Enough Megachurch Bashing Already
It seems like more and more people are jumping on the lets-bash-megachurches bandwagon these days, and I'm starting to think its getting out of hand.
Are megachurches places where people are being given overly-formulaic ideas about Christianity? Probably. Are there problems with the pressure to generate lots of attendance so that these churches will appear to be successful? Certainly. Is the "CEO" model for a church leader the best one? Not always. Do all people want to go to church in a Wal-Mart like envirnoment? No. Do megachurches tend to create pseudointimate environments where authentic spiritual communities struggle to form? Yeah, I think so.
But the Saddlebacks and Rick Warrens of the world aren't antichrists either, folks! They are people who - for the most part - genuinely love God and who are gifted ministers. They are serving a large population that - though not in the most ideal ways - is connecting to its own spirituality in a megachurch environment.
It may feel like McChurch. It may not be for you. It may not be for everyone. It may not even be ideal for those who are a part of it. But its not all bad, and I don't think the answer to the problem is to declare an open season on megachurch leaders.
Lets all back off a little, why don't we?
Technorati Tags: megachurches, mcchurch, emergent, emerging church
Are megachurches places where people are being given overly-formulaic ideas about Christianity? Probably. Are there problems with the pressure to generate lots of attendance so that these churches will appear to be successful? Certainly. Is the "CEO" model for a church leader the best one? Not always. Do all people want to go to church in a Wal-Mart like envirnoment? No. Do megachurches tend to create pseudointimate environments where authentic spiritual communities struggle to form? Yeah, I think so.
But the Saddlebacks and Rick Warrens of the world aren't antichrists either, folks! They are people who - for the most part - genuinely love God and who are gifted ministers. They are serving a large population that - though not in the most ideal ways - is connecting to its own spirituality in a megachurch environment.
It may feel like McChurch. It may not be for you. It may not be for everyone. It may not even be ideal for those who are a part of it. But its not all bad, and I don't think the answer to the problem is to declare an open season on megachurch leaders.
Lets all back off a little, why don't we?
Technorati Tags: megachurches, mcchurch, emergent, emerging church
posted by Matt at Thursday, January 26, 2006
2 Comments:
Great point.
A Megachurch is defined as over 1000 members. Consequently, Highland is a megachurch by definition. Weird huh?
Anyway, I think your post was the best post I've read in six months. Seriously. I know that 99% of the people bashing the megachurch movement have not been active in one for six months. They speak from ignorance and spew their venom without thought that they are gossipping. If anyone has something bad to say about Rick Warren give the man a call.
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