Income earned by mega churches reportedly averages $6.5 million a year. The annual budget for Lakewood Church in Houston, pastured by Joel Osteen, exceeds $80 million.1 Merchandise in the form of CDs, DVDs, and books probably accounts for a large portion of the income. Some of the changes that have been made which are propelling both growth and income were noted by Jonathan Walton, Assistant Professor of religious studies at University of California, Riverside. Walton told CNN that “the plasma screen TVs have replaced crosses, Power Point-like presentations of words of songs and liturgical practices have replaced the hymnals.”2 While the CNN report did not touch on it, another change responsible for the growth of mega churches is the commercialization of the message marketed to the members, or rather, the consumers.
Notes:
1 – 2. CNN, “Mega churches mean big business,” Connect the World, CNN. January 22, 2010.
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/21/religion.mega.church.christian/
