If you’re wondering What State Has the Most Churches, you’re not alone. There are many locations of various denominations across the country, and there’s something for everyone. For example, the Assemblies of God’s Dream City Church is the largest in Arizona, with over 20,000 visitors weekly. Other popular locations include the Southeast Christian Church, Saddleback Church, and the Church of the Highlands. Another option is the Elevation Church, which has locations across several states.
What State Has the Most Churches?
Jacksonville
According to a Gallup survey, 50% of adults in Jacksonville are members of a church, a drop from the peak of 70 percent in 2000. The decline in church attendance has caused some traditional churches to sell off their properties. On Sunday, the First Baptist Church in Downtown announced that it will sell most of its campus in order to pay off $37 million in deferred maintenance. South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church is also selling off part of its San Marco property.
Macon-Bibb County
Macon is the seat of Bibb County in Georgia and a thriving retail, educational, medical, and financial center. Although predominantly rural, it has a population of over 91,300, according to the 2010 U.S. census. The population of Bibb County was 97,255 at the time of the 2000 census.
The city is home to the largest number of churches in Georgia. The Macon-Bibb County Council of Clergy, which includes city officials, will convene a meeting to discuss issues of race and ethnicity. The group is also calling for community unity in the face of hate crimes. Members of the Macon-Bibb County Commission, Sheriff David Davis, and Fire Chief Marvin Riggins will attend the meeting.
Macon-Bibb County’s public schools have been integrated since the late 1960s. As a result of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, black and white students are now placed in the same classrooms. In addition, two historically black high schools merged with a white high school.
Charlotte
The city of Charlotte, North Carolina is one of the most religious places in the United States, and has over 700 churches. While the Presbyterian denomination dominates the city, other denominations are also represented here. For example, Myers Park Presbyterian is the largest church in the city, with over 700 members. In addition to the Presbyterian denomination, Charlotte is home to a number of major black churches.
Charlotte, NC began as a small settlement in 1755 and was incorporated in 1768. There were few churches in the city until the nineteenth century. In 1815, the city set aside land near Trade and Church Streets for religious purposes. In 1818, construction began on a church building. During the next two decades, the building was used by a number of denominations, including the Methodists and the Baptists. In 1833, the Presbyterians took over the debt on the church and built a larger church on the site. The church still stands today.
The Central Church of God is another large church in Charlotte. It is the largest protestant church in the city and has nine locations. It has a growing global ministry and outreach on social networks. It also has a regular establishment in Nairobi, Kenya. Bishop Claude Alexander, Jr. leads this congregation and oversees the church’s many ministries, including Worship and the Arts.
St. Louis
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, 14.8 percent of the metropolitan population of St. Louis, Missouri, is affiliated with an evangelical church. This number may be low, but it is a significant number. In fact, according to the ARA, there is one Southern Baptist church for every seven thousand residents. The local Southern Baptists are actively working to plant 75 new churches in St. Louis over the next five years.
Historically, St. Louis was racially divided, with a predominantly white northern area and a predominantly African-American southern section. The city’s median home value is $78,000 in the northern part of the city, while it’s $310,000 south of Delmar Boulevard. Despite these statistics, only 5% of St. Louis residents hold a bachelor’s degree.
The city also has an international population. It is estimated that the city is home to more than 60,000 Bosnians and 60,000 Iraqis. Many city parishes struggle to fill half of the pews in historic buildings. However, Saints Teresa and Bridget Church in the north of St. Louis received a recent merger with another church.
Atlanta
The Atlanta, Georgia metro area is home to more than 1,500 churches, representing every denomination from Catholic to evangelical. The city boasts over half a dozen megachurches with over 5,000 congregants each. The city is also home to the Episcopal Diocese’s Cathedral of St. Philip. Another church, the historic Cathedral of Christ the King, is located just down Peachtree Road. Its history stretches back to the 1930s.
North Point Community Church in Alpharetta is home to over 30,000 people, including satellite campuses. Its attendance rivals that of the Atlanta Braves’ game days. Its nondenominational message and high production value are what attract many attendees. The church’s music has an important role in its millennial crossover appeal. It is led by nondenominational pastor Andy Stanley, the son of famed physician Dr. Charles Stanley.
Peachtree Christian Church, the oldest church in the city, is also significant architecturally and historically. It was built in 1880 with bricks, while most churches at the time were stone. The Gothic Revival style building is distinguished by its unique design, and it has an impressive collection of stained glass windows. Although this church is a smaller denomination than others, it is considered culturally important within the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Philadelphia
The city of Philadelphia has the most churches per capita in the country. While many of these congregations are thriving, there are also a number that are struggling. For example, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, in the heart of Center City, has been threatened by an underground river and an anti-Catholic riot, but has remained open and thriving.
The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul is the largest brownstone structure in Philadelphia. It is also the largest Catholic church in Pennsylvania. The building was completed in 1864 at the height of the Civil War, and it is now the head church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It features fluted Corinthian columns and a richly decorated frieze.
Philadelphia is also home to an abundance of historic churches. There are more than eight hundred of them, or about one church for every 1,900 residents. These sacred spaces are undergoing a number of challenges, including declining congregations and preservation battles over non-historically designated structures. One church in South Philly is fighting a developer to retain its historic features. Another church in the city, Shiloh Baptist Church, is being turned into a performance venue and community hub.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is one of the few states in the United States that has more than one church. Although New Hampshire is less religious than other states, a majority of the state’s citizens believe in God. In fact, 71 percent of American adults believe in God. Whether you believe in God or not, New Hampshire’s historic churches will help you understand the importance of religion in the early colonial lives of its people.
In a tri-fold brochure, the New Hampshire Council of Churches describes their ministry as a union of faith. In addition to worshipping God, the churches also share a commitment to justice, peace, and stewardship of the environment. The group is led by Rev. Heidi Scannell, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. She graduated from Andover Newton Theological School and has a professional diploma from New York University. She most recently worked as the Interim Director of Religious and Spiritual Life at Phillips Exeter Academy.
There are numerous libraries and historical societies throughout New Hampshire that offer a vast collection of materials relating to New Hampshire history. A large collection of newspapers is available at the Dimond and Baker libraries. There is also a vast collection of printed materials published in New Hampshire between 1643 and 1800. The New Hampshire State Library also maintains a collection of the New Hampshire Almanac.
Utah
In Utah, nearly three-fourths of the population are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest denomination in the country. With 4,700 wards, 17 temples and numerous LDS-owned businesses, the church has significant sway over the state’s public life. Many issues in Utah are decided by the church, including parimutuel betting, the MX missile and the Equal Rights Amendment.
As a result, Utah is home to the largest concentration of Mormons. Although the Church is not a political player in every issue, it is influential in Utah politics. In fact, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the most influential political entity in the state. This makes the state an attractive target for Christian missionaries.
The study also found that Utah has the highest religious participation rate in the United States. Although organized religion is an integral part of American culture and identity, participation rates vary greatly by state. Religious attendance is highest in Utah, the southern states and the northeast, while lowest in the West.