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Megachurches

Megachurches

SAN ANTONIO - A new survey on U.S. Protestant megachurches shows they are among the nation's fastest-growing faith groups, drawing younger people and families with contemporary programming and conservative values. The number of megachurches, defined as having a weekly attendance of at least 2,000, has doubled in five years to 1,210. The megachurches have an estimated combined income of $7.2 billion and draw nearly 4.4 million people to weekly services, according to "Megachurches Today 2005."
Ref. https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060204/ap_on_...s/mega_churches

Megachurches

Having grown up in a major city, and gone to church at a small church, I have a distaste for larger churches in general. After our small church went out of business, we went to a big church, and I felt lost for a long time. I did eventually make friends, but they were friends that went to the private school for the church that I attended for a year. With so many people, there was an abundance of teens. Unfortunately, most of them grew up in the church and didn't feel the need to welcome new members into the fold. It was very cliquish as one would expect in a large group. So two things spawn from these mega churches in relation to members. 1. There are plenty of people, so everyone can find their place. 2. With so many people, it makes it harder to find your place. All in all, the size of the church does not effect the message. Either its good or its not, and that comes from the heart of the preacher. If the preacher is like the one at the large church I went to, then he doesn't pull any punches. If the preacher can call a spade a spade, and stick with what the Bible says, then the churches success is warranted and they can do good for the community. If it is not, and the preacher is about money, then it will do good for a while, but in the end, it will come crashing down around him.

Megachurches Beliefs Religious General

I agree with you Konquererz, that a huge mega church can lose sight of it's members, and some are not too welcoming either. I attended one that you would class as this type of church for 2 years with my family, andeach week, we were asked by the Pastor whether we were new to the church or not. (This was funny the first few times, -but not after 2 years!) We stayed because we believed the teaching and sermons were spot on.

We then moved house, and went to a church at the total opposite end of the scale--(same religion) basically attending in the beginning were my husband, myself, our 3 kids, the Pastor and his family, and a handful of others, most weeks everyone mumbling a hymn in embarressment (hoping no mistakes were made!)

We have since moved house again, hopefully that's it for a few years now! We have gone back to one of these "mega churches", by far a better example than the other 2! The teaching's are spot on to what we believe, the people are so genuinely friendly, all of our children have been so warmly welcomed, my 2 little ones start asking to go back to church by the Monday!

I think these huge churches can be good as long as the Pastor never loses sight of his "flock" it's a matter of getting the right combination, and still being there as a "family" for all who attend the church.
Obviously this is only my opinion,based upon my own experiences.

Megachurches

The megachurch boom rolls on, but big concerns are rising too

Change is coming to American megachurches — those behemoths for believers that now dot the religious landscape. There are more participants in megachurch worship than ever. Ref. Source 5r