My conclusion is that each misses the mark. The mainline churches are dying because they have swapped Jesus Christ for Marx and Rawls and similar degenerates.
The megachurches have swapped the Christian gospel for feel-good socializing and whatever sells.
Jesus Christ said it and Bonhoeffer reiterated, that the number of true Christians in the world would always be a small minority, and they could expect to be persecuted. Not much of a PR "brand" campaign is it?
But it's the truth. And this fetish with church growth and numbers reflects a typically American boomer mentality--- great for creating prosperity, for nurturing faith, not so great.
“The megachurches have swapped the Christian gospel for feel-good socializing and whatever sells.”
Please don’t put all eggs in the saddleback basket
—
“that the number of true Christians in the world would always be a small minority”
Lets assume (and I know this is incorrect) that each and every person in a ‘mega chuch’ is saved (thats 8M people)
2% of the US population
and a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the world population..
Yes in most, if not all, churches there is a ton of chaff but to assume any church with numbers is (1) putting them ahead of God or (2) not preaching the gospel is specious.
“The megachurches have swapped the Christian gospel for feel-good socializing and whatever sells.
Not sure what megachurchs are in your definition.
My church is growing like crazy (just passed 8,500),
and teaches the Gospel. People are coming to Christ
from every kind of background you can imagine -
tattoos and all.
best,
ampu