15 biggest megachurches in America

Desert news ^ | Herb Scribner

[okkev68]

Interesting how all the mega churches are in the South. Why no big churches in New York, San Fran, Jersey, Ohio?

[ctdonath2]

At least 3 listed are within a short drive of me. I know of at least 2 more that I’m surprised aren’t on the list (maybe top 20). We go to one of the latter sometimes, good content/sermons but I feel lost in the crowd. If the pastor doesn’t know my name, doesn’t really work in the long run.

[Kartographer]

http://vimeo.com/66367202

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. Luke 14:23

[ottbmare]

If you are preaching the word and doing it well people will and should come, so what do you do when they start coming? At what point do you close the doors and say “Sorry but we want a small church if you want to hear the word you will just have to go else where.” If your church isn’t growing its dieing and a dieing church is of no use to God.

There are many, many tiny churches in exurban and rural areas where the Gospel is preached and the Holy Spirit acts, but they never get big because there just aren't very many people in the area. Others may be preaching the Word but the pastor isn't a talented showman and doesn't have a fabulous back-up band and singers. Churches like that won't attract the millions who want to be entertained on Sunday morning, even if they proclaim Christ truly.

I have heard some valuable teaching and inspired sermons in little backwater churches. But they are only heard by a few hundred souls because there aren't too many people in the area who want a quiet traditional service with an old lady playing the piano and a few quavering voices in the choir in preference to fancier churches.

[Kartographer]

What you say is totally true, but what has that got to do with my statement? Some want to keep their church small, but that is not how it is supposes to be. It is clear that if you live in a community of 200 and 148 are divide among say four churches then it very true there’s not much room for growth, but should you stop not trying to bring in the 52 that are attending, because that might make your church to big? And that would make you uncomfortable?

Are you not using the exception though rather than the rule? The vast majority of people live in urban or semi-urban areas and most are lost the Savior has charged us to bring them to him.

Are we not instructed:

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. Luke 14:23

[Kandy Atz]

To me a “Megachurch” is one where it’s more about the Pastor than it is about God. It’s not necessarily about the size.

Excellent point. Sometimes that may also be from an outsiders perspective, and not someone who actually attends that church. I'm sure there are few who are more concerned with celebrity than God's Word or will, but generalizing is never appropriate.

I have attended churches with less than 20 people, and sat in auditoriums with thousands and heard the Word taught and witnessed the move of the Spirit in both. Size doesn't matter. Spiritual maturity of the leaders and the flock are far more important. And just like you can find greed even among the poor, pride can be found among those who shepherd only a few sheep.

The Church is not a building, an institution, a denomination, or even a pastor. THE CHURCH is a spiritual body made up of individual parts placed in the Body by God. (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12) When people are working in harmony with God's Will, its a thing of beauty.

Every Believer is the Temple of God, and a minister in their respective calling. (John 14:23-26, 15:1-10, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Ephesians 4:7-13) Believers attend a church to worship, learn, grow, for correction, and fellowship, and that is a good thing. However, from God's perspective, individual Believers ARE the Church! He is the Heavenly Father of Believers, and he has no grand kids. Believers reflect God's Light to the world. (Philippians 2:15) Or as Paul calls them, Ambassadors of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

Note what Paul commends the Thessalonians for doing collectively throughout Macedonia/Greece:

1 Thessalonians 1:2-8 (AMP)

2 We are ever giving thanks to God for all of you, continually mentioning [you when engaged] in our prayers,

3 Recalling unceasingly before our God and Father your work energized by faith and service motivated by love and unwavering hope in [the return of] our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

4 [O] brethren beloved by God, we recognize and know that He has selected (chosen) you;

5 For our [preaching of the] glad tidings (the Gospel) came to you not only in word, but also in [its own inherent] power and in the Holy Spirit and with great conviction and absolute certainty [on our part]. You know what kind of men we proved [ourselves] to be among you for your good.

6 And you [set yourselves to] become imitators of us and [through us] of the Lord Himself, for you welcomed our message in [spite of] much persecution, with joy [inspired] by the Holy Spirit;

7 So that you [thus] became a pattern to all the believers (those who adhere to, trust in, and rely on Christ Jesus) in Macedonia and Achaia (most of Greece).

8 For not only has the Word concerning and from the Lord resounded forth from you unmistakably in Macedonia and Achaia, but everywhere the report has gone forth of your faith in God [of your leaning of your whole personality on Him in complete trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness]. So we [find that we] never need to tell people anything [further about it]. Now that is a "megachurch".

[Kartographer]

It doesn’t matter if the pastor knows your name, what is important is that when the time comes and you call out Lord, Lord that he knows your name.

[GeronL]

many of them don’t even have pews but theater seating

[GeronL]

How many followers/members did Reverend Wright have?

[GeronL]

You could not pay me to watch TD Jakes or most of these

[GeronL]

“I had never been in a church with a lobby, welcome desk, café, people at tables having snacks and soft drinks, and a staff of friendly team members smiling and opening doors,” Eidemiller wrote. “It felt like opening night at the movies. The dim sanctuary doesn’t even have an altar, but rather a stage with two large projection screens flanking the band. The rows of pews were the only thing that came close to suggesting ‘church.’”

Notice anything missing..... God!

[Kartographer]

No one says that Mega Churches are without their problems, but there are plenty of small churches that have their scandals too. Small church scandals make for small news, yet they most likely hurt more people directly than most Mega Church scandals.

[GeronL]

My thought of millions of people attending Mega-Churches is:

“Vote for Obama” they chant, “Vote for Obama” in unison....

[ctdonath2]

Gathering with other believers usually is understood to involve knowing their names. If the pastor/priest/rabbi/whatever doesn’t even know you exist beyond a random anonymous face in a crowd, “gathering” is...strained.

(You know my point. I don’t have time to argue obvious semantics.)

[Kartographer]

The founder of the “home church” movement in England, Canon Ernest Southcott, said it best:

“The holiest moment of the church service is the moment when God’s people—strengthened by preaching and sacrament—go out of the church door into the world to be the church. We don’t go to church; we are the church.”

The church, therefore, is not a place. It’s not the building, it’s not the location, and it’s not the denomination. We—God’s people who are in Christ Jesus—are the church.

My experience is that to many attend church leave with the same ‘baggage’ they bring in with them.

They don’t understand that Salvation is much like Freedom, it is given to many who did nothing to deserve it and lost by many because they fail to preserve it.

[Kartographer]

I know your point, but you knowingly fail to see mine.

[Future Snake Eater]

If you don’t go to church for theological reasons then why go?

Paul became a Christian while on his way to capture and murder Christians.

I know a guy in my old church in WA who went to church one day to check out the girls in the choir and see if any could sing (he was a big rapper in his era), and he accepted Christ on the spot.

Who cares why they go? As long as they're there to be worked on by God.

[Morgana]

Once upon a time in Rand, West Virginia there was a preacher by the name of TD Jakes. I heard he was pretty good.

Like you said now I’d go no where near his church.

[GeronL]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2034412/posts

Obama gives TD Jakes goosebumps - which makes my skin crawl

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3043204/posts

TD Jakes shocked by Zimmerman Not Guilty

[caww]

.....”a church with a lobby, welcome desk, café, people at tables having snacks and soft drinks, and a staff of friendly team members smiling and opening doors,”... “It felt like opening night at the movies.”......

It's SHOW TIME!.....and that's exactly what I've seen as a visitor to these mega churches.

The Pastors message was all about the growth and satellite churches they now have up...and about how wonderful the people are for supporting this great feat. There was nothing at all said about who Jesus is or credit for achieving these things....which lends one to think these are mans churches to glorify mans efforts...attaching Jesus's name as the card to get in the door.