Read a June 26, 2009, Forbes magazine article on megachurches. It includes descriptions and photos of the nation’s 10 biggest ones and a Q-and-A with Joel Osteen, pastor of Houston’s Lakewood Church.

Read an Aug. 6, 2009, Christianity Today editorial that asks whether megachurches — and smaller ones, too — ought to pay more attention to cultivating a “gospel culture” and less attention to cultivating growth.

A leading scholar on megachurches concurred with some of the findings of a 2009 Barna study on congregations and religious and political beliefs, but disagreed on others, according to this Aug. 12, 2009, Newsweek/Washington Post On Faith blog post.

The Barna Group, a Christian research company, released a report on August 10, 2009, that found links between congregational size and the members’ theological beliefs, religious behaviors and demographic characteristics, including political leanings. The report says, for example, that those who attend megachurches are more likely to be Republicans.

Read an Aug. 12, 2009, Christianity Today article about megachurches training future pastors themselves rather than drawing from established seminaries.

Read a Sept. 25, 2009, Crosswalk.com article about the trend toward multisite megachurches.

April 8, 2013, National Catholic Reporter article about Pope Francis’ environmental beliefs.

June 5, 2013, Huffington Post article about Pope Francis’ speech on World Environment Day in which he cited scripture in calling for people to care for the environment and decried the influence of money in the world.

June 17, 2013, Reuters “FaithWorld” blog post about the historically slow pace of religions to embrace environmentalism and the possible increase in that pace thanks to the impact of religious leaders including Pope Francis.