churches, the size of their congregations puts them in an "elite class," Thumma says. ![]() While megachurches currently represent only a tiny portion of all U.S. "That gives them time to serve that congregation." The smaller congregation gets "a great communicator," in the form of a dynamic pastor, but also a local pastor "who's not consumed or distracted by preparing sermons 10 or 20 hours a week, every week," he says. It's a case of "you need a building, we need a pastor," he says. Typically, the mergers are with a church in decline or a pastor ready to retire, according to Jim Tomberlin, a member of The Unstuck Group, a consulting organization that offers a service to support church mergers. You basically bring them together and rebirth the church." "An older congregation with a rich history but a declining population joins forces with a younger church like Liquid, with fresh energy and vision and volunteers. "The vast majority of them have nothing to do with politics," he says. That's common in most megachurches because they are more diverse, according to Scott Thumma, a professor of sociology of religion at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Liquid Church also steers clear of politics, he says. put the timeless message of Jesus into new wineskins." ![]() "People can go in and see Hamilton or Billy Joel at Garden. "We're at the gates of Manhattan," he says. People can wear flip-flops and drink coffee," says Pastor Tim Lucas, who founded Liquid Church in 2007. So everyone's kind of onboard with that."Ĭhurch barbecues, pizza and movie nights are all part of the mix. "It's one of the pillars," says Katherine. The Liquid Church's core beliefs, "Grace wins" and "Truth is relevant," are capped by a less theological component: "Church is fun." "I can say that for me, the deciding factor was just the fact that there were people in my age group," David says. The couple both grew up in the Pentecostal tradition, but when they decided to marry, they went looking for a new church. Like Bhame, David and Katherine Ramirez bounced around different churches before landing at Liquid. About a quarter of members are Hispanic/Latino, 13% Asian and 8% Black. Liquid Church claims 6,000 members, 84% of whom are under the age of 55, with most younger than 35. By contrast, a separate 2020 study found that three-quarters of megachurches were growing, many at a rapid clip.Įxperts say these trends have continued since the start of the pandemic. is in precipitous decline, with just 65 members, about a third of whom are age 65 or older, according to a 2020 pre-pandemic survey. ![]() The average Christian congregation in the U.S. At a time when empty pews are forcing churches across the country to shutter, these mostly nondenominational houses of worship are largely bucking that trend - attracting younger, more vibrant and more diverse congregations. It is one of about 1,800 "megachurches" in the United States - defined as having 2,000 or more members. Liquid Church has helped Bhame, 28, and others like her find meaning even as many in her generation have turned away from organized religion. Religion The faithful see both crisis and opportunity as churches close across the country
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