Leadership Network and the Hartford Institute have published the results of their most recent research on megachurches in the US. More than 5 million people attend megachurches each week, and nearly two thirds of those have been attending the church for five years or less. Around 25% of them had not attended any church for a long time before starting to attend the megachurch. Nearly all newcomers came as a result of an invitation from a family member, friend or co-worker.
The average age of megachurch attenders is 40, whereas the average age of all church attenders is 53. Megachurch attenders were three times as likely to be single (never married), and almost 60% of the singles are visitors or have been attending for less than two years. Megachurch attenders are wealthier and have higher educational qualifications than the average of all church attenders. Megachurches have twice the proportion of new attenders, but still only 2% of attenders say they are not committed followers of Jesus.
There is a trend towards multiple loyalties, with one quarter of respondents saying that the megachurch was not their “church home”, although only 7% indicated that they were visiting. One third of respondents claimed that they gave about 10% or more of their income to the church, while another third said that they did not contribute, or gave a small amount when they could. Around 40% did not participate in any form of small group or group ministry.