Church Clarity

Top Findings from Survey on America’s Top 100 Churches

Church Clarity

Almost every church has flaws

The arrival of Church Clarity had rocked the evangelical world in October 2017.[/tweetit] The organization provides dry and factual reports on LGBTQ+ policies adopted by U.S. churches. The list of assessment factors includes the way churches write their policies. Their latest report reveals a number of troublesome data concerning the 100 biggest churches located in the United States. The data only affirms what is known by many: none of the churches can remotely be termed pro-LGBTQ.

Top Findings from Survey on America’s Top 100 Churches[/tweetthis]

Church Clarity has published scores for 500 congregations during the last two months. 700 more scores will be published during the coming days. Not surprisingly, both conservative and liberal Christians are angry with the reports. Both claim that the church favors the other.

What shouts out from the report is that none of the U.S. churches give credence to the rights of LGBTQs. This finding goes against the grain of multiple claims made by progressive Americans that same-sex issues were by and large settled. It seems, however, that the mega-churches are far from that ideal. Not a single mega-church openly supports same-sex relationships and people. The data curiously provides a counter-argument as well. As per the analysis done by Church Clarity, a measly 35 percent of these huge congregation churches have formulated policies for accommodating LGBTQ people. A significant number (54 percent) hide their true positions in the form of blog posts and sermons deep inside their respective websites. It shows that mega-churches may not be as hostile to LGBTQs as earlier assumed.

The Church Clarity report stated that 93 percent of the biggest churches in the United States are under the stewardship of a white pastor. People of color lead only seven churches out of a total of 100. It is clear that despite the Christian sermons of justice, equality, and diversity, the American mega-churches continue to lag in race department. Although they preach inclusion, white men are preferred over others in the top leadership positions.

When it comes to female pastors, only one church- the West Palm Beach located Faith Church- had this honor. Even that church lists Nicole Crank as the co-pastor who works with David, her husband. Another church, the Willow Creek Community Church located on the outskirts of Chicago, will soon join this group. Heather Larson will be appointed a pastor in 2018 in October. With women leading eight percent of the Fortune 100 companies, it is apparent that secular organizations are much more inclusive of gender compared to the U.S. spiritual community.

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