According to Wikipedia, a megachurch is a large church, having around 2,000 or more worshippers for a typical weekly service. Critics of megachurches claim that such churches are more concerned with entertainment than God’s truth.
Before we made the leap to our local "megachurch," we got an earful from friends and family:
- The messages are geared toward seekers, not long-time believers.
- The kids programs are less than desirable. All they do is play. They don't teach them anything.
- It's too big. You can't develop close relationships. No one speaks to anyone else. As soon as the church service is over, everyone leaves.
- People only go there because the Pastor is a great communicator. What happens if he leaves?
One common thread with these fast growing megachurches is discipleship, particularly small groups meeting in homes.
2 Timothy 2:1-2: "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others."
Skeptics say there is no depth because there are too many "seekers." Not enough qualified teachers; no discipleship of the saved.
For example, an unmarried couple, living together, leads a small group. Their leading and being surrounded by others who are encouraging them, may lead to them obeying God’s will for their lives. However, their leading is a witness and not a good one.
Is there a responsibility of the church to guide those whom they ask to lead small groups, and have an expectation of obedience in those public sin areas? On the other hand, are the megachurches doing a better job of not making people feel like they have to be “worthy” to contribute, to attend, so these areas are lesser concerns, lesser evils?
It presents some thoughts:
- Can those who are unaccountable lead others?
- Is discipleship intentional or a hopeful byproduct in the megachurch format?
- Can megachurches effectively balance messages and programs directed at seekers, while still training and developing leaders who are qualified to teach others?
5 comments:
With regard to those who are unaccountable, one thing that comes to mind is that Jesus often used those with "public sin" as examples.
Woman by the well, prostitutes, etc...
Maybe they weren't "leading," but the message is that God can use anyone in any situation.
Look around at Megachurches and you'll likely find a strong missions team - whether its local, regional, or global missions.
Bring in, build up, train and send out. Sounds like discipleship to me.
I agree Jesus reached out to the lost but His instruction to the woman, "go and stop sinning".
We cannot pursue holiness through the commission of a sin.
i think these are good thoughts...
i think you bring up reasonable concerns and i think most megachurch leaders should be aware of these concerns, and hopefully asking... "how do we insure we don't become an inch deep"
One of the things I like the most about my church (lifechurch.tv) which many would refer to as a "mega church," is the fact that they are not tied to traditions. The best way to describe my church to others is this: fundamentalism stripped of traditions. We are fundamental in terms of what we believe about faith, baptism, the bible, and Jesus Christ. Yet, we do not "hang our hats" on traditions that in many cases have become embedded into the fabric of America's churches and the hearts of members, so mcuh so, that the line between tradition and scriputre for many has become fuzzy. There are some who believe that it is impossible to have both fundamentalism (i.e. the bible is the inerrant word of God, Jesus is the one way to heaven, God is the creator of the unverse) and yet be non-traditional in your approach to the lost. Some would say that in order to be a fundamental church, you have to be a little "stuffy, pretentious, and pleaseing to the masses." I have to say, there was a time when I feared that our family would not be able to find a fundamental church stripped of traditons. Paul talks about this well in Colossians 2, "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religous festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come, the reality, however, is found in Christ......Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: Do not handle! Do not touch! Do not taste? these are all destined to perish with use, becase they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." Traditions do nothing to keep us pure, holy, and restrain from sin. Traditions do not compel us to love others or to serve others. Traditions do no save us. What then? "The reality is found in Jesus Christ." At LIFECHURCh we are far from perfect. (one of the things that makes it a perfect place for me). We have a LONG way to go in getting folks into lifegroups and in discipling Christ followers. But I love that we don't hang our hat on the perfect outfit for Sunday morning, the neccessity for traditional adult sunday school classes, and many other issues, while not all bad, just sometimes paralyzing in what God has called us to do: that is to love and seek the lost (Matthew 28:19). While we have areas that need much improvement and work, I think one of the commands that we have carried out with care and love is Hebrews 5:13- 6:1-3 where the author tells all of us "....Anyone who lives on milk, being still and infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselve to distinuish good from evil. Therefore, let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go onto maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so." God's saved ones should move on from elementary teachings, (faith, baptism and eternal life and judgement) to seeking the lost and meeting the needs of a very very needy world and community that we live in.
Judy McCarver, SOKC Campus Lifechurch.tv Volunteer Life Group Coordinator
Interesting to read about megachurches. I have recently published an OpEd in the Louisville Courier-Journal about some of the implications of the megachurch movement, and I have taken a lot of heat for it. You can find it at www.davidcharlton.blogspot.com and on www.mondaymorninginsight.com, along with some of the comments. I would appreciate your reaction as well.
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