Majority Of U.S. Megachurches Now Multiracial, New Data Says

[Michie]

A pre-pandemic study of megachurches in the U.S. shows that these congregations are growing in diversity and size — and that many were already well on their way to having online worship programs before the pandemic hit.

The study, conducted by Dr. Scott Thumma and Dr. Warren Bird with the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, ECFA, and Leadership Network, took place in early 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic changed attendance, practice and financial standing of many churches. It serves as the most recent update in a long-term series of surveys that has been conducted every five years since 2000.

COVID-19 has changed church attendance plenty on its own. According to data from Barma, those who attended church at least monthly prior to COVID-19 have experienced a change; 34% were engaging in digital “church hopping,” and 32% say they did not stream church online at all.

Of the churches surveyed, 58% report being multiracial — compare that to 21% of churches that said the same thing in 2000, and 47% in 2015.

The study defined “multiracial” to mean that 20% or more of the church’s congregation is made up of minority worshippers. A megachurch is defined in the study by two main characteristics: a Protestant denomination and 1,800 average attenders or more pre-pandemic. The survey analyzes responses from 582 churches that fit this description.

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Majority of U.S. Megachurches Now Multiracial, New Data Says

 

[pdudgeon]

By it's definition, it leaves out Catholic churches, which are organized differently, and have been for centuries.

Our large churches are usually one to a diocese, have stood for a long time, and are headed by a Bishop, Archbishop, or a Cardinal.
(or the Pope, of course)