Portraits of American Life Study
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OverviewResults & SummariesResearchersReligious LeadersPress & Media
The PALS seeks to understand the impact of religion in everyday life, and ultimately the connections between religious change and other forms of change among diverse individuals and families over the course of their lives.
Religious Leaders

Megachurches

Below is a list of resources intended to support Religious Leaders and their staff. Many of these offer links to additional studies about religion, congregations, and clergy, as well as books and publications.

If there are resources or other topics you feel should be included, send us an email (PALScomments@thearda.com). We will consider it.

Hartford Institute for Religion Research - definition
http://hirr.hartsem.edu/megachurch/megachurches.html

Megachurch Research
http://hirr.hartsem.edu/megachurch/megachurches_research.html

Beyond Megachurch Myths: What We Can Learn from America’s Largest Churches [Book]
by Scott Thumma and Dave Travis
[Click here to purchase this book at Amazon.com.]

The Outreach 100 – Top 100 Largest Churches, 2008
http://www.sermoncentral.com/articleb.asp?article=Top-100-Largest-Churches

The Outreach 100 – Top 100 Fastest Growing Churches, 2008
http://www.sermoncentral.com/articleb.asp?article=Top-100-Fastest-Growing-Churches

Top 16 Largest Churches with attendance data for 2006-2009
http://churchrelevance.com/100-largest-churches-in-america-for-2009/
Findings & Resources
Click on a link to jump to a finding/resource.

Findings
Religious Affiliation
Attendance of Worship Services
Religious Leaders of One’s Congregation
Attitudes Regarding One’s Religious Congregation
Participation
Religious Belief
Beliefs about Religious Texts
Relationship with God
Religious Practices
Religious Guidance
Religion and Race

Resources
Research on Religion and Society
Multi-Racial/Ethnic/Cultural Congregations
Mega Churches
Youth and Religion
Give us your feedback!

Through out these sections, we invite you to enter the discussion about these findings and what their implications may be. Click on the COMMENT link to send your thoughts to pals@rice.edu. Where appropriate we will include comments for others to read and discuss. Names of contributors will not be posted, but, if you like, include your religious tradition.

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