UPCI Mega Churches???
 

The Hartford Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research, is one of the world’s leading and most respected religious research institutions. Its researchers keep a database on mega churches in the US. They define a mega church in part as having a weekly attendance of 2000 people.

Here is the link to the database: http://hirr.hartsem.edu/cgi-bin/mega...ds=1&ID=*&sb=2

According to its database, it lists the following 15 UPCI (and now some former UPCI) congregations as mega churches out of 1360 nationwide:

Christian Life Center
Nathaniel Haney - Stockton, CA
Attendance 5000

Calvary Tabernacle
Paul Mooney - Indianapolis, IN
Attendance 3000

Revival Center
Randy Keyes - Modesto, CA
Attendance 3000

Life Tabernacle
James Kilgore - Houston, TX
Attendance 3000

The Pentecostals of Alexandria
Anthony Mangun - Alexandria, LA
Attendance: 2800

Truth Tabernacle
Vaughn Morton - Fresno, CA
Attendance 2500

Woodlawn Pentecostal Church
James Carney - Columbia, MS
Attendance 2500

Apostolic Church of Auburn Hills
Steve Warman - Auburn Hills, MI
Attendance 2200

First Pentecostal Church
Chris Craft – Jackson, MS
Attendance 2050

New Life Tabernacle
Mike Mitchell - Brooklyn ,NY
Attendance 2050

The Pentecostals
Mark Foster - West Monroe, LA
Attendance 2050

Revival Tabernacle/The Anchor
James Larson San Diego, CA
Attendance 2000

The Pentecostals
Mark Hattabaugh - Cooper City, FL
Attendance 2000

East Valley Pentecostal Church
John Nelson - San Jose, CA
Attendance 2000

The Rock Church
Myles Young - Elk Grove, CA
Attendance 2000

I believe these numbers are from 2007. Can anyone verify the accuracy of these attendance numbers? I am somewhat familiar with the churches in California and the numbers seem to be very inflated.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Perhaps the numbers given were "evangelistically speaking"

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Well, some have a sanctified term for lying.
We call it " evangelistically speaking."

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Someone lied to this reseacher.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

True...

I doubt that CLC runs 2500 if that....


and also Mortons... last I heard it was possibly 1000....

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

One church that I was familar was, anyone who gave anything in the offering during a said year, was considered a member.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

It says "weekly attendance"..... Maybe that's kinda adding up how many people are there at each service through the week....

Like Calvary Tabernacle, the times I've been there and noticed their attendance board, it'll be like 1,200 or so for Sunday school or whatever....

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

jackson 2050?

not hardly

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

I think what this might be is their Easter Sunday attendance.

The UPC calls each church after Easter Sunday to give a report.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

If it helps you feel any better, I bet a lot of the AG numbers are inflated, too! ;)

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

I just hung up with one of the Pastors and he's laughing!
He has no clue who gave these people those numbers for his church...

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Looks like they only had three numbers they used - 3000, 2050, 2000 - maybe those are codes for something and not the attendance - lol!

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

How does anyone pastor a church that big? Must be some busy preachers.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Maybe they meant square footage??? :)

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

They were probably reading some old Easter Sunday School reports...because those numbers were all true....:)

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

A lot of churches have Easter productions and full weekend events on Easter and add all 3-4 services up to one total

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

:ursofunny:ursofunny:ursofunny

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

What a joke, i work at one of these churches and its NEVER been that big. Matter of fact the number is off by at least 70%!

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

The is NO WAY that Jim Larson's church is 2OOO!!! Maybe 500 max on a Sunday.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

That's why I said those are Easter Sunday totals (remember "king of kings"?)

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

I doubt it even then......

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

If a Church runs over 300 that is considered a MEGA Church in the UPC isn't it???

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

I think they are inflated - there are very few mega churches in UPCI.

Blessings, Rhoni

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

It definitely would be around here.

It's all a matter of perspective.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

did they count the daughter works too?? :couch

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

I'm surprised Johnny Godair's church in NC isn't no the list. I've always heard they had a pretty big congregation.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

I would have to agree that the numbers are very inflated. For example, Fresno dosn't have that type of capacity. Now if your talking about the conference they have each year, yes, but not the church as a whole. Same for Stockton. they have never had 5000 for a regular service. Now for a conference, maybe. The rock is about right. Give and take a service or two. Don't know much about the other churches in Cali. Bro Mooney, When he has all the students and staff and church together, maybe, but if you have ever watched a service of his, that church is never full. Just my input. :whistle

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

maybe the number reflects how many they can actually seat in service on a Sunday. =) Some seem to have big aspirations, even if they never reach that number they consider themselves as pastoring that many. It is good for their self esteem.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Their church is big, but not that big-- I remember their prayer room area not being that big also.


I miss NC UPCI churches.

There was a young Pastor that is a former Marine that went to the same church as I in Jacksonville. His church is Newport, I think, but I don't remember his name now.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Br. Ted Erskine Pastors in Newport NC.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

That's his name!! That's him!!!


I always admired him. One we're both former Marines, though I wasn't at Pastor Gilbert's church at the same time he was in the Corps.

We knew some of the same Saints!

I still sing to myself a song I heard him sing back in 1998.


"I have a God who with His angels watches over me.
I have a God who keeps my enemies beneath my feet.
My God is with me when I'm sick and when I'm feeling well.
I have a God, I have a God and my God doesn't fail."

That song has been so encouraging to me and I've only heard sung once, and that by him.


Plus I liked his preaching style. I wanted to join his church, I felt drawn to him, but his church was too far from base, plus I was already a member of the church in Jacksonville.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Raleigh (Wayne Huntley) and Durham (Johnny Godair) have always had the largest churches in NC. Glenn Eliseo has the facility for it now, and soon, Charlotte will have new facilities as well.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

This sort of thing literally makes me sick at my stomach. I'm a part of the UPC, and love it dearly, but I shudder when I hear of so many cases of dishonesty. How can such be even named among us?

Blatant exaggeration is dished out over our pulpits and we laugh and call it "evangelistically speaking," but I tell you it is far from a laughing matter. Dubious stories are flung about as freely as are scattered leaves on an autumn day: in response we smirk and grin and say, "Oh, you know so and so. That's just how he is."

I'm sinful and imperfect, I know that, and have no right to castigate the ministry. But as a helpless sheep, I feel betrayed by such shenanigans.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Isn't it odd folks always OVERCOUNT never UNDERCOUNT>

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

One thing to keep in mind is how old this list is. I saw this several years back. Some of those churches may have been considerably closer to those numbers back then. I think that it would still be a stretch, but that is something to consider. I would be particularly interested in how those numbers are reached. I know some non-denominal churches that boast memberships far in excess of what they can seat or what they see every week. If you're going strictly by the role and who has officially joined the church, the number may be different than what you see in any given service.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Br. Erskine come's to my home church often. He's WPF now. He can preach, for sure.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

Funny ...Auburn Hills runs more than that!!!!

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

My only comment would be surprise that we had any "mega" UPC churches. Over 1000, yes; over 3000...I don't think so!

As I recall Landmark in Denver runs 1000+ on a regular basis.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

The person who posted the information said he thought the figures were from 2007. They would have to be fairly recent since Myles Young is listed as pastor from the Rock Church.

Re: UPCI Mega Churches???
 

I thought I read he left the UPCI. Why?

You know him personally? I wish I got to know him personally! He knew Pastor Gilbert, one of my former Pastors.


I'd love to hear either one of them preach again! Did you ever know Pastor Gilbert? Are you UPC? Do you know anyone down in Jacksonville?

I learned and experienced a lot while attending the UPC in Jacksonville.