Not every large church is bad.
Churches have people which opens them up to flaws and sin. Satan is alive and well. My mama always said "if I ever find the perfect church, I won't join because I'll mess it up sure enough" ;-)
Not excusing what did or didn't happen at this one church. But, I would go around making blanket assumptions about all large or non-demoninational churches. There are non-demoninational churches of a whole lot of different sizes and creeds. In the end, we *should* all be playing on the same team, though. Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, whatever. We all serve the same Master. We just do it in different ways and don't always agree on some of the details...
Not according to Paul! Paul said, there are some who are disturbing you, and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached, let him be accursed."
When church doctrine goes astray, whether Baptist, Methodist, Presbytarian, Episcopel, etc -- the doctrine and movement must be rejected as apostate.
And I would agree with that. 2 out of the few hundred mega churches in this country actually act like a chistian churches. The remaining ones are not for profit corporations with plus signs on the front of the coporate palace.
But, I would go around making blanket assumptions about all large
If a pastor of a church is preaching the Gospel, accountability in one's walk, becoming free from the bondage of sin and living a Holy life, they will not be popular enough to get big.
Churches only become mega churches by preaching little c Christ and never suggesting that the church is itself is filled with sinners that need to repent, fall on their knees before the Cross, and beg for God's grace through Jesus.
That would be "too churchy and icky" for most people to sit through these days. It also mught sound too judgemental for the "seeker".
Nothing but ear tickling pop psychology. Just like Paul and Peter commented on 1,950 years ago.
I heard it as "If you find a perfect church and join it, it won't be perfect anymore."
I'm glad you have so much optimism about the church in America. I have been having a really hard time finding one, large or small, that preaches the truth anymore, instead of 'self help' messages.
IN GENERAL large churches have tended to gather crowds *especially those that seem to grow overnight* by catering to the unbeliever or immature believers, softening the hard teachings of the Bible or leaving them out entirely.
Many churches make it up as they go along. They think they know better than God. Member churches of the National Council of Churches particularly come to mind. They promote homosexuality and abortion and are socialists and defenders of the Democrat party. Too bad the people sitting in the pews don't know what's going on.