There are 740 megachurches across the U.S., defined as non-Catholic churches with 1,000 members or more, and the Twin Cities has more than any other city, according to a recent Minnesota Christian Chronicle article (link via Planet Hunt). Apparently there’s a “spiritual awakening” in the Twin Cities. It’s fertile ground for megachurches, thanks to a religious culture, plenty of land for mall-size churches, generous Minnesotans, a plethora of “superstar preachers” and four large evangelical Christian colleges in the area (Bethel, Northwestern, North Central, and Crown).

Megachurches are hot. Forbes magazine recently compared megachurches to corporations and even the Brits are taking notice. While the Christian Science Monitor pointed out that megachurches go for a ‘power of positive thinking’ spin that won’t touch controversial subjects like abortion or homosexuality, Greg Boyd, pastor of Twin Cities megachurch Woodland Hills, warns such an approach could compromise the “inherently offensive nature” of the Gospel (MCC).

However, the Twin Cities, home of the megamall and capital of megachurches, is also home to a pile of post-modern and alternative churches. Both the local Star Tribune and the national New York Times (free reprint in the Pioneer Press) have profiled Twin Cities alterna-churches.