Posted on 05/07/2013 8:52:00 AM PDT by Gamecock
At what size does a congregation become a “mega-church”?
I’ve belonged to two different churches that had between 3,000 and 5,000 members, and they were both vibrant and biblically-sound. “Large” does not necessarily mean “prideful.”
Wikipedia says that it was of the 240,000 member, “Reformed Church in America”, whatever that is.
I think Shuller was ordained Episcopal but I’m not sure.
Geez. Dutch Reformed. Ethnic based. Geez...
Bart: Sir, he specifically requested two “******”. Well, to tell the family secret, my grandmother was Dutch.
I think you are way off base with all this Episcopal stuff, way off base.
“”Schuller was born near Alton, Iowa, in 1926. He is of Dutch descent.[2] He studied at Hope College and received a Master of Divinity degree from Western Theological Seminary in 1950. He was ordained as a minister in the Reformed Church in America. He worked at Ivanhoe Reformed Church in Riverdale, Illinois, before moving to Garden Grove, California. There he opened the Garden Grove Community Church in 1955 in a drive-in movie theater. He also built a new 300-seat chapel about four miles (6 km) from the drive-in theater.””
UH - sorry - no it's not Roman Catholic. Crystal Cathedral Ministries
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
GARDEN GROVE – The Crystal Cathedral sanctuary known around the world for its flying angels and messages of positive thinking on Wednesday became a place of prayer for its new owners: Orange County’s Catholics.
More than 1,200 Catholics filled the cathedral for the first Roman Catholic event held in the Protestant megachurch since the campus was bought by the Diocese of Orange in a court-ordered bankruptcy sale.
•With candles on each side, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was temporarily placed in the front of the Crystal Cathedral sanctuary for the Orange County Catholic Prayer Breakfast – the first Catholic event in the cathedral since it was purchased by the Diocese of Orange. The Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the Diocese of Orange.
•Outside the future Christ Cathedral, helium balloons were strung up in single rows to resemble the beads of a rosary. Inside, more than 1,200 Catholics received a bag with literature and one special gift: a silver-toned and white-beaded rosary from Italy.
• Wednesday’s Catholic prayer breakfast was videotaped by the same crew members who videotape the Sunday morning Crystal Cathedral services, which are distributed worldwide through the “Hour of Power” television show. Wednesday’s service will be broadcast on two websites: magisreasonfaith.org and oc-foundation.org.
Voices at the Crystal Cathedral
“Sometimes, God speaks to us in beauty, even if some people think of it as a financial burden. Here, we have excellence in art, excellence in liturgy, excellence in education. Having a beautiful place like this is an inspiration to look at our own lives and ask how can we be more excellent.”
Cheryl Loofbourrow of St. Hedwig Catholic Church in Los Alamitos, who played flute in the Crystal Cathedral orchestra when she was younger.
“To me, the cathedral is a miracle – a sign of God’s love to his people. The Rev. Schuller said he wanted his beautiful church to continue its Christian mission.”
Sister Mary Bernard, a Carmelite sister from Alhambra who joined other nuns in a chant during the early morning prayer service.
Congregants listened to chanting Carmelite nuns and recited a rosary.
They prayed in front of an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, blessed by Pope Benedict XVI.
And they heard messages from priests and a bishop.
“This is an example of what future events and gatherings can be like – the space, the spirit, the message,” the Rev. Christopher Smith said following the prayer breakfast.
Smith will lead the transformation of the Crystal Cathedral into a Catholic place of worship the diocese will rename Christ Cathedral. The Crystal Cathedral Ministries will stay on the campus until June, when it will transfer to the nearby St. Callistus Catholic Church under an arrangement with the diocese.
MESSAGE
MONEY
MAIDENS
The Message - what is the "Gospel"? How is it corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Money - the temptation of wealth and the pleasures it brings. A man cannot serve two masters, Jesus said, for he will either love the one and hate the other or hold to the one and forsake the other, you cannot serve God and money. God desires that we learn to trust him for all our needs and to rest in the truth that, when we are in his will, he WILL provide all our needs.
Maidens - the temptation of sexual contact and interest. Many women are drawn to popular and famous men and men, who are weak, fall into the trap of these women due to their need to be desired and admired. I think this may be the most successful of the three snares of the devil because so many think it is secret sin and will not be found out.
Men in the ministry today should be keenly aware of these particular traps and those of us who are involved with their work for God should keep them in our prayers and help them to remain accountable and faithful to their calling.
My old pastor like Mark Driscoll. I don’t think I’m a fan. The whole stepping out of line and you are shunned is sort of what was going on in my old church.
sorry....I was wrong.
A lot of us are learning new stuff on this thread, I know I am.
I predict that soon the Crystal Cathedral will become above criticism and that to use it as an example of an ostentatious “mega church” will become a sign of “anti-Catholic bigotry”.
The Catholic Church bought it recently after it went into bankruptcy proceedings. Hobby Lobby bought their retreat property, and Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church leased it back from them to continue the ministry that was being done there.
Before the Catholics bought it, it was Protestant (Rev. Schuller was ordained into the Reformed Church.)
So we’re all right. And we’re all wrong. It’s been that kind of thread. ;-)
Funny - the only person on this thread to even mention the word “Catholic” (in well over 100 replies, no less) is...you.
No, it's a Roman Catholic church; soon to be known as Christ Cathedral.
It is now, because the Catholics bought it. When Schuller ran it, it was Protestant.
How did we get so far off topic?
I believe it was purchased by the Diocese of Orange County. There were several threads posted about the purchase of it.
That is inaccurate in that a catholic church was being discussed.
When the Crystal Cathedral mega-church comes up, it is pretty natural to point out that it is a catholic church, when so many people are posting differently.
I think you might want to rethink your unusual post.
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