I don't consider myself a mega-church hater.

I see a valuable role for the Lakewoods and Seconds and Fellowships of the world (those churches with 3,000+ in woship each week). I like to think of them as "front door churches" -- churches that provide an opportunity for people with or no experience of the Christian faith to enter for the first time and find something positive. There may not be much intimacy or depth of teaching, but it may at least be a good introduction to something deeper. My assumption is that if people walk through these very large "front door churches," they would be intrigued by the faith, take responsibility for it and either get more involved or join a smaller church down the road.

But I'm wondering if that really happens.

It may be more likely that mega-churches are having a detrimental effect on the Christian faith. I want to make a few observations about the phenomenon of the mega-church industry.

1) I think I have wrongly assumed that mega-churches attract people who are not Christian. I am relying on anecdotal evidence, but it seems that most of the people who join mega-churches are people who are leaving smaller churches. Mega-churches have become the big-box retailers of American Christianity. Like the Wal Marts and Best Buys who drive consumers away from mom-and-pop storefronts, mega churches are consuming the participants of other, smaller congregations across the U.S. (This is probably not their intention, and yet it is the result.) Mega-churches seem to grow because they attract other Christians who leave smaller churches, not because they are significantly tapping into a new "market" of the community.

2) Mega-churches spend a lot of money on quality; especially the quality of "worship production." Mega-churches all seem to share similar characteristics: high-caliber musicians, fancy light and visual effects, well-designed staging, entertaining preachers, over-the-top kids activities. I appreciate the quality, but I wonder if these experiences are unrealistically "raising the bar" of people's expectations for church. What are we teaching people about the Christian faith when these "wow" experiences become the weekly expectation? Isn't this (in at least some way) perverting the ideals of Jesus?

3) Most mega-churches are exporting these over-the-top images to non-Christians through the media. By buying TV time and showing 30 or 60 minute epidsodes of their weekly productions, and by streaming their services on the web, they are shaping the assumptions of those outside the faith. People who indeed have no experience with Christianity see glimpses of these expensive, over-produced worship services and assume that is Christianity-at-its-best. Before they might even meet a Christian or visit a church, they have already formed their impression about the faith based a handful of very large and wealthy congregations.

I realize that I am likely to offend some people for whom a mega-church has been a source of healing and hope. That is certainly not why I chose to write this. I still believe that there are aspects of the mega-church phenomenon that can be valuable, and yet I think there is also a growing negative effect as well. In my visits to churches, I hear a lot of strong opinions about mega-churches, and yet there doesn't seem to be much constructive dialogue about their effect on Christianity.

What say you?





http://www.chron.com/commons/persona.html?...fb-9637e4d56854

My mother dragged me to 3 different megachurches before I stopped going to church with her.

the sermons were always about money or relationships, and rarely ever touched on anything biblical at all.


It really made me sick to be in places like this. they flaunt huge money to impress people into feeling like they would be better if they were a part of this organization. then they talk about earthly things with modern views, and play off of your wants both emotionally and socially to get you to come back with more people and more cash. and they use the cash to buy new ways to flaunt themselves to non members.

what would really impress me, would be to see a church that handled things like Jesus did. find a natural place to call your sanctuary, preach to anyone who wants to listen, accept only what money you need to survive, and preach about things higher than what can be learned by a self help book.

If I could find that. I would probably be a christian again. churches disgust me. and mega churches are no more holy then a casino in vegas

I've only ever been to church to pick up girls anyway.

I mean seriously, most people only go to church out of fear that their sins (Mmmm) will land them in hell, right?

I'll take my vice over their virtue anyday.

The only time I've ever been in a mega church was for a leadership summit...was also introduced to one of my favorite bands there, but I don't think that band really survived...

The church I went to as a kid was a small close knit church, all the kids went to the same private school, and went to Sabbath school together...which has it's pros and cons

1) thats the problem the smaller churchs have. lack of people mean lack of funds for repairs, upgrades, events, etc...my parents church is nice and quaint and very rarely manages to stay in the green. most times they are in the red. the programs are sound but not having money to notify people has a major impact

2)the mega churches definitely go all out on appearances. being able to seat 6000 any day is pretty daunting to smaller ones. its all about image, its a spin tactic. the message isn't about Christ or the teachings, its more of a shill game.

3) more money. by being able to send their message to invalids or people unable to get to the church their income goes up. many churchs are able to broadcast for free being a tax free institution. but the biggest benefit to doing this is it attracts a new or lost market, the people who don't want to get in their best clothes to go sit there for a couple hours, too busy, or don't want to be bothered with the pomp and circumstance of having to go. people can sit at home in their underwear while drinking a beer, smoking a joint, and getting blown by some underage hooker and still be able to proclaim how xian they are


the concept is good but it destroys communities by taking money and resources away from where it is actually needed and puts it where the rich people want it

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

"No man can serve two masters. He will love the one, and hate the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon."

It's a problem I see with the Christian churches all the time. There's this obscene distortion where material wealth is made into something good, at the expense of being exemplary Christians.

Megachurches must have missed the edict to help the needy. As long as there's one homeless family on the streets, there should be no wealth in the church. I might have a shred of dignified response to the Christian church if this were to happen, but as is they're only hypocrites. WE ARE THE GOOD, WE HELP THE POOR AND DOWNTRODDEN, HEY BISHOP NICE CADILLAC! Show me a receipt of the Christian church keeping someone's head above water and I'll show you a church that only exists in your dreams.

the christian church is mammon's domain now.

I think it's time for another martin luther to show up

There is a Bible quote about the eye of a needle. I feel it ought to be known by those who attend Mega Churches.

I have to agree completely. Even a medium-sized church building costs in excess of $2million. How long can you run a shelter and emergency food station on that kind of money?

Skadi, at a young age that is a good chunk of what drove me away from christianity. Youthful ignorance/innocence left a lot to be misunderstood and because I couldn't grasp it all, I pushed the whole thing away. At the time I was being taught in one of the smaller mega churches.. first by small group studies which I could handle and excell in. Then I started going to the more adult oriented sessions in a large amphitheater with my father. It was then I saw a distinct difference in what I was taught and what was being thrown around. Seeing "faith, hope" and such plastered everywhere in large neon letters with flare filled propaganda flyers and repetitive or catchy rhythms that looped in your head over and over again didn't feel right in the slightest way.

Unfortunately what I've seen over the years only establishes my eh..distaste for the phenomenon you speak of. It goes even worse then that in some of the smaller churches though.. At least in the larger citys. Beyond the propaganda filled halls that people flock to for some sense of peace, the smaller ones seem so desperate to get people to attend, to offer, so they can keep something they can hope to be sacred, they fill the pews with anyone willing to yell out an amen.

This is in no way limited to common folks just looking for a quiet place, but the restless individuals still controlled by substances or consumed by agitated subtleties in their psyche. To put it bluntly, I've seen more corruption in churches then most people would care to accept. Then more of their attendants usually do accept. I've heard more about "God" spewed in simple repetitions from empty souls having that word being the only thing separating them from self destruction and social pacification...

Pier already quoted that in this thread, Vore.

Practitioners of the Abrahamic religion have such difficulty with this concept, the idea that greed will guarantee them a place in hell, that it's probably worth quoting twice...

The man has a point.

on the small scale you will have churches that contribute to the community they are in. The church that I went to as a kid has a very healthy dorcus program running, I doubt they'd pay your bills for you, but they will help with food, clothing, job services (on a limited basis i think) I believe they also work with other organizations for housing assistance, and such. As far as I'm aware they are no strings attached at that church either, they may invite the people they help to attend services but they don't expect it.

Also the churchs in Hood River, and the Dallas have simalier programs but I'm not quite as familier with everything they do. The thing is these churches are all small with probably fewer then 300 members, they are close knit communities that are built on the idea of supporting each other, and the general community. The church I grew up in was built by it's members, so the community is very much one of it's member's making. So it's not impossible to find churches that do this, but I'll agree that it is rare.

When did that stop the Church (I'm referring to any church here, not just the RC one)?

Throne777

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