West Angeles Church of God in Christ, West Adams, Los Angeles, 2011. Photo by Downtowngal, Wikimedia Commons.
West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles is the fifth most attended Protestant church in California. Calvary Chapel Golden Springs ranks in eighth place in the state.
| Church | City | Affiliation | Average Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Angeles Church of God in Christ | Los Angeles | Church of God in Christ | 13,000 |
| Calvary Chapel Golden Springs | Diamond Bar | Calvary Chapel | 12,000 |
| City of Refuge Church | Gardena | Pentecostal (Unspecified) | 10,000 |
| First African Methodist Episcopal Church | Los Angeles | African Methodist Episcopal | 10,000 |
| Faith Community Church | West Covina | Independent Nondenominational | 10,000 |
| Church | City | Affiliation | Average Attendance |
| Calvary Chapel South Bay | Gardena | Calvary Chapel | 9,200 |
| The Church on the Way | Van Nuys | Four Square | 9,032 |
| Calvary Chapel | Downey | Calvary Chapel | 9,000 |
| The Dream Center / Angelus Temple | Los Angeles | Four Square | 8,975 |
| Shepherd of the Hills Church | Porter Ranch | Independent Christian Churches or Unspecified | 8,675 |
| Church | City | Affiliation | Average Attendance |
| Faithful Central Bible Church | Inglewood | Independent Nondenominational | 8,000 |
| Ward African Methodist Episcopal Church | Los Angeles | African Methodist Episcopal | 8,000 |
| Grace Community Church | Sun Valley | Independent Nondenominational | 8,000 |
| Lancaster Baptist Church | Lancaster | Baptist (Unspecified) | 6,000 |
| Real Life Church | Valencia | Independent Nondenominational | 5,105 |
| Church | City | Affiliation | Average Attendance |
| Desert Vineyard Christian Fellowship | Lancaster | Vineyard | 5,000 |
| Lake Avenue Church | Pasadena | Independent Nondenominational | 5,000 |
| La Iglesia en el Camino | Van Nuys | Four Square | 5,000 |
| Christ's Church of the Valley | San Dimas | Independent Christian Churches or Unspecified | 4,825 |
| Iglesia De Restauracion Inc. | Los Angeles | Evangelical | 4,000 |
| Church | City | Affiliation | Average Attendance |
| Pomona First Baptist Church | Pomona | American Baptist | 4,000 |
| Oriental Mission Church | Los Angeles | Independent Christian Churches or Unspecified | 3,800 |
| Ministerios Llamada Final | Downey | Independent Nondenominational | 3,500 |
| Calvary Community Church | Westlake Village | Calvary Chapel | 3,200 |
| Crenshaw Christian Center | Los Angeles | Church of God, Anderson | 3,000 |
| Church | City | Affiliation | Average Attendance |
| Rolling Hills Covenant Church | Rolling Hills Estates | Evangelical Covenant | 3,000 |
| Whittier Area Community Church | Whittier | Baptist General Conference | 3,000 |
| Morningstar Christian Chapel | Whittier | Independent Nondenominational | 3,000 |
| Torrance First Presbyterian Church | Torrance | Progressive National Baptist | 2,800 |
| Mission Eben Ezer Family Church | Carson | Assemblies of God | 2,750 |
| Church | City | Affiliation | Average Attendance |
| Calvary Bible Church | Burbank | Independent Nondenominational | 2,600 |
| Christian Assembly Foursquare Church | Eagle Rock | Four Square | 2,600 |
| Agape International Center for Truth | Culver City | Religious Science | 2,500 |
| Parkcrest Christian Church | Long Beach | Independent Nondenominational | 2,500 |
| Calvary Chapel Montebello | Montebello | Calvary Chapel | 2,500 |
| Church | City | Affiliation | Average Attendance |
| Iglesia Cristiana Rios De Agua Viva | Pomona | Pentecostal (Unspecified) | 2,500 |
| Bel Air Presbyterian Church | Los Angeles | Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. | 2,394 |
| Grace Baptist Church | Santa Clarita | Baptist General Conference | 2,300 |
| Central Christian Church | Lancaster | Independent Nondenominational | 2,200 |
| First Chinese Baptist Church | Los Angeles | Baptist (Unspecified) | 2,200 |
| First Church of the Nazarene | Pasadena | Church of the Nazarene | 2,184 |
Source: Hartford Institute for Religion Research
Founded in 1903, First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood became the largest Protestant congregation in North America during the mid-20th Century. This was attributed to the leadership of exceptional pastors such as Dr. Stuart MacLennan (1921-1940), Dr. Louis Evans (1941-1952) and Dr. Ray Lindquist (1953-1972) and renowned Sunday School curriculum pioneer and church Christian Education Director, Dr. Henrietta Mears. Dr. Mears was named one of the outstanding religious leaders of the 20th century by Christianity Today magazine. On a side note, Dr. Mears was also credited with saving the church from the original plan to build the Hollywood Freeway directly through the church property in the 1940s. She successfully lobbied for the freeway to curve around the church (thus the subsequent "bow" in the freeway between Franklin and Sunset).
