Aug 12, 2019 - Things to Do

The 16 largest Charlotte churches, by membership and attendance

Andrew Dunn

Looking to find a church in Charlotte? Here’s a quick list of the 16 largest churches in our city.

Charlotte was once known as the “City of Churches,” and it’s not uncommon to still be asked which one you attend as you make your way around town.

You’ll have plenty of options.

Nearly 80 percent of North Carolinians consider themselves Christians, according to a survey from the Pew Research Center. Just under half of them consider themselves evangelicals, with about one-quarter of all North Carolinians part of a Baptist church.

Charlotte breaks down along roughly similar lines. The birthplace of beloved evangelist Billy Graham maintains an evangelical streak. Several of the city’s largest congregations are Southern Baptist.

But the Catholic church has one of the largest parishes in the country here. And there is also a growing nondenominational movement in Charlotte, with several megachurches that cater the city’s booming young professional class.

Here is a listing of the city’s largest congregations in no particular order.

The sourcing on the figures varies. Some are direct from the churches themselves, others come from statistics compiled by the denomination the church belongs to.

[Note: This guide was last updated August 1, 2019. Have an update? Let us know by emailing [email protected]].

St. Matthew Catholic

Members: 10,949 registered families – making up more than 37,500 parishioners
Locations: Two, in Ballantyne and Waxhaw. Maps.
Affiliation: Roman Catholic
Notes: The largest Catholic parish in the country is home to a diverse community that celebrates 10 Masses each weekend. Website

Elevation Church

Weekly attendance: 25,998
Locations: 18. Map.
Affiliation: Southern Baptist
Notes: This is Charlotte’s best-known church and Pastor Steven Furtick is one of the city’s most prominent figures. You’ll see the church’s chevrons on car rear windows across town. They’ve expanded at a rapid clip. Website
Agenda related guide: 6 quick takeaways from my first time visiting Elevation Church

Mecklenburg Community Church

Membership/attendance: 12,000 “active attendees”
Locations: One physical location (8335 Browne Road), plus an “Internet Campus.”
Affiliation: Southern Baptist
Notes: The church, which operates mostly in the northern part of the county, has a goal to double to 20,000 active worshippers. Website

St. Gabriel Catholic Church

Members: 3,400+ registered families, or 10,000+ parishioners
Locations: One campus, at Providence and Sharon. Map.
Affiliation: Roman Catholic
Notes: They have five English masses each Sunday and a Spanish-language mass. Website

Christ Church

Members: 5,600
Locations: One,
Affiliation: Episcopalian
Note: Christ Church runs a popular “Faith Forum” in which Reverend Chip Edens does a one-on-one interview with leading thinkers, bestselling authors, business leaders and philosophers. Website.

Forest Hill Church

Members: 4,050
Average weekly attendance: 6,500
Locations: Six. Details.
Affiliation: Began as Presbyterian, but voted to leave its denomination.
Notes: Forest Hill has recently parted ways with Pastor David Chadwick after four decades of ministry. Website

The Park Church

Members: 9,000
Average weekly attendance: 6,000
Locations: Three. Details.
Affiliation: Baptist
Notes: Founded in 1913 and was once called Mount Olive Baptist Church. The Independence location is the home to the expo and conference center where all the Southern shows are. Website

Central Church of God

Members: 8,000
Average weekly attendance: 6,000
Locations: Four. Details.
Affiliation: Church of God
Notes: The church began with 19 members in the 1970s and has been on Sardis Road since 1988. Website

St. Paul Baptist

Members: 5,000
Average weekly attendance: 4,500
Locations: One, at 1401 Allen Street in Belmont. Map.
Affiliation: Southern Baptist
Notes: The church dates back to 1900. Website

Hickory Grove Baptist

Members: 11,753
Average weekly attendance: 3,500
Locations: Two. The main campus is in University City. Details.
Affiliation: Southern Baptist
Notes: Pastor Clint Pressley is in the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention. Website

First Baptist Church

Members: 3,269
Locations: Uptown Charlotte. Details.
Affiliation: Southern Baptist
Notes: This church dates back to 1832 and was the site of Billy Graham’s first crusade. Website

Friendship Missionary

Members: 8,000
Locations: One, a campus at 3400 Beatties Ford Road that can hold 3,000 people.
Affiliation: National Baptist
Notes: This church dates back to 1890, when 40 members broke off from First Baptist Church. Website

New City Church

Members: 500-600
Average weekly attendance: 3,000
Locations: Three, in SouthPark, Matthews, and Idlewild
Affiliation: Evangelical Free Church
Notes: The church offers 10 services on Saturdays and Sundays. New City was formed from the blending of Church at Charlotte and New Charlotte Church in 2018. Website

Carmel Baptist

Members: 5,000
Average weekly attendance: 2,400
Locations: One, a campus at 1145 Pineville Matthews Road in Matthews.
Affiliation: Southern Baptist
Notes: The church is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Website

Calvary Church

Members: 4,000
Average weekly attendance: 2,350
Locations: One, at 5801 Pineville-Matthews Road
Affiliation: Nondenominational
Notes: This church may have the most visually impressive exterior in all of Charlotte. Website

Myers Park United Methodist Church

Members: 5,400
Average weekly attendance: 1,300+
Locations: One, at Providence and Queens
Affiliation: Methodist
Notes: The church’s first service was in 1925 and the congregation bought its property a month later for $18,000. Website