Posted on 11/22/2005 7:11:21 AM PST by 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.
Anyone who thinks blues riffs are not of God has not studied the simple beauty and science of the pentatonic scale.
mark
Now you are being dishonest; I never said or implied that so now I am ending this discussion.
Well said.
So, so true.
It may just take work.
Your own words:
"Spiritually not everyone is ready for the 'deeper truths' and some will never be."
"Is there no place for someone who just gets saved and likes to sit in church, feel good and praise the Lord?"
"Not everyone who is saved will always hunger and thirst for righteousness"
These statements are non-Biblical, you have yet to show me otherwise.
Church music changes over time. If you look at a hymnal form the 1830s, you probably would not recognize many of them. The current selection of hymns were put together during the 1890s and 1920s and have been in continuous use since then.
The current edgy music is another change that reflects the popular music of the 21st century.
Many hymns were not associated with the current tunes until rather late. "Amazing Grace" did not formally adapt the current tune until 1853 when the words were published in "The Sacred Harp" a wildly popular song book (not a hymnal) that was first published in 1853, nearly 80 years after the hymn was written.
If you attend an older church you may be able to locate an old hymnal in the library that includes only words. These hymns were put to popular tunes of the day so that the congregation knew the music reasonably well. The hymnal with music is a rather recent development. Most hymnals still contain indexes that allow the Pastor to match the meter of a written hymn with the music of another (metrical index).
Change in sacred music is rather slow but constant.
The small group is really nothing more than the same concept of a "sunday school class" ... it's just that the mega's have such huge numbers that can offer a variety of "subjects".
We visited a mega a few times in San Antonio - I did not care for it at all ... always felt like an Amway convention to me. That and the Sunday morning class we were visiting was right across from the teenagers - we could hardly hear ourselves think due to the extremely loud music ...
So now - we're at a tiny church - no need for small groups .. we ARE a small group... laugh...
I say that understanding it is all based on personal preference - however I must say that there seems to be a lack of depth in majority of folks I know that attend extremely large churchs.
A) My own words say nothing about justifying spiritual laziness as you dishonestly or mistakenly claimed;
B) You are simply wrong and have not read the Bible with understanding. Go read WHY Jesus taught in parables and also read that he had to explain them to his disciples because even they often couldn't understand his point. No, not everyone is ready for the deeper truths and some will never be;
C) Those with experience ministering to people know that people who don't stay hungry for the word won't continue in their quest. That point is self evident even in the physical life. Thursday you will find millions of Americans that will reach a point that they will refuse to look at food. This is possible spiritually, people can get so filled in the head that they don't continue.
D) You don't seem to realize that just as plants grow and different rates depending on many variables, so do people. Some are going to be saved and happy just knowing that Jesus died for them and rose again. When they are ready, if they eveer get ready, they will go on but not before and no amount of dogging them will change that. In fact, pressure at the wrong time will chase them away. A GOOD pastor knows how to tend the flock and my guess is that you are not a pastor.
You need to read more carefully, more prayerfully and get some understanding. It would also do you good to serve people, especially some of the weakest of the flock and make them stronger instead of demanding that they try to run at the same pace as the rest.
I do not believe that continuing this is beneficial or profitable, at least not on the public forum.
I'll take John MacArthur any day over the Rick Warrens of the world.
sounds like the C of C of lore
Phoenix. Mostly Mormon which seems to be on every block. But, I don't consider 20,000 a mega church only ...A mega church can be more like 6 to 10 thousand. Non-denomination churches with that amount range at about 6 or 7 churches in my area.
I might add that those churches have been very politically active for the conservative agenda. I have no doubt that the evangelical "get out the vote" is what helped Bush in 04.
Most clergy I've met in the big Chicago Archdiocese, especially those from Mundelein Seminary, and especially the non-Hispanic clergy, condemn abortion about the same way you'd condemn a person who lied about the Easter Bunny.
This past Sunday at my church, the pastor gave the homily rather than one of the ex-nuns. In his homily and in blessing the sacraments and in the final prayer he emphasized "honoring the family in whatever form it happens to take without condemnation". The homily was all about diversity of forms of the family. Read into it what you will.
This November, the US Bishops are pushing collections for the Campaign for Human Development. The CHD funds both pro-abortion activists and political activists ... more Dennis Kucinich and ex-nun Marcy Kaptur type than John Kerry type Catholic Democrats.
I don't understand this logic... about the talents...
Those things listed are not talents - they're jobs.. or tasks...
Somehow Vegas style entertainment seems to cheapen a church service to me... Please understand that this is MY opinion - and not really Biblically based - unless we take the admonition that we should be in the world - but not of the world..
"That entertainment becomes the center of his faith, and not Christ's atonement of our wretched state. It can easily become the only way he can "worship" - if he has that particular music. No prayer, no supplication, no humilty, no Godly sorrow for his sinful state - all because of some easy-to-sing songs."
This is SUCH an interesting discussion... strange "parody songs" and all...
On another board I frequent - my heart broke over a post a woman made... she HATES their Christmas Eve and Easter Services.. because... get this... it's ALL geared to Just the Christmas Story and Easter - and SHE prefers "worship". Her husband and children are involved in the music ministry and she doesn't know what to do because she feels like she HAS to be there - but the message isn't for her... (where's that eye popping smiley when I need it).
I have no idea whether her's is a "mega church" - but from the sounds of it it's a steady diet of "worship" .. no teaching to speak of.. certainly no gospel message... That has been my discomfort with mega churches... a lot of "worship" ... and not much teaching... a lot of dessert - but no meat.
Well, that is an EXCELLENT example, my friend. Computers, networks, the Internet........how would early churches have been set up differently, how would they have proliferated, how much more efficiently would the Word have been spread given such things?
Now, what's OUR excuse? :) We have all of these things. I'm being somewhat facetious here; I do believe the Christian church is taking full advantage of such technologies to spread the Word, the story of Salvation through Jesus Christ. Add to that.......TV, radio....VERY powerful. I find it a wonderful thing.
Something I hadn't brought up earlier but is near and dear to my heart: music. I'm the lead guitarist in a praise and worship team in a reasonably large evangelical church. I will tell you......there is NO way 1st century instruments can carry the power of God's Word to the masses the way a stage full of musicians can today. NO way. I take full advantage of the music technology available to me to convey the pure POWER of Jesus' love; the message that He is the way, the truth, and the light....that it is through Him and Him only that we achieve salvation. I do it LOUDLY and very proudly.
It happens to be my ministry. I'll never be an evangelist or missionary.....but I can play praise and worship music and affect many, many people; and I have, through His graces. It's how I give back to the one who died for me a little over 2000 years ago. He took a bullet for me........this is what I do for Him in return in my own small way.
Personally, I prefer a smaller church.
Thanks for the ping!
Music can be extremely powerful.
One church I attended several years ago had a praise song that had some heavy drum beats that made me imagine the music that was probably played as the OT armies marched into battle against those inhabiting the Promised Land.
That also explains why I like high school/college drum lines so much.
There is nothing wrong with music getting our hearts right and our minds fertile for the Word.
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