Shepherd Church

Shepherd Church is an Independent Christian Church megachurch in Porter Ranch, California, in Los Angeles County's San Fernando Valley. Its roots trace to 1977, when about 300 congregants organized a new congregation that became known as Shepherd of the Hills. Dudley Rutherford became senior pastor in 1995 through a merger with Hillcrest Christian Church, the Granada Hills congregation he had led since 1987. Under Rutherford the church grew into one of the most diverse large churches in Los Angeles, opening a 3,500-seat auditorium at its Porter Ranch campus in 2017 and earning a spot among Outreach's fastest-growing churches that same year.

Shepherd Church reaches 90,265 combined followers across three active platforms. Instagram leads at 47,531 followers on a verified shepherdchurch account, more than half the total audience. Facebook adds 22,334 followers and YouTube counts 20,400 subscribers on @ShepherdChurch. YouTube is the standout mover, up 17.92 percent over the past year, with content published as recently as June 10. No TikTok presence keeps breadth at 82.5.

Shepherd's 64.9 velocity score is what earns its spot at number 66 despite a modest 26.5 reach score. The 17.92 percent YouTube growth is among the better rates in this band, and the verified Instagram account gives the church an unusually Instagram-forward audience mix for a congregation its size. Most churches in this tier lean on Facebook. Shepherd leans on the platform where younger Angelenos actually are. The total audience is still small relative to the church's physical footprint and its 3,500-seat room, so the runway is long. Current growth rates suggest the church is finally filling it.