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How a (Protestant) Megachurch Reaches the Pews (and draws in catholics)
Catholic Answers ^ | May 30, 2013 | Peggy Frye

Posted on 05/31/2013 2:23:21 PM PDT by NYer

The Rock megachurch, San Diego, CA

This past Sunday, as my husband and I were pulling into the parking lot of a local Trader Joe's store we noticed throngs of people suddenly swarming into the parking lot. My immediate thought was either Trader's was having a fantastic Memorial Day sale, or it was a flash mob preparing to do something weird. Then I saw the Bibles. Since we rarely frequent this store's location, I had forgotten that The Rock megachurch was right across the street. Then I remembered reading somewhere that the Sunday attendance at this church was in the thousands.

As we waited for the pedestrian traffic to thin out, I lamented to Hubby that it's likely that most of those people leaving The Rock church were lapsed Catholics. No surprise there. Having attended a megachurch for many years myself, I understand the powerful draw of an emotionally-charged worship service, where the stage resembles a rock concert, and the sermons are motivational and inspiring. Some of the most spiritually vulnerable are the poorly formed Catholics who don't understand even basic elements of the faith. Years of faulty catechetical instruction both in the home and in the parish have produced spiritually malnourished Catholics. So, it doesn't take long before the salvation message of the well-intentioned pastor, whose message contains just enough truth to draw the Catholic in, does just that. This is so tragic!

On the drive home, I couldn't stop thinking about all the lapsed Catholics at The Rock who abandoned the Church for a praise 'n worship site that makes them feel better. It made so sad. All I could think about was bringing them back to the sacraments, especially the Eucharist where they can experience the amazing love and grace that Jesus gives us through his body and blood. But it always goes back to the same question, "How do we reach them and bring them back?" There are many approaches; but, to me, evangelizing the parish should be our focus. By strengthening the spiritual foundation of our own parishes, there would be no reason for anyone to leave! After all, where would they go (cf. John 6:67–68)?

Instrumentum Laboris states:

Parishes are places where a person receives instruction on searching for the truth, where faith is nourished and strengthened and where the Christian message and God's plan for humanity and the world is communicated. They are the prime communities for experiencing the joy that comes from being not only gathered together by the Spirit but prepared to live one's proper vocation as a missionary.

One thing I've learned through the years is to pay attention to what works and learn from it! So, my next brilliant idea was to check out The Rock's web site to see what they are doing on the ministry front that could be adapted to fit the needs of a parish. When I got home, I googled The Rock and found lots of interesting information. Some of what I found was the typical Evangelical misunderstanding of Catholic teachings, but their ministry web page was impressive. Much of what they are doing on the ministry front can be adapted to fit the needs of a parish. They offer a wealth of classes for all different ages, backgrounds, and experiences. Many of these ministries even have mission statements.

Here are some examples of ministry offerings as described on The Rock's site:

  • Women's ministry: Women ministering to women for spiritual growth and encouragement.
  • When Your Husband Doesn't Believe: The mission of When Your Husband Doesn't Believe is to bring together Christian women who are married to non-Christians. To bring encouragement, build relationships with other women who have similar struggles and to understand the role of a Christian wife not only to better serve God but survive and thrive in your marriage.
  • Marriage: This fun and dynamic class will help you to build and maintain a Christ centered marriage covering the topics of God's purposes for marriage, praying as a couple, dealing with spiritual attacks in marriage and four keys to unlocking love in marriage.
  • Apologetics: The mission of Vox Veritas (the Voice of Truth) is to train believers in the defense of the faith (I Pet. 3:15), train teachers to train others (2 Tim 2:2), answer the tough questions of those who pose them (Acts 17:2-4).
  • Salt and Light exists to equip Christians to think critically, and most importantly, develop and apply a Biblical worldview to the governmental sphere, voting, and all social and cultural issues of the day.

Why not adapt some of these ministry ideas to fit the needs of your parish? If Protestants can do this, why can't we? Don't feed the excuse monster with things like "I don't have the time," "My pastor will only put up road blocks," or "I might make mistakes." We must not lose our apostolic courage. I’ll let Pope Francis have the floor now:

You might say "But Father, we might make mistakes." I might respond, "Well, what of it? Onward, if you make a mistake, you get up and go forward; that is the way." Those who do not walk to avoid mistakes make a the more serious mistake (Pope Francis).

Consider organizing a parish Bible study or an apologetics class, or maybe take an idea from the above-mentioned list and keep praying as you move forward? Find some good people to help you. If you can’t find anyone, start by yourself—God will be with you. With thousands of faithful Catholics graduating with theology degrees in this country, there must be one or two in your parish who would be happy to use their time and education to help you.

Look to Pope Francis and Bl. John Paul II as your inspiration. Be not afraid!

When the Church loses this apostolic courage, she becomes a stalled Church, a tidy Church. A Church that is nice to look at, but that is without fertility, because she has lost the courage to go to the outskirts, where there are many people who are victims of idolatry, worldliness, and weak thoughts of so many things (Pope Francis).

In the present circumstances the lay faithful have the ability to do very much and, therefore, ought to do very much towards the growth of an authentic ecclesial communion in their parishes in order to reawaken missionary zeal towards nonbelievers and believers themselves who have abandoned the faith or grown lax in the Christian life (Bl. John Paul II).



TOPICS: Catholic; Evangelical Christian; Ministry/Outreach
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1 posted on 05/31/2013 2:23:21 PM PDT by NYer
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To: netmilsmom; thefrankbaum; Tax-chick; GregB; saradippity; Berlin_Freeper; Litany; SumProVita; ...

Ping!!


2 posted on 05/31/2013 2:23:47 PM PDT by NYer ( "Run from places of sin as from the plague."--St John Climacus)
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To: NYer
Vox Veritas (the Voice of Truth)

vox veritatis

I would say that at least our Latin grammar is better but nowadays I'm not so sure.

3 posted on 05/31/2013 2:28:57 PM PDT by jtal (Runnin' a World in Need with White Folks' Greed - since 1492)
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To: NYer

My little Catholic nieces came back from their classes at their church and told me, “you wanna hear me recite John 3:16?” ....It blew me away.

Cool! They finally get it!!!


4 posted on 05/31/2013 2:41:01 PM PDT by cookcounty (Blah-Blah-Barak, Blah-Blah-Barak, you got me rockin and a reelin...)
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To: NYer

check out http://northpoint.org/ it is not all about rock bands and it is not just Catholics who make up the congregation. having said that, Catholics are committed Christians. maybe those who are not are better off in another church than in a strip bar?


5 posted on 05/31/2013 2:47:27 PM PDT by street_lawyer (www.georgiaright.com)
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To: NYer

Contemporary music is a powerful draw. Not the only reason, to be sure.


6 posted on 05/31/2013 2:47:30 PM PDT by jdsteel (Give me freedom, not more government.)
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To: cookcounty

In the Baptist church, our unborn hear John 3:16 from conception. By the time that they were 2 or 2 1/2 my grandchildren could quote long passages from Psalms talking about how wonderfully that God had made them.


7 posted on 05/31/2013 2:53:48 PM PDT by Coldwater Creek
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To: All


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8 posted on 05/31/2013 2:55:12 PM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: NYer

Every priest in the country should read this book: http://www.amazon.com/Rebuilt-Awakening-Faithful-Reaching-Making/dp/1594713863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370037780&sr=8-1&keywords=rebuilt (and I am not saying I agree with everything in the book either)

And every Catholic should read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Forming-Intentional-Disciples-Knowing-Following/dp/1612785905/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1370037780&sr=8-6&keywords=rebuilt


9 posted on 05/31/2013 3:04:13 PM PDT by vladimir998
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To: jdsteel

“Contemporary music is a powerful draw.”

I prefer the old hymns. I find contemporary Christian music to mostly be a droning monotone that inspires me to dwell on Rev. 3:16...

“But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”


10 posted on 05/31/2013 3:09:14 PM PDT by MeganC (You can take my gun when you can grab it with your cold, dead fingers.)
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To: NYer

Some observations from the trenches.

It does not matter whether you are talking Protestant or Catholic, both have their problems, and they ALL stem from Religion, rather than following God, via the Scriptures, the Prophets, and his Holy Spirit.

Both the MegaChurch and the Lapsed Catholics are a “mile wide and and inch deep”. If they want to know God, they need to go to God rather than than rely on somebody in vestments or a cool pair of sneakers.

As to “Hymns” vs “Contemporary” music. When the Hymns were written, the WERE Contemporary. We should judge rightly, not just lumping into groups.


11 posted on 05/31/2013 3:25:58 PM PDT by BereanBrain
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To: MeganC; jdsteel

When feeding the sheep, the shepard lets them range out over the pasture. they don’t all eat in the same corner, thus types of music is feeding the sheep. We use a variety of music, mostly standards from the hymnal, but the choir brings in new hymns and also on the several youth led services during the year, they introduce us older folks to their new hymn favorites. Of course, I remember when the now ‘old standard’ “the little drummer boy” was new and shocking to the congregation I grew up in.


12 posted on 05/31/2013 3:32:30 PM PDT by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: NYer

Its the preaching. When catholics join it isn’t about doctrinal disagreements, they are drawn by the preaching which tends to be detailed, tied back to scripture, and practical to every day living.

You can take what I say with a grain of salt; I’m not catholic, I don’t claim any denomination label. I’m just a Christian. Living overseas I attended many catholic services over the years. For me a believing catholic is not a rival, he’s a brother. Same with a believing baptist or pentacostal. I don’t see a rival. They might, I don’t.

I’m personally in one of these dreaded mega-churches in which a high percentage of the membership is no doubt of catholic background, and thats my observation. They aren’t there because they don’t want to be catholics, they are there for the preaching. The song service is pretty good, but I don’t think thats it. These folks are pretty sincere and pretty devout. God didn’t lose anything in the transaction and if some of them eventually move back across the street and return to the catholic church He still loses nothing. If you have an active walk with the Lord you take that with you where ever you worship. If someday the Holy Spirit moves you to church with us a while, you’ll see what I mean. And if he later moves you to return to your home parish again, you’ll see what I mean.


13 posted on 05/31/2013 3:33:28 PM PDT by marron
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To: NYer; Tax-chick; Chode

How you ask? Two words: pomp and circumstance


14 posted on 05/31/2013 4:02:59 PM PDT by Morgana (Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: marron

“For me a believing catholic is not a rival, he’s a brother. “

You are rare! But thank you!


15 posted on 05/31/2013 4:04:47 PM PDT by Morgana (Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: BereanBrain
When the Hymns were written, the WERE Contemporary.

And many more were written than are currently used ... that which was dreck when, for example, "Amazing Grace" was written has vanished into deserved oblivion.

Sturgeon's law ("90% of everything is crud") applies even to sacred music.

16 posted on 05/31/2013 4:06:12 PM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: BereanBrain
If they want to know God, they need to go to God rather than than rely on somebody in vestments or a cool pair of sneakers.

And that is where you are so wrong.

17 posted on 05/31/2013 4:10:24 PM PDT by NYer ( "Run from places of sin as from the plague."--St John Climacus)
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To: Morgana; marron
I wouldn't say all that rare. Sure, I enjoy a good debate as much as the next guy, but the Catholics are still our brothers. As a note, I am Southern Baptist.

If God speaks to you through the Catholic Church, then Amen brother pray on. He speaks to me at the Baptist Church; just remember that one day we'll be roommates.

'Who am I to judge the servant of another?' Romans 14:4

18 posted on 05/31/2013 4:52:21 PM PDT by Repeat Offender (What good are conservative principles if we don't stand by them?)
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To: NYer
Word of caution to the author.....

Mark 9:38-40 KLV And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

40 For he that is not against us is on our part.

19 posted on 05/31/2013 4:56:17 PM PDT by Repeat Offender (What good are conservative principles if we don't stand by them?)
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To: Repeat Offender

Dang it.....KLV = KJV


20 posted on 05/31/2013 4:56:48 PM PDT by Repeat Offender (What good are conservative principles if we don't stand by them?)
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