Posted on 08/13/2014 8:42:46 PM PDT by Morgana
Lights. Camera. Religion.
Megachurches are more than just your regular pulpit and pew church. Theyre larger, theyre packed, and theyre drawing in thousands of people.
Going to a megachurch is a rising trend in the United States. In 2011, a survey by Harvard Institute of Religion Research found that six million people about 10 percent of churchgoers surveyed attended churches with more than 2,000 attendees.
But more people are giving megachurches a chance. OnFaiths Maryann Gogniat Eidemiller, who is Catholic, attended a megachurch to see what the draw was, and she was very pleased with her experience.
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 doesnt 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.
So is that what big churches are really like? Here are 15 different megachurches from across the country that are too cool not to talk about.
Thanks to Sermon Central, a religious resources website, for providing many of the statistics.
(Excerpt) Read more at national.deseretnews.com ...
How many of these churches have supported Obama and the Democrats?
....”Willow uses “marketing” to draw people in. In the hopes of drawing “unchurched people” in.”......
Since when is the church FOR non-Christians???
We are called to go “Out” and preach the gospel. The church is for believers.
Even the term unchurched is chilling....for it’s thw owrk of God to draw people to Himself...not a marketing effort.
This is soo wrong it hurts to see this happening. And then people wonder why the churches become worldly minded....it’ inviting the world in rather than going out into it.
You can say that again! One of the best Pastors and churches I ever was fortunate to attend for a time was small church in a small community. It's focus was on learning more about Jesus and loving him more....and that mission was indeed accomplished by many there.
The Pastor could have easily been a mega church Pastor and had turned down many invitations to be so. I asked him why he was in such a small congregation and he said that his work was to equip the saints, that he wanted to know the flock the Lord had established there and where their relationship with him was. He believed he was accountable for “the flock” and where it was led.
He further stated that in mega churches, though many Pastors work is divided among....and rare any has “charge” over the people for their spiritual condition as much as over the events, and the running of the affairs of the building, growth etc.
So he chose to preach and teach in small churches....and I will add that other Pastors from miles around came for his bible study....it was wonderful to hear the discussions and comments, imagine hearing learned men of God speaking and debating the scriptures..... and these studies always went beyond the appointed time....nobody wanted to leave until the saturation point had been met, is a good way to say it..
“How many of these churches have supported Obama and the Democrats?”
Too many I suspect
Willow requires their staff members to be involved in at least one “worldly” group so they don’t live in a “Christian ghetto”. Where would you propose the unchurched go? Yes, the Holy Spirit maybe “wooing” them but we are the hands of G-d. Most everybody comes to follow Jesus through a believer.
Where would you propose the unchurched go?
God builds HIS church (body of believers) and he does so by sending us “out” from the church ‘to the world’ as His Ambassadors/Witnesses to the Gospel Message. And it is by His Spirit HE moves the hearts and minds of men and draws them to Himself....HE knows those who will come to Him and those who never will. That’s why we rely on Him to arrange the moments when He determines the Message of Salvation will be presented.........otherwise we are casting pearls before swine.
You stated that....”Willow ‘requires’ their staff members to be involved in at least one worldly group so they dont live in a Christian ghetto.
Do you realize what that sounds like?
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