How Megachurches Are Growing in Diversity

Excerpt from Lifeway Research article, "Megachurches Continue to (Mostly) Grow and Not Just in Size," by Aaron Earls (2020)—

In addition to larger congregations spread across more campuses, megachurches are also growing more ethnically diverse. In 2000, only 21% of megachurches reported having 20% or more minority presence in their congregation. Today, more than half (58%) say they are multiracial.

The increase in multiethnic churches can be attributed, in part, to a desire of the leadership. Almost 9 in 10 megachurches (87%) say they strive to be diverse. Researchers found a “powerful statistical relationship between those churches who were striving to be diverse and actually have a more multiracial congregational makeup.”

While fewer smaller churches are diverse, pastors across church sizes agree diversity should be a congregation goal, according to a 2017 Lifeway Research study. Only 16% of Protestant pastors say their church is not predominantly one racial or ethnic group, but 93% say every church should strive to achieve racial diversity.

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