Do Churches Franchise, multiple chains?

[ThisIsMe123]

There's a church I am considering attending and I think it's a very modernized church...I think. I have friends that attend here. More of a younger generational age group, too, that attends. I could be wrong. Don't want to name it, but apparently it has a huge chain of churches in the area I live. Kind of like Burger Kings, they seem to be popping up all over. Many locations.

What do you make of these kinds of churches? Would they fall in the "Megachurch" variety?

 

[Basil the Great]

I am a little leery of this trend, but I suppose there is nothing wrong with it as such.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

There's a church I am considering attending and I think it's a very modernized church...I think. I have friends that attend here. More of a younger generational age group, too, that attends. I could be wrong. Don't want to name it, but apparently it has a huge chain of churches in the area I live. Kind of like Burger Kings, they seem to be popping up all over. Many locations.

What do you make of these kinds of churches? Would they fall in the "Megachurch" variety?

I think they think they are a business, to get more numbers of people and more money.
I think they convince themselves that that pleases God somehow.
(those that are run as a business)
(in any place or group)

Non-denominational home churches, or other independent non-denominational churches can be very edifying and God-like. (as God wants them)

 

[jsimms615]

There's a church I am considering attending and I think it's a very modernized church...I think. I have friends that attend here. More of a younger generational age group, too, that attends. I could be wrong. Don't want to name it, but apparently it has a huge chain of churches in the area I live. Kind of like Burger Kings, they seem to be popping up all over. Many locations.

What do you make of these kinds of churches? Would they fall in the "Megachurch" variety?

I've seen this also. I believe they are called "seeker sensitive" churches and are designed to attract a younger crowd. Sometimes one site is considered the main site and other sites have the sermon on a big screen from the pastor who is at the main location. If that's the case then they really are one church in many locations instead of separate. I've never heard it called a Burger King church though.
I think as long as they are preaching the gospel who cares what type of style they follow. The main thing is that people are hearing the gospel who otherwise would not be. I think the apostle Paul would be okay with that.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

There's a church I am considering attending and I think it's a very modernized church...I think. I have friends that attend here. More of a younger generational age group, too, that attends. I could be wrong. Don't want to name it, but apparently it has a huge chain of churches in the area I live. Kind of like Burger Kings, they seem to be popping up all over. Many locations.

What do you make of these kinds of churches? Would they fall in the "Megachurch" variety?

When you really think about it,(which I never had until now), it is no different from other denominational churches. You could look at Baptist,, or Methodists etc churches as chains.

 

[thecolorsblend]

My old Southern Baptist community now has two separate campuses. I must say, I don't really understand this trend. Nor did I when I was actually an evangelical and had skin in the game. It always seemed strange.

 

[ThisIsMe123]

My old Southern Baptist community now has two separate campuses. I must say, I don't really understand this trend. Nor did I when I was actually an evangelical and had skin in the game. It always seemed strange.

"Skin game"??

Anyways, I looked up Google reviews on this church franchise...most of it positive...but the one thing the criticisms in these reviews (with lesser stars), said they didn't care for the fog, theatrics, etc. as if it was a stage concert as opposed to the traditional way.

I'm guessing when they first walked in their they were like "What in the WORLD kind of circus show is this?!"

 

[WolfGate]

I think there is a lot of assumption based judgement centered around personal preference in this thread.

(No, I do not attend one of these churches. My church has under 100 attendees)

 

[thecolorsblend]

"Skin game"??

Anyways, I looked up Google reviews on this church franchise...most of it positive...but the one thing the criticisms in these reviews (with lesser stars), said they didn't care for the fog, theatrics, etc. as if it was a stage concert as opposed to the traditional way.

I'm guessing when they first walked in their they were like "What in the WORLD kind of circus show is this?!"

Skin in the game (phrase) - Wikipedia

The type of objection you mention from the lower star reviews is quite common. And, for me personally, relatable.

Also, in quite a few multi-location communities, I hear that it’s common for the pastor of the main campus to transmit his Sunday sermon to the satellite campus over Skype so that it can be projected there.

Always thought that was a rather curious practice, myself.

 

[FaithT]

"Skin game"??

Anyways, I looked up Google reviews on this church franchise...most of it positive...but the one thing the criticisms in these reviews (with lesser stars), said they didn't care for the fog, theatrics, etc. as if it was a stage concert as opposed to the traditional way.

I'm guessing when they first walked in their they were like "What in the WORLD kind of circus show is this?!"

I’ve been to a church like that and I liked the fog machines etc. but I didn’t like the pastor being projected on a screen from another site. It felt impersonal to me. At the one I went to, there was pastor(s) on-site to speak with and ask questions, they just didn’t preach.