Geographies of megachurches in the United States

Abstract

Perhaps the most rapidly growing element of the American religious landscape is the megachurch, commonly taken to mean religious establishments with 2,000 or more attendees. Typically Protestant in affiliation, although many are non-denominational, megachurches have grown explosively in the US. This paper situates megachurches within the broader context of religion in the US, and the literature on the geography of religion. It begins with a detailed examination of the causes of megachurches' rapid growth, focusing on the business-like model of religion that they offer. Second, using data from 2005, it explores their geographic distribution, noting their suburban, metropolitan and Sunbelt orientation; as an aside, it includes their location within political conservative jurisdictions. Third, it offers three brief case studies of black and white megachurches in the Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, and Atlanta metropolitan regions. The conclusion points to their growing presence internationally.

Keywords:

• megachurches
• geography of religion
• urban cultural geography

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Alyson Greiner and two reviewers for their helpful comments.

Notes

1. The exact relationship is % B = 50.8 + 5.2 ln (%pop), r=.39, N = 351.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Barney Warf

Barney Warf, Department of Geography, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA