( CNN ) -- Mega churches across the United States are becoming increasingly popular which is not only bringing thousands of worshippers together , but also billions of dollars in profit . From self-help books to CDs and DVDs , mega churches are becoming big money makers for the pastors and ministries they are a part of . Mega churches are extra-large churches that can accommodate upwards of 15,000 people and are common among members of the evangelical Christian faith . Scott Thumma , professor of sociology and religion at Hartford Seminary told CNN that `` the mega church on average has about $ 6.5 million in income a year . '' `` If you put together all the mega churches in the United States , that 's easily several billion dollars . '' Many ministers in the evangelical faith have become superstars in their own right -- Joel Osteen is one in particular . Osteen is a pastor at the Lakewood Church in Houston , Texas and his televised service reaches over seven million people each week across the United States and around the world . The Lakewood Church which Osteen is in charge of has a yearly budget of more than $ 80 million , but church officials deny that it 's about money . `` We hear the criticism a bit , but we do n't hear it as much as you think we would , '' Donald Iloff Junior , advisor for Lakewood Church said . `` One thing you find very absent is the asking of money and never once have we asked for money or donations on television . '' However , some critics argue that it 's hard to be both a pastor and someone in charge of a yearly budget in the tens of millions . `` When you have pastors thinking of themselves as CEOs , it 's hard to tell the difference between a pastor and P-Diddy , '' Jonathan Walton , Assistant Professor of religious studies at the University of California Riverside told CNN . The way the sermon is told at these mega churches has also completely changed . `` The plasma screen TVs have replaced crosses , Power Point-like presentations of the words of songs and liturgical practices have replaced the hymnals , '' Walton said . `` This really resonates with a younger generation . '' The average age of a mega church worshipper is 40 years old -- 13 years younger than at a traditional church . Mega church worshippers tend to not only be younger , but also more diverse . `` One thinks of them as a homogeneous group of white suburban American , but in fact when you go to most of the mega churches , you 're going to find diversity of age , income and education levels , '' Thumma said . `` You can also find racial diversity because in almost 30 percent of these mega churches across the country , you have 20 percent or more integration of ethnic groups so it really is quite staggering . ''
Each mega church on average brings in $ 6.5 million each week . Mega churches are most popular with evangelical Christian . These churches can hold one people in up to 15,000 service . Jonathan Walton is one of the world 's most famous evangelical pastors .