MegaChurch or Catholic Church?

taylormarshall.com ^ | August 26, 2013 | Dr. Taylor Marshall

[NYer]

Megachurch. Two young ladies. Both had left the Catholic Church. Both were now attending “megachurches.” We had a good chat together. I wanted to understand their reasons for why they left the Catholic Church for a megachurch.

Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Megachurch
43,500 weekly attendance

I was at the bank and somehow I got into a spiritual conversation with two Hispanic executives that worked there.

Why the Megachurch?

When I asked why they exchanged the Catholic Church for the megachurch, they gave me a number of reasons:

1. “My new church has an iPhone app. I can go on my iPhone and get Bible studies, sermons (video and audio). When I travel I can still watch the sermon, either live or later. I feel apart of the community.”
2. “The preaching is dynamic and speaks to my life. I find practical encouragement.”
3. “I felt judged at the Catholic Church.”
4. “People were not friendly or welcoming at the Catholic Church. The first time I went to my new church, I was welcomed by so many people.”
5. “My new church has classes and courses that are interesting and helpful.”
6. “The music is better.”
7. “In the Catholic Church, they use a lot of words that I did not understand.”
8. “People pray for each other and know each other (in the megachurch).”

Although these two ladies didn’t articulate it explicitly to me, I could tell that they were very proud of their new churches. I could also discern in them a surprise that I am so “spiritual” and yet I am very excited about being Catholic. They assumed the “with it” people were leaving Catholicism for the bigger and better and deal.

I asked them what they miss about being Catholic. They replied with two answers:

1. “There are not any crosses in my new church. I know it makes some people feel uncomfortable, but I wish we had crosses.”
2. “What will I do when I die?” They were both unclear about whether they could get anything like Last Rites at the megachurch.

What About the Eucharist?

I asked both about the Eucharist: “Don’t you miss the Eucharist?”

This question didn’t phase them one bit. “Oh we still have communion. They pass out little crackers and cups of juice. I like this better because I thought drinking from one big cup is icky. Spreads germs.”

“But in the Catholic Church,” I replied, “we believe that the Eucharist is the real Body and Blood of Jesus?”

I may as well have said, “Don’t you know that there are Martians in my back pocket.” She was unaware that the Catholic Church taught this. No idea.

The Problem

This, my brothers and sisters, is the crux of the problem. These girls were raised as Catholics, but did not know about the Eucharist. They did not know that the Eucharist is God. They did not understand the Holy Eucharist is the center of the Catholic tradition.

So when they compare our ho-hum Catholic music and pedestrian sermons to snazzy well produced musical productions and highly polished bulleted sermons from handsome professional speakers…where are they going to go?

If they had believed that the Holy Eucharist is truly the Lord Jesus Christ, then they would have stayed. This is the task of the New Evangelization if there is going to be one. Can we communicate the mystery of Eucharist. If we fail in that, everyone is leaving the building.

Godspeed,
Taylor

PS: I don’t mean to suggest that having the Holy Eucharist is an excuse for bad music, bad vestments, bad architecture, and bad sermons. The Eucharist is like a precious diamond. It deserves a platinum setting…not a plastic setting. We can’t say, “Well, we have the Eucharist – so you’re forced to stay and have a miserable experience every Sunday.” We can’t keep the sacraments hostage to mediocracy.

PPS: With 1 billion strong, the Catholic Church is the real megachurch!

Pope Francis at Rio de Janeiro
3 million people

[editor-surveyor]

>> “Or failing that, start one of your own” <<

.
Or better yet, do what Constantine did: Crush the real worship and replace it with your own pagan garbage.

Proverbs has a good description of what Constantine did: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man; it is the way that leadeth unto destruction.

[Elsie]

Those who want to keep SOME of the Law are required to keep it all; aren’t they?

I’m an Acts 15 kinda guy.

[Jvette]

*****All that did was end up leading into more error and deception.*****

That there is error and deception is an opinion held by those who reject Christ’s Church as the protector of the Deposit of Faith.

I understand why there are those who feel that way, there have always been people outside the Church who thought they knew Truth yet didn’t. Pride.

[metmom]

It’s a lovely and wondrous thing to have Christ dwelling in us, but there is no comparison as much as one might want to think there is, to bearing Him as one’s child.

You're right. Christ dwelling in my heart is far more permanent and intimate than carrying Him around in the womb.

And I've been pregnant and know the difference. Christ is in my heart, knows my thoughts, desires, wants, and needs. The babies I carried I carried for 9 months, and it was over. They were out and never became part of me the way Jesus has living in my heart.

There's just no comparison and no way that pregnancy can supersede having Jesus IN me.

[Elsie]

It amazes me how anyone could be so cavalier about the enormity of her role and place in salvation history.

While it amazes me how anyone could be so slavish about the supposed enormity of her role and place her in salvation requirements.

[Elsie]

I guess that ‘REQUIRED’ word kinda threw me.

[Jvette]

This isn’t the first time attempts have been made to twist my words to try to make it seem I said something I haven’t.

It’s an attempt to impugn me and I will point out that falseness every time it is tried.

If you are going to make the assertion, back it up with my actual words saying such.

Otherwise, withdraw that claim and apologize.

[metmom]

The only explanation here is that those who left did not understand this. Who would walk away from the Presence of Christ?

Nobody walks away from the Presence of Christ when He is living in them.

Christ in me, the hope of glory.

I don't have to go to a building to find Him. I don't have to eat Him to have Him in me. He promised that he'd never leave me or forsake me.

Too bad Catholics believe in such a transient Jesus. They'd do better with the one who sticks closer than a brother, who will never leave them or forsake them, than one who they think abandons them over every little mistake they make or sin they commit.

[Elsie]

If you don’t want to deal with the Council of Jerusalem, don’t deal with it.

Don't worry; I won't.

If it DISagrees with Scripture; I'll ignore it.

If it agrees with Scripture; I'll not be needing it.

Do I have a third choice?

[Elsie]

Maybe He will say "I came to Earth and established the Catholic religion for you to follow...

Perhaps; but I'd suspect He'll say, "It was SIMPLE when I left. What happened?"

[Jvette]

*****And I’ve been pregnant and know the difference. Christ is in my heart, knows my thoughts, desires, wants, and needs. The babies I carried I carried for 9 months, and it was over. They were out and never became part of me the way Jesus has living in my heart.*****

LOL, the babies you carried were a part of you, just as Jesus was a part of Mary. And the babies you carried weren’t Jesus, the Christ, the second person of the Holy Trinity, God made Man.

Is it your belief that Jesus, once born of Mary no longer knew her or lived in her heart? Was she just so much dross to be discarded once used?

[Elsie]

It's human law ---

Yeah...

Them Bad Popes changed a LOT of 'human law'.

Why do you Catholics ALLOW 'human law' to infiltrate your beloved church in the first place?

[Jvette]

Ah yes, the old Constantine invented the Church canard.

Good one. That really hurts.

[metmom]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3059418/posts?page=584#584

“But, Scripture does not ever say outright, Jesus is God.”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3059418/posts?page=535#535

“The point is that Scripture never calls Jesus God.

Scripture gives the name Jesus to the Second Person of the Trinity, who is God, but is never called God.”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3059418/posts?page=451#451

“Nowhere in Scripture is Jesus called God. Through many passages we come to understand that He is indeed God, but nowhere does Scripture call Jesus, God.”

[Elsie]

I just admit when I've fallen short

Of HUMAN LAW?

[Iscool]

Bad translation, I'm afraid; the Greek word for "perfect" (teleios) is nowhere to be found in that sentence. Even in the classical definition of "perfect" (i.e. "per factus" = "complete, made it to the end"), which definitely doesn't carry the modern connotation of "utterly flawless" (which the word didn't always originally imply), it doesn't quite work. The word which your translation renders "perfect" is actually "artios", meaning "equipped". In other words, the translation should be:

Says you anyway, eh??? You're more qualified than the people who translated this word as perfect???

Here's a hint...One only has to read the context to see in what sense the word 'perfect' was used...

I'll stick with the 'perfect' translation...

[editor-surveyor]

Its recorded history by many wuitnesses.

[Elsie]

Could be why there's still a Planned Parenthood office in my very neighborhood, and Obama's still in the White House.

But Obama's not killing anyone.

[Jvette]

****Hey Jvette, you’re arguing with what Jesus said, not me.****

Not arguing with what Jesus said. Just showing that what you think about what He said is in error.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I think some dronees would beg to differ from wherever their souls went.