South Korea megachurch has largest weekly attendance in the world, new study says

The biggest megachurches are located in Africa and Asia and not in North America, according to a study conducted by megachurch expert Warren Bird of Leadership Network.

"Accurate data allows us to see the larger picture of what God seems to be doing," Bird wrote in the Leadership Network website. "For starters, you'll observe that the world's biggest churches are not in the United States (and further, the United States did not even start the trend of megachurches)."

According to the list, the Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea has a weekly attendance of 480,000, while the Onnuri (All Nations) Community Church in South Korea and the Deeper Christian Life Ministry in Nigeria both have an attendance of 75,000. The Calvary Temple Church and the New Life Church, both in India, have 70,000, Victory Metro Manila in the Philippines has 65,000, while the Jesus Celebration Center in Kenya and Pyungkang Cheil Presbyterian Church in Korea have 60,000 each.

Meanwhile, Ministere du Combat Spirituel in Congo, Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel) - main campus in Nigeria, Misson Cristiana Elim in El Salvador, Catedral Evangelica de Jotabeche in Chile, and Igreja de Paz in Brazil all have 50,000.

Lakewood Church in Texas in the United States has 43,500, Hillsong Church in Australia has 31,400, North Point Community Church in Georgia, U.S. has 30,629, while LifeChurch.tv in Oklahoma has 30,000.

The churches in Europe with the biggest attendance are Faith Church in Hungary and Hillsong Church London in the United Kingdom with 8,000 each.

According to Bird, the list he compiled is based on "actual weekly worship attendance" in Protestant congregations, and not based "on membership, ministry impact, seating capacity, building size, media reach or even number people who call the church 'home.'" This includes both children and adults, with no duplicates, in all services and all physical campuses.

The churches listed, the researcher observed, "tend to be innovators and entrepreneurs." He also said that the list would help them network with each other, as well as be a starting point for additional research.

"A list like this invites a level playing field for helpful conversation about global movers and shakers," Bird wrote. "For good or bad, larger churches are influential, both in their communities and also in influencing other churches."