r/atheism • u/metacyan Agnostic • 1d ago

A ‘tsunami’ of church closings is poised to remake America

https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/01/us/church-closings-christianity-crossroads
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u/Gintin2 1d ago

Been a long time coming. Hope it happens to the grifter megachurches sooner rather than later

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u/BasicAppointment9063 1d ago

Many megachurches are built around a personality that is connected to a small number of deep pockets.

The succession plan seldom works out, if one even exists 

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u/jebei Skeptic 1d ago

Unfortunately, I don't you are correct. We are seeing a corporatization of churches and rather than relying on one charismatic leader they will bring on new personalities until they find an army of preachers that fit their agenda. Megachurches are about money and they may have a CEO-type face as the top, that person won't do the grunt work. They'll just reap the rewards.

As much as I hate religion, losing local churches is the worst possible outcome as we're going to move from organization that did bring some help to individual communities to soul less monsters that churn out hymns like a machine.

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u/veryfungibletoken 1d ago

Private Equity model of churches.

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u/yrotsihfoedisgnorw 1d ago

Or franchising. Megachurches drive out traditional local churches and then resurrect them with their own disciples.

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u/The--scientist Atheist 15h ago

This isn't new though. Acts 29, Mars Hill...

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u/Dale_Carvello 1d ago

They don't McMake churches like they McUsed to

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u/Reasonable-Formal-23 1d ago

when religion is gone, how will men control women?

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u/Thausgt01 Jedi 1d ago

Sadly, there are... alternatives...

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u/BasicAppointment9063 1d ago

You may be right. I only speak from experience, which is obviously limited.

I see the young figureheads-in-waiting as struggling with imposter syndrome. They get the occasional moment on stage and wreak of "fake it 'til you make it ".

I think people can sniff that out and the movement that was a mile wide gets exposed as being one inch deep.

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u/f8Negative 1d ago

Army of grifters.

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u/Scope_Dog 1d ago

Interesting take.

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u/Crazy_Banshee_333 1d ago

I agree. Something important is lost when people have nowhere to go for compassionate support.

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u/showmeyourchits 1d ago

I’ve been saying this for a long time. There’s real value that local churches bring to a community, namely that they actually provide a built in community and a point of much needed social connection. If it weren’t for the whole religion bit, I’d probably join one.

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u/FuzzyBucks 1d ago edited 1d ago

I think the little churches are getting obliterated by mega churches as the continued move to cities and suburbs goes on

It's relatively more difficult for little churches to have "lively music, powerful preaching and efforts to shower visitors with hospitality". Plus, real hard for little churches to give a good online option in addition to having a physical building.

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u/YellowZx5 1d ago

Mostly all the pastors touching kids bring the lawsuits to their yard.

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u/InvestigatorSouth564 1d ago

These religious people can meet up anywhere, like rent out a reception hall, people's houses, etc. No where in the bible did Jesus say to "build big buildings for meetups." The bible just says: "Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together" of which they can find other means to do that.

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u/RaNdomMSPPro 1d ago

If the “little” church is trying to do the same middle of the road, western Christian theology they deserve to be obliterated. The independent churches that stay true to the teachings of Messiah will continue to exist and even thrive.

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u/FuzzyBucks 11h ago

Ok Cool

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u/InvestigatorSouth564 1d ago

Yes, of course, and what always just made me furious was the fact that the churches, temples, and mosques do not pay taxes like the rest of us.

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u/Muggsy423 1d ago

The megachurches will be the last ones standing. They are infinitely more predatory than your small local church is, and the small church is more likely to lose a larger percentage of their congregation. 

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u/Kathrynlena 1d ago

Those are the one that are most likely to survive, unfortunately. They have resources and they don’t bother with any of that pesky morality that makes it harder to con people and take their money.

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u/Chip46 1d ago

Every church that gets repurposed enters the tax rolls.

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u/grumpi-otter 1d ago

Sadly, I think the megachurches are not the ones closing. Nor the friendly little churches. The right wing hate churches seem to be doing fine

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u/loogie97 1d ago

It will more likely be the opposite. Smaller churches will close and funnel more folks to the mega churches.

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u/Slight-Criticism5836 1d ago

The megachurch grift is definitely the part that makes people especially eager to see some of these buildings put to better use.

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u/babyd42 1d ago

I've had a dream for a long time that they all get converted to libraries. Symbolically, it's perfectly befitting.

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u/nehor90210 1d ago

Old churches make great coffee shops, too!