'Megachurches' draw big U.S. crowds

Reuters via Yahoo! ^ | 11-22-2005 | Joyce Kelly and Michael Conlon

[nckerr]

'Megachurches' draw big U.S. crowds

By Joyce Kelly and Michael Conlon

CHICAGO (Reuters) - On a recent Sunday at Willow Creek Community Church, a Christian rock band joined by dancing children powered up in the cavernous main hall, their images ablaze on several gigantic screens.

Thousands of worshipers from the main floor to the balcony and mezzanine levels were on their feet rocking to a powerful sound system. Outside cars filled a parking lot fit for a shopping mall. Inside some people drifted into small Bible study groups or a bookstore and Internet cafe for lattes, cappuccinos and seats by a fireplace.

This church near Chicago and others like it number their congregations in the thousands on any given Sunday in stadium-size sanctuaries; but in the end a major appeal of America's megachurches may be the chance to get small.

Institutions like California's Saddleback Church, Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois and Houston's Lakewood Church, each drawing 20,000 or more on a weekend, offer not just a vast, shared attraction but a path that tries to link individuals on a faith-sustaining one-to-one level beyond the crowd, observers and worshipers said.

Rick Warren, founder of California's Saddleback Church and author of the best-selling book "The Purpose-Driven Life," told a seminar held earlier this year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life that about 20 churches in America have more than 10,000 in weekend attendance.

"These churches can do a ton of things that smaller churches can't," said Nancy Ammerman, professor of the sociology of religion at the Boston University School of Theology.

"They have the resources to produce a professional-quality production every weekend, with music (often specially composed for the occasion and backed by a professional ensemble) and video and lighting and computer graphics and a preacher who knows how to work a crowd," she said.

But they also support "dozens or even hundreds of specialized opportunities for people to get involved in doing things with a small group of others. If you want someone to talk to who really understands what it is like to parent an autistic child, you may find a whole support group in a megachurch," she added.

MORE CHOICE

"Or if you really love stock car racing, but hate being surrounded by drunken rowdies, you can go with a busload of your church friends. I wouldn't say that there are fewer rules in most of these churches. Most of them really expect people to get involved in ways that can have a profound impact on their lives. It's just that there are so many paths into involvement that a smaller church just can't match," Ammerman said.

That's part of what Richard and Nancy Sauser of Schaumburg, Ill., said they found at Willow Creek where they have been members for more than 10 years. They attend regularly with their daughters, ages 5 and 7. The 30-year-old church draws 20,000 weekend worshipers.

"Anything they put their minds to, they can pretty much do," he said, marveling at the power inherent in size. But he added, "Willow Creek has the resources to effectively execute on multiple facets of church life," through more than 100 different ministries.

Sauser said he does not attend Willow Creek for its size but for the teaching and the ministry.

When the thousands at Willow Creek break into smaller groups for Bible study, the men's ministry, the special needs ministry and the adult ministry, a lot of life change occurs. "In the small groups, that is where it really gets good," Sauser said.

When the crowds head for Willow Creek's parking lot, attendants in orange vests direct processions of cars into smoothly paved parking lots ahead of the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services. Inside, the throng moves through the hallways and up and down escalators and stairs, welcomed by smiling greeters.

Some drop off children at Sunday school.

On the first floor Danielle Jackola of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, a mother of two who recently moved to the area from California, has come in search of a church. After listening to dynamic lead pastor Gene Appel speak on family and passing the baton of faith from one generation to the next, she liked the message -- and the entertainment.

"I had never been to something like that. I think that is one of the ways of getting your numbers up ... to get the message across but to keep it fun and upbeat. And more contemporary to get more young families involved," she said a few days later -- after deciding to join the church.

SEARCH FOR MEANING

Scott Thuma, a sociologist of religion at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut, said his research indicates there are at least 1,200 U.S. Protestant churches which claim more than 2,000 weekly attendees.

Megachurches are addressing the needs of Americans who are disinterested in "traditional church" yet want to deepen a sense of meaning in their lives. Classes and volunteer ministry opportunities lead to a deeper commitment, he said.

"They have opened worship to the seeker and the unsaved rather than reserving Sunday worship for the saved and sanctified," Thuma added.

The three largest churches are Saddleback, Willow Creek and Houston's Lakewood. But Warren said the world has far larger churches, pointing to mammoth Christian congregations in Nigeria, South Korea and elsewhere.

Warren said U.S. Protestants have returned to the 19th century roots of the evangelical movement, emphasizing social issues such as caring for the sick, the poor and the powerless, and not just concentrating on personal salvation.

"The small group structure is the structure of renewal in every facet of Christianity, including Catholicism," Warren told the Pew forum. He said his church has 9,200 lay ministers leading more than 200 different ministries all over southern California with 2,600 small groups in 83 cities.

[nckerr]

This according to NBC News awhile back is also the largest single voting block and overwhelmingly conservative. If Dems can use black church's, imagine if Republicans used these church's.

[TommyDale]

Never let facts get in the way. Only a very tiny percentage of Religious Right voters attend these churches. There are thousands of small congregations for every "Mega" church.

[TommyDale]

And anyway, millions of new Christian voters were registered (and voted) in 2004. The program was widely publicized in the churches, but kept fairly quiet from the liberal press.

[ConservativeDude]

"20 churches in America have more than 10,000 in weekend attendance"

I think it's probably more than that.

[savedbygrace]

Actual title, as of 9:22am Central time:

'Megachurches' draw big crowds

[ConservativeDude]

"On the first floor Danielle Jackola of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, a mother of two who recently moved to the area from California, has come in search of a church. After listening to dynamic lead pastor Gene Appel speak on family and passing the baton of faith from one generation to the next, she liked the message -- and the entertainment. "

The idea here - the passing on of the faith - is good enough. Yet it seems like Danielle hopes to pass it on without a father...and I'm pretty sure that pastor Gene would say that that is hardly a hindrance. Which is very flawed.

[savedbygrace]

Ah, I see that you changed the title while I was posting.

[ClaireSolt]

Bingo! "kept fairly quiet from the liberal press"

[nckerr]

You know, the divorce rate in church's are equal to that of society in general. People get divorced for many bad reasons as well as good reasons. According to the Bible, infidelity is a reason to divorce. And in todays society, infidelity is huge and one of the major causes of divorce. And, she could have been on the wrong track prior to finding God. So judge not lest ye be judged. Every one has sinned, but everyones sins are different and may be less noticeable.

[RightOnline]

"...and I'm pretty sure that pastor Gene would say that that is hardly a hindrance..."

Now just how do you come to that conclusion? I've never, ever been in an evangelical church that would take such a stance. Ever. Why do you assume this one would?

[i_dont_chat]

Here's web page of Houston's Lakewood Church:

http://www.lakewood.cc/site/PageServer

[ConservativeDude]

"They have opened worship to the seeker and the unsaved rather than reserving Sunday worship for the saved and sanctified," Thuma added.

Aside from the fact that non-believers can't worship, these pastors need to check out Romans 3:11 to see what the Bible says about "seekers."

[2banana]

You know, the divorce rate in church's are equal to that of society in general.

Study says churchgoers are wealthier, less likely to divorce, better educated

By Janet Kidd Stewart
Chicago Tribune
Posted October 17 2005

Religion, it seems, pays. But why?

Identifying communities of frequent churchgoers, Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist Jonathan Gruber found higher incomes and education levels and less welfare participation, along with more marriages and fewer divorces than in the general population.

The Religious Market Structure, Religious Participation and Outcomes: Is Religion Good for You? study was published in May for the National Bureau of Economic Research.

[in hoc signo vinces]

Yep...but that doesn't play out to the media's agenda for scary sensationalism. (At least what they deem to be scary.)

[Sir Gawain]

WILLOW CREEK (PART IV)--An Earthly Kingdom

[Patrick1]

A few thoughts. I believe the average size church in the United States is less than 100 and a very small percentage of churches are "mega" churches. In fact many large metropolitan areas have no "mega" churches. So the vast majority of Christians attend small to less than 2,000 member churches but that doesn't make a good story because it has been that way for nearly 2,000 years.

As far as the "mega" churches go. What I have seen with a few of the more famous ones is that they are more about psychology than Christianity. They are pop psychology churches masking themselves as the body of Christ. They are about what I get out of church, what the church can do for me. They are not about Jesus Christ wanting disciples to become in John Wesley's phrase, Christlike. Which requires surrender, humbling yourself before God which leads to exaltation and glory in Him on Earth as it is in heaven.

Instead at the "mega" church you get coffee and a book telling you what a good person you are. I prefer the Apostle Paul who simply wanted to preach Christ and Him crucified.

[YourAdHere]

Supersizing Jesus Ping.

[dawn53]

...and I'm pretty sure that pastor Gene would say that that is hardly a hindrance

So a single or divorced mom brings her kids to church, and you'd rather the pastor hinder her from coming because she's not accompanied by a husband?

Remember the Samaritan woman, or the woman they brought to Jesus who was caught in adultery?

Maybe the message this pastor is teaching is the same one Jesus taught, "Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more."

[nckerr]

http://www.willowcreek.com/wca_info/find_a_church/ProfileSearch.asp

Type in your state at this site and see how many church's from all different denominations are part of this great organization. Only "mainline" denominations are scared of this. These church's do have seeker services and then encourage "small groups" to seek God further. That is why the "mainstream" church's are withering and getting liberal enough to install gay ministers in their pulpits.

[ConservativeDude]

I have no comment on her individual situation...how could I? I know nothing about it. But I do know that objectively, if a father is not present, then passing on the faith to the next generation is much more difficult. And though I don't know for sure about this particular pastor, but, in general, I think it is more than fair to say that most megachurch pastors would go pretty easy on divorce, out of wedlock births, etc., lest they "offend."

Now, since you brought it up, I would suggest rethinking your assertion about what the Bible says about divorce.

Here is an article by John Piper which addresses that issue head on. I think it is pretty bullet proof, if one approaches the Biblical text with an open mind, rather than through the lenses of our culture:

http://www.desiringgod.org/library/topics/divorce_remarriage/dr_adultery.html

Finally, obviously we are all sinners. But, there are only a few times in Scripture where it says God "hates" something. In Deuteronomy it talks about God hating pagan idols and their accompaniment, child sacrifice. Several places it talks about "Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated." And in Malachi, God says bluntly, "God hates divorce."

I doubt if there is a megachurch pastor in America who would read those words from the pulpit. Because if he did, half of his congregation would walk.