Check out the link below to find out what I think of Mega-churches.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nVfLAncKeJ0

Your right, in the apostals days there where no mega churches. There was only one mega church and that is the true church of G-D.What we seem to forget is that a building is not the church , but the people the true believers are the church. Just remember that one day we are going to be a mega church again. A true mega church.

So...if all churches have their problems...do mega churches have (gasp) MEGA problems?

Or do they just have a lot more company when life sucks

Well, I guess that if the church in the apostles' day was a Mega church than a problem affects the entire church. I don't know if it necessarily has to be a "Mega" problem but one problem affects the whole family of believers in one way or another.

I think the majority of Mega Churches are seeker friendly, God hating, and gospel polluting. There is a reason they attract so many people. It's just really easy to be there. Start preaching the gospel and watch them get red in the face and knash thier teeth.
There are some good ones though, Charles Stanley, John McArthur and others that the Lord has seen fit to grow of Himself.

I was just at this year's Dare 2 Share: Survive Conference at the Overlake Christian Church, in Washington.

Oh man, was this church massive. Something like 6000 seats. I had to keep reminding my self that I was in a church, because of the escalators, the coffee shops, the Christian book store and the ATM machine that was located in the building. It reminded me of a community center- not a church. I had to laugh, because My home church in British Columbia, Canada is about 350 jambed full. I couldn't believe the modernity and the size of the church in Washington.

Any how, Blanchard your right in what you say. So many of these mega-churches preach in the gray areas and have no real dedication to the scriptures...

...but so do many many small churches.

I don't think that we should make over-generalizations about mega churches being bad. If that is the case then are we saying that all churches should cap their church membership when it reaches a certain amount?

Effectiveness of a church should not be measured by it's size, but it's success with being a Christ community, conforming to the great commandment while living out the great commission.

While i admit that several mega churches teach controversial doctrine, we should not extrapolate to mean that most mega church do.

I think the post was aimed at a specific modern phenomenon, which is typically seeker-friendly and comfort oriented simply in order to attract large numbers. If a church was large but true to essential doctrine and Godly practices then it would not necessarily fit the definition of a "mega church" per say...at least not in this particular discussion thread.

for me it doesnt really matter what kind of "church" (mega church or unmega church) people go to, as long as they go to "church" i prayerfully believe that it is God Who will make people grow in faith.

in here every friday i can see thous of people (more than 6000 i can guarantee you) faithfully go to the mosque, i would rather see people go to church, even mega church

If the truth is not being taught...what's the difference between the "church" and the mosque? It's still just a building full of a lot of lost souls.

I would rather see a small church with a few individuals genuinely embracing truth than a mega-anything...no fries with that and ixnay on the supersize thanks

It would be better to put them all out on the street than bring them in and "tickle their ears" with happy thoughts that lead nowhere. At least on the street they might still encounter something real.
The question is whether the modern mega-church phenomenan really qualifies as a legitimate, healthy, well balanced Church in the first place. I certainly wouldn't reject a church based on it's size, large OR small...but the teachings and practices should be constructively critiqued either way (Acts 17:11).

I tend to shy away from overly large churches.
Where i was liveing in N.C there is one called firehouse minestries.

Read up some on the and on the out side they seem all well and good, But even now i have the nagging felling that there is more than meets the eye with that place.

There are allso sevral places like it here in Ohio a lot of them are even telivised now as well and even with thouse I still can't get comfortable with the way that they do there thing.

If you do go to one of these magachurches or are at least concidering it my sugestion would be to keep you're eyes and ears open both for the words and actions of the minestry's work and what the Loard is trying to tell you.

Be veary carfull least you get cautup in a lie that they are perpatrating with out you seeing it.

seekinghokmah wrote (View Post): › If the truth is not being taught...what's the difference between the "church" and the mosque? It's still just a building full of a lot of lost souls. I would rather see a small church with a few individuals genuinely embracing truth than a mega-anything...no fries with that and ixnay on the supersize thanks It would be better to put them all out on the street than bring them in and "tickle their ears" with happy thoughts that lead nowhere. At least on the street they might still encounter something real. The question is whether the modern mega-church phenomenan really qualifies as a legitimate, healthy, well balanced Church in the first place. I certainly wouldn't reject a church based on it's size, large OR small...but the teachings and practices should be constructively critiqued either way (Acts 17:11).

And I feel that right there, you've summed it up.

seekinghokmah wrote (View Post): › If the truth is not being taught...what's the difference between the "church" and the mosque? It's still just a building full of a lot of lost souls.

and there is no truth being taught in Mega Church? no Jesus Christ thingy whatsoever? come on there must be!

seriously, in here (maybe it is different with other place) when ppl say 'church' it represents the place where christians meet to worship Christ whatever is the denominations. That makes a difference between a church and a mosque, and abt lost souls who can guarantee which is saved which is not...appearance is deceiving, gee SH we do know that knowing hard core doctrine is not a guarantee either...

Quote: › I would rather see a small church with a few individuals genuinely embracing truth than a mega-anything...no fries with that and ixnay on the supersize thanks It would be better to put them all out on the street than bring them in and "tickle their ears" with happy thoughts that lead nowhere. At least on the street they might still encounter something real. The question is whether the modern mega-church phenomenan really qualifies as a legitimate, healthy, well balanced Church in the first place. I certainly wouldn't reject a church based on it's size, large OR small...but the teachings and practices should be constructively critiqued either way (Acts 17:11).

in my experience, at first ppl come to seek comfort (what else would they seek, to some life is already bitter out there, what's wrong with wanting to find comfort in the church...you dont hv to sit nice and stiff, smile alot, find 20 ppl you can shake hands with, listen to uplifting songs, laugh together, soemtime cry together, for a moment in time life is like an episode in a fairytale, some can even get snacks and free coffee and know that even if they'll still go home to a house made by cardboard under flyovers or on the street where everything is difficult, they can still hear nice 'comfort' uplifting message with a preacher comedian and music), and by abracadabra they can almost feel they problems dissapear, almost!

then, as people's faith grow they would want to eat hard food, they would not just "freeze" on that stage, right? they would want more serious bible study. Some even change church and join more 'meaty' church (whatever it is), lucky you if you hv a well-balanced church cuz i believe it's gonna be difficult to find among some 20 thous denominations or so....well-balanced!

the thing i'm trying to say is that, the church must understand and be smart in seeing the need of the people these days...we cant just give the firstimer plain hard doctrine, if they need comfort, then we give comfort plus mega haha

in Jakarta, we happen to have this kinda churches that are probably fit the definition/criteria of mega church, building-wise: they are huge cuz actually they use convention hall that are rented every sunday for worship; theme (?)-wise: they are pentacostal, full band loud music and several tend to be on the 'word-faith movement and prosperity gospel' thingy; doctrine-wise: they dont know and proly dont care if they are in the box of armenianism or calvinism; they said apostolic creed made by men but they agree with the content; they preach the core like 1 Cor 15:1-5 and many times use multimedia with butterfly and falling hearts themes where people watch the minister on tv especially if thous of ppl attend the service and the pulpit is too far away in the front; oh yes, ppl dont have to bring bible since it is included in the multimedia; after the service ppl can get light snacks and free coffee; in special event you can get door prizes which make ppl drooling; last time my friend invited me to come with him with one condition if i happen to get tv plasma it's his cuz he invited me and he wanted to come because of tv plasma, he didnt want the car or one week in aussie, he just wanted the plasma!

honestly, that kinda church sounds wrong right? and many are even worse (esp doctrine-wise) but in that kind of church ppl i know got saved, what to do? are we doomed? or...shouldnt we ask the Authority why it is so?

and that makes all the difference seeing ppl go to mega church or to the mosque, even only 0,00001 chance to hear abt Jesus is worth it

I see your point May, and I’m certainly in no position to comment on your own church…but in general I think you expect too little of people. Yes it’s good if there is a small chance they will encounter truth, but why settle for an environment with .0001% truth when we can speak up and say HEY that’s not good enough. I think we should expect more from people and from church, specifically addressing the modern mega formula…the math is simple. Lots of people attending and a tiny handful of people encountering a small amount of truth MIXED with a lot of untruth, or a small amount of people where all encounter truth without significant untruth. The latter will actually bear more fruit! Furthermore, it only takes .0001% poison to make good food deadly.
Most of the reasons you’ve given seem to relate to social issues, those should certainly be addressed and the church should be involved…but that is not its primary function. The mega formula has lost sight of the primary function of church. We should not underestimate the impact of a small organization or even a single person who serves God in spirit and truth consistently. They will have a greater “success” rate than all the mega churches combined when viewed from an eternal perspective.
I don’t think we need to make excuses for ANY organization that could be doing a better job than they are. Large churches are more common in some countries, but more out of necessity than because of a particular philosophy…it is the modern Western phenomenon that IS based primarily on a philosophy that I think is deeply flawed. If there is a better alternative, then there are NO valid excuses for pursuing that philosophy.

I think we should turn to the book of Revelations for perspective.

Here you will find Jesus addressing 7 churches. I believe no matter what kind of church we go to, whether it is Mega or Micro, the relevant qualities, the virtues that Jesus seeks (values, commends, and rewards) are all prescribed there. The point is that it has nothing to do with size. Statistics has nothing to do with it.

Why argue on the basis of hypotheticals? I have been in a small church where the impact of its leadership are in mega proportion... to its detriment, I am saying that even small churches can collapse, and I have a few examples.