Mega churches - what do you think?

[edie19]

. . . .And yes, both sell coffee and bookstores and the like. No bowling alleys, though. But like someone said, if the bowling wasn't available during the service, then I see it as a good thing, getting people able to "center" on their church rather than something like a worldly mall. And I say, great for them to have something like that. . . . And so I see not only the "pulling power" of those bowling alleys and Starbucks kiosks, but also their "pulling together" power.

Jesus had a name for temples where people did business - He called it a "den of thieves." I'm not at all sure that these churches are very different from that.

 

[JC4Dude]

The question would seem to be whether the coffee selling glorifies God or not. If it does, then I'm okay with it. But I'm sure there are setups which ARE borderline or are across the line.

 

[ascribe2thelord]

I am a member now of a small congregation - bigger than most in America that have less than one hundred in worship on a Sunday, but certainly smaller than some very prominent congregations.

One new congregation has formed in our county and it has a bowling alley and food court andeverything - is it a church?

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Business/story?id=617341

Am I right that they are selling religious things? Do people realize that this is exactly what got Jesus so incensed when he overturned the merchants' tables (they were selling doves for sacrifice to God) in the temple? That was the only time in His life here on earth that He ever became violent. I think it's a grievous sin to sell anything related to worship ...

 

[ascribe2thelord]

Jesus had a name for temples where people did business - He called it a "den of thieves." I'm not at all sure that these churches are very different from that.

Today we call these places Christian bookstores. Do you know how many billionaires have been made in this recent cultural trend alone?

 

[Espada]

Am I right that they are selling religious things? Do people realize that this is exactly what got Jesus so incensed when he overturned the merchants' tables (they were selling doves for sacrifice to God) in the temple? That was the only time in His life here on earth that He ever became violent. I think it's a grievous sin to sell anything related to worship ...

It had as much to do with the money changers as anything as the Jews could only use the Temple currency inside the Temple. Also the traders were abusing their monopolies by selling poor quality sacrificial goods at over inflated prices. It wasn't purely the selling that caused the issues.

 

[Ave Maria]

I have no problem with megachurches. But a church with a bowling alley??? That is just a little bit extreme in my opinion. I also don't think a church should have a food court. Maybe a kitchen and a fellowship hall but not a food court.

The church I attend could possibly be considered a megachurch. We have well over 500 in attendance during each Mass and possibly over 1,000 during each Mass. And we have 4 Masses each Sunday. So yeah, it's a megachurch! But our church is also very simple. We have the entrance area, the sanctuary where all the pews (and kneelers ) are, the altar area and then also the room where the priest puts his vestments on and stuff (can't remember what its called... it does have a name). We have the necessities and not much more than that!

But that is just the Church itself. We also have a rectory, a parish center, and a new parish center, plus the big yard where all the beautiful statues are and stuff!

 

[Naomi4Christ]

I have no problem with megachurches. But a church with a bowling alley??? That is just a little bit extreme in my opinion. I also don't think a church should have a food court. Maybe a kitchen and a fellowship hall but not a food court.

I think it depends on why you have these things. If you have a bowling alley just so that your own youth can socialise with one another and never witness in the real world, then that is not good. If you have a bowling alley for outreach - to bring non-Christian kids in off the streets, then that is a good thing.

 

[Diane_Windsor]

I used to be a member of Prestonwood, and made a visit within the last year. I think that they have crossed the line BIGTIME-is Peter walked into Prestonwood then he would leave shaking his head in digust! Prestonwood is in a ritzy part of Plano too, which just makes things worse IMO. I absolutely agree with Randall Balmer is it consumerism run amok.

Diane

 

[Diane_Windsor]

. . . and then also the room where the priest puts his vestments on and stuff (can't remember what its called... it does have a name).

The sacristy.

Diane

 

[Dewi Sant]

I think it is most excellent that mega churches should exist, however think of it as a spider plant, (shown below)

There is the mother plant which is well established and well nourished, this is the mega church, the life and basis of that church community, from where all gather and learn from. Then there are the off shoots, these are the cell and salt groups that are still connected to the mother plant (mega church) but recieve nourishment and teaching from the mega church. Also the channels are open for people to go from the mega church to the cell groups and vice versa.

Should it happen that a gardner would choose to disect one of the off shoots and grant it its own soil that would be the same as establishing a new church from the Mega church, a branch of the ministry and a soon to be growing church which in time may become another mega church.
It will govern itself seperate to the church it came from yet still remember its roots (no pun intended).

This is how the church should spread.


As for food courts and stuff.
I am all for it!
It is great that people should choose to come to a church which is no longer some sort of dismal imposing hall which the elite few go to (sorry but that is an outsiders view of many churches).
Let us connect our churches to shopping malls, multi story car parks and build huge auditoriums for them.

In my city we have the perfect building which could be used for a mega church. It is called the guildhall and in it it contains a theatre, a concert hall (round auditorium), a shopping mall underneath, it is attached to the bus station by an underground link and a multi story car park, it also has two restaurants and any bars.

I know it serves its purpose as a municipal building but it would make the perfect building for a church, what more the actors changing rooms and stuff could be used for cell group rooms.

 

[ascribe2thelord]

I don't think megachurches were part of God's plan for us. I think Jesus would want us to be smaller, to meet in smaller groups so we would know one another and be better able to minister to our neighbors. The problem with these megachurches is that if you can worm your way out of being accountable to your cell group and your closest friends, nobody asks any questions - nobody knows that you're falling away, if you do happen to lose sight of God's promises.

 

[JC4Dude]

I don't think megachurches were part of God's plan for us. I think Jesus would want us to be smaller, to meet in smaller.

The megachurches I'm familiar with are very sensitive to meeting in small groups and are very successful in doing that. Perhaps more so than medium size churchs?

Earlier, an RC joked about their church perhaps being a megachurch, but I don't think that quite fits the definition. An additional factor is that RC's are required to attend an RC church, which skews things. Here is a link with some numbers and makeup:
http://hirr.hartsem.edu/org/megachurchesdefinition.html

 

[Bobber]

I wonder if folks ever wondered what would happen to the mortgages that mega churches have to pay for their large buildings? If persecution came to the body of Christ and you couldn't preach doctrine which is approved by the state then what happens then? Wouldn't you have these great big buildings but you can't really freely preach the gospel in them? If you doubt that could happen in some ways its already happening in Canada. What happens as well if there is an economic collapse? Is it possible congregations wouldn't have the means to keep paying the mortgage? Wouldn't this bring reproach upon the body of Christ? I think if we study the scriptures in my opinion the best way to do chuch is in homes period.

 

[jubilationtcornpone]

Having a huge church isn't necessarily bad. Sure, it can make the environment more impersonal; on the other hand, it can also make for more effiicient use of limited resources, such as teachers and facilities. And let's face it... Good, careful teachers can be mighty hard to come by!

There are some tremendously large churches that I would heartily endorse--Chuck Smith's Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, Greg Laurie's Harvest Christian Fellowship, and John MacArthur's Grace Community Church, for example. Sadly, I cannot say the same about most other large churches, as they frequently employ questionable tactics (already discussed earlier in this thread) to draw in the crowds.

 

[RenHoek]

I find it hard to believe people are this worked up about where people go to search for God and the love of Christ.



I attend Northridge Church in Plymouth, MI (www.northridgechurch.com). We have over 9000 people attend every weekend over 4 services. Wed night is deeper study and worship. We are adding a large addition to keep serving God as He continues to bless us. Why is this wrong.

People are not accountable…

I am not accountable to any but my Maker. If He is feeding me from a large church, who can criticize? Are people jealous that their church is not successful?

I don't think megachurches were part of God's plan for us. I think Jesus would want us to be smaller, to meet in smaller groups so we would know one another and be better able to minister to our neighbors.

Scripture please?

Jesus few and preached to 5000 at one time. He had them sit in groups, yes, but He preached to them all at the same time in the same huge space. The word of God is the word of God regardless of where it is preached. If people are following Christ at your facility that is small, do you turn them away? No room in the inn? This does not sound right to me.



I am also curious as to how all those that oppose would feel about an entirely Christian city. With a bowling ally, with a roller rink, restaurants, and the like. Is this not the ideal?

I see the good my church does with the resources that it has been blessed with. There is no way a small church could make such impacts. To each their own people.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

I am also curious as to how all those that oppose would feel about an entirely Christian city. With a bowling ally, with a roller rink, restaurants, and the like. Is this not the ideal?

I don't think a Christian city is a good idea because we are called to minister among the people and not shut ourselves off from those who do not follow God.

But I think it is good to have facilities in your church to attract people to it, for example, to get youth off the streets. It could also be a safe and non-threatening environment for young people to invite their friends too.

 

[RenHoek]

I don't think a Christian city is a good idea because we are called to minister among the people and not shut ourselves off from those who do not follow God.

Not so much to shut ourselves off, but to be an example. I would believe that a city with very Christian laws and sound morals would be blessed by God to show others, like OT Israel. They were an example to the world. When they were holier, they prospered. When they were wicked, they were stomped.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

Not so much to shut ourselves off, but to be an example. I would believe that a city with very Christian laws and sound morals would be blessed by God to show others, like OT Israel. They were an example to the world. When they were holier, they prospered. When they were wicked, they were stomped.

The key thing is to be able to show others the benefits of living a Christian life. I don't see how this can be done if your mega church is on the edge of town, out of sight of people. Then it is just another clique.

 

[RenHoek]

I guess my point is that church is for worship, fellowship, learning, and a whole host of activities. Why do we feel the need to put any restrictions on the size or activity as long as it is not inherently sinful?

 

[Naomi4Christ]

I guess my point is that church is for worship, fellowship, learning, and a whole host of activities. Why do we feel the need to put any restrictions on the size or activity as long as it is not inherently sinful?

My own personal feeling is that everything a church does should be in worship to God. Yes, God likes for us to be in fellowship with other Christians and he provides well in this area (like eating and drinking together). Bowling alleys are a little excess to requirements. If bowling alleys are a helpful part of 'telling others', coming alongside the needy, etc., then that is also bonafide worship to God.

But if the bowling alleys are for our own entertainment, then it is probably a waste of resources.

The light has to shine, not be hidden.

I don't have a problem with the size of a church, as long as they subdivide the church family into pastorates (groups of about 30 - 50 adults and children). A huge congregation can be great for some and provide the balance of experience and anonimity that they need at the time, but at some point in their Christian journey, most people need smaller groups where they can learn together, pray together, have fellowship, and be accountable to one another.

One of the questions that I have had about mega churches is how do they cater for the different generations - meaning, how do the older people who were not brought up in that tradition fit in?

BTW, the church that I go to is a regular parish church, with a Sunday attendance of about 600. We have a lot of the same questions for ourselves as we would have for a mega church. As soon as you get above about 200, you have a job holding the church family together.