Super Graphic Ultra Modern Mega Church

I was raised Christian in a Florida beach town. When I was younger, we would drive to church and for one painstakingly long hour (to an eight-year-old) I would disassociate in the pew and draw on the back of the sermon handout. No longer as religious as I was, I find myself oogling at these mega churches online and wondering how we moved from a room so silent a cough echoed to a Christmas Eve service with an angel attached to a zipline being flown over the room.  

Where Did Thy Come From, Oh Mega Church? 

The idea and creation of the mega church dates back to the mid nineteenth century, with the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Amsterdam, created for independent Baptists. However, the Angelus Temple in Los Angeles California is often credited as the first mega church in the United States, but it is likely that there were others already founded. When its doors first opened in 1923, it had the ability to seat 5,300 people and was led by Aimee Semple McPherson- a Pentecostal Evangelist. Featuring a 50-piece band, and her “theatrical sermons”, this preaching style was no traditional Catholic mass. Many of the larger more modern churches are nondenominational, meaning they don’t follow one religious denomination. 

While mega churches have likely always been around in some form, they didn’t really start taking off until the 1970’s, a time of cultural change and social evolution following the end of the Vietnam War. People were looking for community, and it has been shown that participating in religious programs helped to benefit mental health and foster close social relationships. 

The term itself first appeared in The Miami Herald in 1983, referring to an anticipated 12,000 people that were going to attend Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, a congregation that could only seat 3,400 people at the time.  

Money! 

Most churches are registered as a 501(c)(3) institution, otherwise known as a charitable organization. With this status, churches are exempt from paying taxes and eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. Donors themselves are also able to claim tax deductions, provided they have a record of the contribution and have acknowledgement of the contribution from the church. As a 501(c)(3), churches must follow a strict set of guidelines given by the IRS to maintain their status. Churches cannot participate in any sort of political campaigning or lobbying; however, they are allowed to conduct voter education and urge people to vote if it is in a nonpartisan manner.  

In services, there is typically a time for donations, whether it be in the form of a QR code, plate offering, or in some cases, tithings. A tithe is a ten percent voluntary contribution towards something, typically a religious institution. 42% of practicing Christians said they gave either 10 percent or more of their income to their church, a 2021 Barna Group poll reveals. People choose to donate their money to the church for a variety of reasons. Whether that be to support the religious institution and their endeavors, or to follow this idea of seed faith. Seed faith, is rooted in a quote from Mark 11:24, that says “When you give, or sow your seeds of faith, you are expecting to reap the benefits”, this idea leads some Christians believe that the more they give to the church, the more they will receive in return from God.  

Lights, Camera, Preach! 

Church culture is always evolving, what was once stark silence, rows of pews, and a preacher at the pulpit, has now become spaces of movement and loud praise. Sermons are backed by a full band, either with live singers or a large screen projecting rock-like lyrics to revamped interpretations of older hymnals. Hillsong UNITED: a more contemporary/indie group, and Hillsong Worship, are two groups that have totally changed the worship music scene. Born out of the mega church, Hillsong, in Australia, these two groups have amassed a collective 12 million monthly listeners across Spotify. Mega churches don’t only have large in person turnouts, their reach is global. 

One church, Saddleback, has multiple campuses across the globe, and in 2023 averaged 30,000 visitors each weekend. Their main campus in California boasts 12 parking lots and has 14 buildings ranging from a main worship center to a half court, skate area, and multiple dining facilities. Saddleback also has recorded sermons, for both adults and children of varying levels of development. I sat and watched parts of their recorded worship service “A People Prepared for the Lord” from February 16th, and found myself taking note of just how large their worship center must be. At one point in their hymnals, I counted 15 people on this very professional stage, all with ample room to move around. They also had some self-promotion scattered throughout as well, displaying an app that the church has: and showcasing the ways to donate and get involved. It felt like a highly directed television show, rather than a sermon. 

It seems like more and more megachurches and even franchise churches are popping up and replacing the more traditional worship styles. My hometown church was bought out by a FamilyChurch, which follows a more modern worship style, akin to that of Saddleback. The church I attended had these beautiful stained-glass windows and lofted wooden ceilings, the worship hall could maybe seat 200 people comfortably. It’s hard for me to picture a modernized church ceremony going on in there. 

These mega churches have transformed the traditional idea of once-a-week formal worship into more of a lifestyle, creating spaces where their followers can exist under God and have a shared sense of camaraderie. While I feel a bit antiquarian in my perception of churches, I’m always open to try new things. Maybe bigger is better!  

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