sermons; CTs Preaching Today has featured a message he preached on finding joy in our differences. Lakewood Church. COC - Church of Christ No one in "Baptistdom" was surprised by it, for Graham is as big as it gets. Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside, Calif. This church is led by Greg Laurie, who's known for his evangelistic crusades in stadiums across America. His lively church is broadcast nationwide to millions of people. Before he ventured into theological works, he served two years in the Marine Corps. Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox. The Covid pandemic may have forced pay cuts, closures, and mass unemployment, but for some, the economic turmoil of the past year has barely been felt. With his theological knowledge, he was able to start his ministry called The House on the Rock. Long described his preaching process in a 1991 CT Pastors interview, urging pastors to stick to one-point sermons and admitting his own critical eye towards his preaching: I think serious preachers, preachers who give themselves to this task, need to learn how to forgive themselves for not producing masterpieces every week.. 44. Harvest Bible Chapel, Chicago, Ill. James MacDonald leads Harvest and its related network of churches; he also hosts a widely listened-to national radio program. Nearly all megachurch pastors are men, who are often viewed as authoritative and charismatic, according to the institute. VINE - Vineyard 8. Worship lets us celebrate God's faithfulness and show our gratitude for his work in our lives. He is an American bishop, filmmaker, and author. Howerton, who pastors the multi-site Lakepointe Church, headquartered in Rockwall, Texas, posted a thread, which he titled "MEGACHURCH PASTORS EXPOSED," highlighting the stories of megachurch pastors he knows who have never been involved in scandals. After a rough two weeks in office, Mayor Eric Adams of New York City sought a familiar refuge on Sunday: the pulpit at Christian Cultural Center, a nondenominational megachurch in Brooklyn. Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Va. Led by Jonathan Falwell, the son of the late Rev. 8 Richest Pastors in America These pastors inspire millionsand make millions. But todays top preachers also convey a degree of clout and celebrity, and aspiring pastors and churchgoers alike can be drawn to a particular teachers offeringswhich are more widely accessible than ever thanks to streaming video and sermon podcasts. MCC - Metropolitan Community Church Every one of his books is a best-seller, and his national tours regularly sell out arenas. This is a family, and a place to call home. He was married to Riva Tims, who founded the ministry with him in 1996. Listing of Megachurches in the United States Listing of Global Megachurches Extensive research on US megachurches The database above contains information on all the megachurches we have been able to locate in Canada. Dr. A. R. Bernard, this is New York Citys largest church and, aside from being an extraordinary leader and teacher, Bernard is about as iconic as someone gets in the Big Apple. Zachery Tims, 42, was found dead in a room at the W . UCC - United Church of Christ As CT has noted, the Internet, particularly social media, has also upped the pressure for preachers to address current events and navigate political issues in their sermons. If you find any errors in this list or want to suggest an addition, we would greatly appreciate you emailing us at hirr@hartsem.edu and sharing your knowledge. FCA - Fellowship of Christian Assemblies He truly exhibited the sheer weight of his influence and Prestonwoods in October, when nearly all of the Republican presidential candidates came to his church for the North Texas Presidential Forum. A 2010 survey of U.S. pastors by Outreach Magazine identified Stanley as one of the top 10 most influential living pastors in America. The Southern Baptist Convention upheld the removal of two churches for having women as pastors. Two years later, he was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister. 41. Without further ado, here is the list of the 20 richest pastors in the world in 2022. Keller, who stepped down from weekly preaching at Redeemer last year, wrote in his 2015 book Preaching that expository preaching should provide the main diet of preaching for a Christian community., Thomas G. Long, professor emeritus of preaching at Emory Universitys Candler School of Theology in Atlanta. With the reliance on donations to fund his lifestyle, some people speculate that his net worth could even amount to $1 billion. 1. Each student must find their own voice, he said. 43. Yet, if you pin any of them down, they almost always embrace traditional values. Believe it or not, addressing the congregation is not the only way pastors become rich. However, in 1994 he became saved and gave up his drug addiction. Wednesday, 11 November 2015 10:34 AM EST. 40. Hillsong now boasts churches in a dozen global cities with more than 100,000 people in combined weekly attendance. Click to View the World Megachurches List (To download a copy to your computer, click the image above, then choose File -> Download as) Spread the Word, Improve the List Feel free also to publicize or cite this listing, crediting this shortcut link: https://archive.leadnet.org/world. New Season Christian Worship Center, Sacramento, Calif. This is the home base of the Rev. The people at Gateway also feel a call to engage in the public arena with their pastors and elders, speaking frequently and boldly about issues in which public policy clashes with the churchs teachings. ARC is one of the largest church planting organizations in North America. What more information? David is a Nigerian preacher, businessman, author, and founder of the Living Faith Church. Most of his earnings have been through his ministries. EF - Evangelical Free A common book he publishes is the daily devotional bible called Rhapsody of Realities. We continually make changes this list and welcome suggestions and additions. First Baptist of Glenarden, Landover, Md. Churches part of the Assemblies of God in Australia; The following list of megachurches affiliated with the Assemblies of God USA are taken from the denomination's official 2017 statistics[3] and are ordered by average attendance of Sunday worship services: Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. This is a list of the largest megachurches in the United States with an attendance of more than 10,000 weekly, sometimes also termed a gigachurch. With his earnings, he was able to start the Uebert Angel Foundation. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research defines a megachurch as a Protestant congregation that has an average weekly attendance of . 34. 4. Houston's own church, the non-denominational Lakewood attracts an average weekly attendance of 43,500 parishioners. Earlier this year, Mike Law Jr., senior pastor of Arlington Baptist Church in Arlington, compiled a list of SBC member churches with female pastors. Uebert is a British-Zimbabwean charismatic evangelical preacher and founder of Spirit Embassy in the United Kingdom. 12:13. His church also leads one of the largest prayer networks in the country, and Rodriquezs fiery sermons are legendary. A Texas megachurch pastor is taking a leave of absence after his church learned of frequent messages between him and a woman who is not his wife. The megachurch pastor has often described how he shapes his preaching to resonate with unchurched and unbelieving listeners as well, down to replacing common phrases like The Bible says with more specific setups. Kenneth is an American televangelist, author, public speaker, and musician with ties to the Charismatic Movement. Her academic degrees include AA social Sci/BA English/MEd Adult Ed & Community & Human Resource Development and ABD in PhD studies in Indust & Org Psychology. FaithChurch.com, St. Louis, Mo., With three locations in St. Louis County and a new facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, FaithChurch.com was rated the 31st fastest-growing church in America last year by Outreach Magazine. Hillsong Church, New York and Los Angeles Hillsong Churchs headquarters might be in Sydney, Australia, but it has truly become a global movement. Matt Chandler, the lead pastor at the . Besides pastoring, he earns as an author and a host of a television program called Something Is About to Happen.. GBA - General Baptist Association Scott Thumma began keeping this list in 1992 using numerous sources including denominational reports, a database provided by Thomas Zook, the insights of numerous web visitors, researchers such as John Vaughan, Elmer Towns and many others as well as reporters around the U.S., the Leadership Network and Scott's visits to and research of these large congregations. Almost all megachurch pastors are male. He preached his first sermon in 1976 when he was introduced to TBN by John Hagee. Currently, he is the richest pastor in the world. The thousands that attend each week represent an unbelievably diverse group (in both age and ethnicity), but the church is often recognized for the lines of young, hip, and famous people who wrap around city blocks waiting for the doors to open. ABC - American Baptist For years, insiders have joked that Warren is the evangelical pope. No one was joking any longer when Pope Francis came to America for the World Meeting of Families in September and invited the evangelical Pastor Warren to deliver the keynote address. He was ordained as a minister in Lakewood Church in 1992. Calvary of Albuquerque, Albuquerque, N.M. Led by Skip Heitzig, this church is probably the most well-known Calvary Chapel in America, and Heitzig is certainly one of the most listened-to preachers in the U.S. Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Ky. Another one of the five-largest churches in America, Southeast Christian is led by the truly remarkable Dave Stone. Later, he would become a full-time evangelist in 1978. CNNs John Blake described their style in relationship to the black church tradition: Moss approach to preaching is steeped in what he calls the blue note gospel, a message shaped by the fiery prophetic tradition of the black church. Skyline Community Church, San Diego, Calif. Led by Dr. Jim Garlow, the scholar/pastor who spearheaded Californias passing of Proposition 8 (opposing same-sex marriage), Skyline isnt the largest church on the list, but it is capable of performing political miracles. Even though his ministry is the reason for his wealth, he also earns as an author. Joel C. Gregory, endowed chair in preaching and evangelism at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Theyve each written best-selling books, have invested their lives in seeding thousands of churches through their Willow Creek Association, and have annually led the largest leadership conference in the world, which is telecast to more than 100,000 people. So much for those who claim ad nauseam that faith is declining in our country. Our mission to connect people to Jesus and one another has grown and multiplied, expanding beyond the city, over county lines, across the river, to encompass an entire region. for less than $4.25/month. The database below contains information on all the megachurches we have been able to locate in the United States. SA - Salvation Army We continuously add new churches and make corrections as we find out about changes, but the list is not without errors. Christ Fellowship is a multiethnic congregation gathering across nine locations in South Florida, with more than 26,000 in attendance each week and over 50,000 joining online. Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas While a number of the churches on this list are Southern Baptist, Prestonwood, in metropolitan Dallas, is the most well-known church with Baptist actually in its name. Hes also a best-selling author and regularly tours the nation, packing churches in as many as 50 consecutive cities. Tony Evans, founder and senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas. The facility's weekly attendance across its nationwide campuses regularly pushes 100,000 people, and its online church at least doubles that. CONGREG - Congregationalist (unspecified) 32. By Megan Schmidt Shutterstock.com How much is worship worth? In addition to six weekly services that are streamed online, both pastors maintain their own personal blogs, in which they share encouraging daily insights, anecdotes of family life with their two kids, and uplifting spiritual stories. Vote Here Now Before becoming a preacher, he briefly worked with the Federal Ministry of Housing in Ilorin, Nigeria. He is largely considered among the most gifted Bible teachers in America. As a result, even though Kelly has departed NBC because of the cancellation of Megyn Kelly Today, it will be interesting, Read More How Megyn Kelly Achieved a Net Worth of $30 MillionContinue, Christopher Grace hated being called Chris by his classmates, so he changed his name to Topher, and it has stuck even in his adulthood. Taylor wrote for CT Pastors on preaching the terrors and ventured into unconventional spirituality with more recent books like An Altar in the World. Asbury Church Senior Pastor Tom Harrison preaches during the traditional service in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on March 27, 2022. He has achieved a high level of success in many aspects of the film, Read More How Seth MacFarlane Achieved a Net Worth of $200 MillionContinue, For those who have lost track of Ashton Kutcher, this year he hit the big 4-0. When Ray opened a branch of Rhema Bible Church in his parents home, only 13 people would attend his service. Free Chapel, Gainesville, Ga., and Irvine, Calif. Jentezen Franklin leads this congregation. Megachurch Pastors Exposed. National Community Church, Washington, D.C. Mark Batterson is a rising evangelical star whose best-selling books and cool teachings have quickly made his church one of the most attended by young professionals in Washington, D.C. RCA - Reformed Church in America Tim Keller, founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. UNK - Unknown(unspecified) [3] Ralph Douglas West, founder and senior pastor of The Church Without Walls in Houston. EC - Evangelical Covenant 10. Pastor Joel Osteen. The Hebrew understanding of words is that they both say something and do something. Also, he owns Dominion Publishing House, which publishes his books. Wests powerful delivery embodies the start slow, rise higher, strike fire and retire approach of the black church as well. The pastor has been lampooned for his prosperity theology and his luxurious lifestyle. This searchable database below contains the church name, its denominational affiliation (see abbreviation key at the bottom of the page ), the State and nearest large city in which a church resides, the senior minister's name, and an approximate attendance figure. Paul was born into a wealthy family in Nigeria. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research, which has compiled an impressive database of more than 1,500 megachurches across the United States, defines a megachurch as any Protestant house of. megachurches, top, united states, newsmax, When Do You Think Christ Is Returning? First Baptist Houston, Houston, Texas This is the church of two of the most loved Bible teachers in America, Greg Matte and Beth Moore. Vote Now, forthcoming feature film on Hillsong United, Phoenix First Assembly and Angelus Temple, Newsmax's 100 Most Influential Pro-life Advocates, Newsmax's Top 100 Evangelical Christian Colleges, Do not sell or share my personal information. We want to be a place of family, community and hope. Our story begins with the dream of planting a church with a simple goal: help people connect with God in a church without letting structures and programs get in the way. He attended the third Republican debate as a guest of Donald Trump, and he has also appeared as a Fox News contributor. Born in 1932, he's in his 80s. Jakes spends most of his fortune on jewelry, houses, and cars. Gregorya contributor to Preaching Todayrecently celebrated 50 years of preaching around the world, and through his ministry, he taught 170 times in 32 churches and 20 conferences last year alone. The Southern Baptist Convention is at another turning point for women pastors, in which the upcoming annual meeting in New Orleans will feature votes on codifying a ban on women . The television network is the major reason he is affluent. The church has over 77 parishes in Africa and Europe. Besides earning from his churches, he owns a company called Shepherd Bushiri Investments. That then prompted him to start the World Church of the Power of God. We are all about people because God is all about people. While the church is headquartered in Anderson, it is spread so widely across the state of South Carolina that it could basically be considered the state church. 49. His humility is his most famous characteristic, and hes surely the most influential Christian youve never heard of, not by design but by his unimpeachable character. 1: Chris Hodges. I Loved Studying Math. She also made LifeWays top 10 list. Lakewood Church - Houston. Besides earning from music, he also earns from writing. At a moment of crisis, my drive to excel seemed increasingly pointless. PAC - Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada Valdemiro is a Brazilian pastor and leader of the World Church of the Power of God. 48. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research defines a megachurch as any Protestant Christian church having 2,000 or more people in average weekend attendance. 0:05. Crossroads is for anyone seeking God--from those exploring whether or not God even exists, to committed Christ-followers. Barbara Brown Taylor, former Episcopal priest, professor, author, and theologian. 50. Valdemiro Santiago Net Worth $350 million, How Megyn Kelly Achieved a Net Worth of $30 Million, How Topher Grace Achieved a Net Worth of $14 Million, How Seth MacFarlane Achieved a Net Worth of $200 Million, How Ashton Kutcher Achieved a Net Worth of $200 Million, A Travelers Guide to the Best Beaches in Tijuana, Laura Fuentes: Food Lifestyle Entrepreneur Revolutionizing Nutrition, How Sherri Shepherd Achieved a Net Worth of $10 Million, Foodies, Oenophiles, Walkers, and Joggers Will Love Barge Cruising in France, The Best and Worst Years for a Used Toyota Camry. According to that The Hartford Institute's database, approximately 50 churches had attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000 in 2010. BGC - Baptist General Conference Hope City Church in Houston, Texas once touted as the "fastest-growing church in American history" announced earlier this month that its pastor, Jeremy Foster, has resigned due to an adulterous affair.. Foster's resignation is the latest in a series of scandals linked to the Association of Related Churches. 42. The pastor now owns a bulletproof Rolls-Royce Phantom, a $65 million G550 luxury jet, a Land Rover Discovery, and a Mercedes-Benz Gelandewagen. UNITY - Unity We continually make changes this list and welcome suggestions and additions. They are almost all conservative theologically and politically (think 95 percent), but they have varying degrees of comfort with making politics an issue in the pulpit. The same source also lists more than 1,300 such Protestant and Evangelical churches in the United States with a . Besides being a pastor, he has also written famous books titled The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life.. weekly attendance: 53,000; Denomination: Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) Fellowship Church, Dallas, Texas Always numbered among the largest churches in America and known for its creativity and tech savvy, Fellowship is incredibly well known within the church world, but has less exposure in the public arena. 37. He died last year at 86 and is remembered as an unmatched champion of expository preaching. Even as many churches push for innovation, nothing can replace the power of a well-preached, gospel-centered message. He is an author, prophet, motivational speaker, and businessman. 3. 39. Created by . Most churches and critics generally regard him as the face of the prosperity gospel. 5. Its not unusual for one service to end with 1,000 new converts. PLEASE do not copy and paste any information from these pages into your website; however, feel free to link to it from your site. 12. Common terms for megachurch leaders include minister, pastor or reverend. EVAN - Evangelical If you have some knowledge of these churches, please check this information. 36. He is a Nigerian pastor and the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Samuel Rodriquez, who also leads the organization of the nations Hispanic evangelical churches. Texas is making it easier for pedophiles to become pastors. As a child, he enjoyed acting thus got a taste of, Read More How Topher Grace Achieved a Net Worth of $14 MillionContinue, Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America. We humbly recognize that we are among those Christ seeks and saves. The Cranks, who also serve as the churchs senior pastors, are sought-after motivational speakers who helped grow their member base by breaking down the sometimes complex teachings of the Bible into relatable, easy-to-digest services that are accessible to everyone. A third of the preachers listedLong, Robinson, Swindoll, and Tayloralso appeared on Baylors previous most-effective preachers list, which came out more than 20 years ago. If you notice errors or know of additions, please contact us. CME- Christian Methodist Episcopal Influential pastor Rick Warren says Saddleback, SBC share enough "in common" Rick Warren, founder of California megachurch Saddleback Church and author of the massive bestseller "The Purpose . If you are interested in what a megachurch is, read our megachurch definition or more recent research. Vote Now A few years later, he joined another church called Higher Ground Always Abounding Assemblies, where his congregation gradually grew. We depend on what the church or denomination reports their attendance numbers to be. But thats how they like it. 47. A quarter of the pastors on the listEvans, Moss, and . David Oyedepo Net Worth $150 million, 5. Otis Moss III, senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Before becoming the leader of this church, he was a preacher at the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. Keith Moore, pastor of Faith Life Church in Sarasota, Florida, and Branson, Missouri, has a parsonage in Florida worth $4.5 million and a beach house worth almost $2.5 million, according to Redfin. 38. 22. American. Before he converted to Christianity and became a preacher in 1962, he was a recording artist. Since our inception, we have grown from one church to six in metro Atlanta and have developed a global network of more than 30 strategic partner churches. The church is the eighth largest in the United States. Home to the infamous pastor Creflo Dollar, and the prosperity gospel he controversially teaches, the church received a grade of. More Americans are staying put. In fact, the worldview you function with is predicated on the words you know. In 2010, a LifeWay Research survey of Protestant pastors ranked him among the top 10 most influential living preachers. Phoenix First Assembly and Angelus Temple, Phoenix and Los Angeles Tommy, Luke, and Matthew Barnett are an evangelical dynasty in this country. Gallup has found that effective sermons still remain the biggest factor drawing Americans to church each Sunday. Its the tension between the pastoral and prophetic calls that every church must embrace, and each church must find its own way through. The popular teacher, author, and leader recently hosted Dr. Ben Carson. 45. He serves as the chairman and owner of Rede Record, Brazils second-largest television network. Besides preaching, he is also a publisher. "@RubeBait @Steve12608013 Another Texas mega church pastor has been accused of sex crimes against children. The 12 picks represent the most effective preachers in the English-speaking world (though all are based in the US), according to Truetts survey of almost 180 sermon experts belonging to the Evangelical Homiletics Society and the Academy of Homiletics. EPIS - Episcopal Yet, in sheer numbers, no church reaches more people weekly than Life.Church, and none is more content to do it entirely under the radar. 28. Megachurches, Megamansions: Pastors' Homes Valued in the Millions By Barry Bowen and Pete Evans Former home of faith healer David Turner. LUTH - Lutheran(unspecified) His television audience is gigantic, his books are best-sellers, and his reputation is impeccable. Later on, he opened another television network in Atlanta called W67CI. Shepherd Bushiri Net Worth $150 million, 4. Jeremiah is a mega-Christian influencer. (Its no coincidence that Stanley, Swindoll, Piper, Keller, and Begg all appear among the top 15 most popular Christian podcasts on iTunes.).