Mega Misconceptions

Does the Influence and Growth of Mega Churches and Their Programs Actually Inspire the Community?

By Candace Runaas

Megachurch.  The very term conjures up images of Texas-sized stadiums filled to overflow with people listening to an inspirational speaker whose sermon inevitably leads into asking the congregation to contribute to the building campaign.  Megachurches get a bad rap as trying too hard to appeal to a large audience while sacrificing biblical teaching of the gospel.   With all of the good that they accomplish, is that assumption true and is it fair?

Wikipedia.com defines a megachurch as a large church, having around 2,000 or more worshippers for a typical weekly service.  Common perception is that the larger churches are attracting their numbers with their espresso bars and after-hours social events, functioning as businesses rather than places of worship.

Interestingly enough, Jesus spoke to over 5,000 followers during one fish and bread luncheon and later to over 4,000 in a similar fashion.   The religious leaders of the day did not like the attention that He was receiving.  He was becoming too popular in their eyes and His teaching went against the established religious traditions.  Sounds a bit like today.

Champions Forest Baptist Church has an estimated congregation of over 11,000 active members, certainly fitting the definition of a megachurch, and they are actively committed to sharing biblical truths while also facilitating a multitude of community functions.  The church offers a variety of services and programs that benefit the whole person, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, of course. The church campus provides members with a Family Life Center that includes a fitness center and team sports activities, Home School support, First Place nutrition programs to encourage healthy eating based on scriptural principles, and bible centered counseling offered at no charge to help people cope with life’s issues, such as marital problems, depression, grief, child rearing, and finances.

There are naysayers that believe that all of these programs are attracting people to programs rather than the word of God, a real disservice that leads people away from what really matters.   One blogger, known online as Weekend Fisher, faults the size of the congregation, writing that, “The biggest problem with the megachurch is not all the things which can go wrong with the theology or the leadership. The biggest problem is what is sure to go wrong because the leader does not know each of his followers well enough to do his job of shepherding.”

In the Bible, Moses was faced with shepherding the entire nation of Israel and was wisely counseled by his father-in-law, Jethro, to appoint leaders over smaller groups of people to judge issues and counsel matters.  This principle is applied in all of the current megachurches as a method of practice.  Smaller groups allow for members to fellowship, pray and develop real friendships in more intimate settings, which is incredibly important since the role of the church is to love God and to love one another, as Jesus taught.

Further online dialogue expresses that many people who may not attend a traditional church service are drawn to these programs and ultimately introduced to the God of the Bible.  An online post from ‘Brittz’ responds to the question of the efficacy of the larger churches noting that the “one advantage the so called mega-church has over smaller more traditional churches is the ability to bring Christ to a greater number of people.”  A large percentage of comments concur with this statement as long as the church’s doctrine and theology is biblically accurate.

Harvest Time Church, located in the Greenspoint area, also has several ministry programs available to their members and guests.  Kelly McWhorter, M.Ed., a licensed professional counselor intern for Interface-Samaritan Counseling Centers at Harvest Time Church, sees an average of 10 clients a week.  She offers them a listening ear and a Christian perspective on issues such as Marriage and Family Therapy, Depression and Anxiety, Teen Issues and Grief.  “Interface-Samaritan’s mission is to encourage human development by providing counseling and educational services from a Christian perspective regardless of age, religion, gender, and ability to pay,” says McWhorter, in an e-mail response.  When asked her opinion about people who question the growth of large churches, McWhorter writes, “I imagine that most churches would be thrilled to answer questions about their mission and their congregations, (e.g., describing the programs that they offer to create small groups and other methods of developing relationships within a large community...). After all, there must be a reason that the churches got so big, and attracted so many members, in the first place!”