REACHRIGHT ranks the 100 churches reaching the most people online in 2026

REACHRIGHT released the 2026 Church Influence 100, a global ranking built from more than 500 churches across six continents. Elevation Church topped the list as the ranking highlighted fast-growing church audiences well beyond the United States.

Why it matters: - The ranking shows how church influence online has shifted from a U.S.-centered megachurch model to a broader global field. - The list measures church-operated digital reach, which can affect how ministries think about audience growth, content strategy, and online outreach. - Fast growth from smaller or lesser-known churches suggests digital ministry is no longer limited to the most famous brands or pastors.

What happened: - REACHRIGHT released the 2026 Church Influence 100, its annual ranking of the churches reaching the most people online worldwide. - The church marketing agency reviewed more than 500 churches across six continents to build the list. - The final ranking covers the top 100 churches based on total audience, audience growth rate, and publishing consistency across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. - Elevation Church in Matthews, North Carolina, took No. 1 with nearly 29 million combined followers across its church, worship, and youth accounts. - Singapore's City Harvest Church, Sydney's Hillsong Church, Abuja's Dunamis International Gospel Centre, and Hyderabad's Calvary Temple all placed in the top ten. - Churches in Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, the Philippines, and South Korea also appear in the ranking.

The details: - REACHRIGHT said the list now stretches far beyond the United States. - Lakepointe Church near Dallas posted the fastest growth in the index, with its YouTube audience up more than 600% in 12 months. - V1 Church in Brooklyn grew its audience 347%. - The Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville grew 157%. - The Church Influence 100 measures churches, not personalities. - A pastor's personal accounts do not count toward a church's score, even if those accounts are large. - Church-operated accounts for worship bands, youth ministries, and campuses do count. - REACHRIGHT said the index is never pay-to-play. - REACHRIGHT publishes the full scoring methodology online at the Church Influence 100 methodology. - The complete 2026 Church Influence 100 and individual church profiles are also available at the full ranking.

Between the lines: - The ranking favors organizations that consistently produce content across multiple platforms, not just one viral moment. - Costello framed the list as recognition for the small teams behind church social media, not just the public-facing pastors. - The results suggest online ministry is becoming a competitive field where local churches can outpace larger-name institutions through sustained digital publishing.

What's next: - REACHRIGHT will likely continue publishing the Church Influence 100 as an annual benchmark for church digital reach. - Churches that want to climb future rankings will need stronger cross-platform publishing, faster audience growth, and broader church-operated account activity. - The company said the methodology and full list are already available online for churches and leaders to review.