Ex-Church of Christ Support Board

Post by julia_c247 » Thu Mar 22, 2018 12:27 am moved here by teresa

For those that still identify as a Christian, what are your thoughts concerning megachurches? I have a few friends that attend one that has 17 campuses I believe. From what I hear, some of them produce their own music and consider themselves to be one church with many locations? It sounds cool, but recently I've heard many people criticize it...does anyone have thoughts on this?

The international CoC has something like that in some cities, I think. When I visited a "campus" many years ago, they were controlling and shame-based.

I don't know about other mega churches.

Farmers Branch Church of Christ has two campuses.

B.H. wrote:Farmers Branch Church of Christ has two campuses.

Not too far from me. I'll be sure not to travel through there on Sundays.....too much church traffic.

All churches strive to 'grow', right? So what is a better sign of a 'good' or 'successful' church, than one which has 'grown' to the point it needs multiple locations and multiple meeting times?

People like success, and megachurches are 'successful' if you define success by size. And size correlates to funds for all kinds of nice things, like playgrounds and childcare and coffee shops and whatever the power-that-be think will encourage continuing growth.

But even most megachurches have found that people do 'better' psychologically in smaller groups. So they have 'small group' this and that - so that should probably be an aspect of a megachurch a prospective member should scope out - what sort of small groups? what do they do? Things like that.

Seriously, if you are attracted to the amenities of a megachurch, then go right ahead - just try to remember why you wanted 'church' in the first place, and see whether or not the megachurch is delivering on those OTHER needs and wants.

Mostly - speaking from WELL outside that type of thing - in every way possible - the message they send doesn't seem to be exactly warm and fuzzy while also delivering the 'spirituality' part of a religious group. But maybe I'm wrong. I don't know (personally) a single soul in a megachurch.

A few of them, at least, have ended up being cash cows for manipulative preachers - which has to be a temptation to any normal human who ends up in that position, after all. Plus they'd have the temptation to water down their 'message' to appeal to more and more people without turning them off. Some of the famous names (Osteen comes immediately to mind) are presenting a kind of gospel which is really non-standard.

So - from WAY outside that demographic - as well as geographically isolated from the locations of all megachurches entirely anyway - that's all I can say about them.

agricola wrote:
But even most megachurches have found that people do 'better' psychologically in smaller groups. So they have 'small group' this and that - so that should probably be an aspect of a megachurch a prospective member should scope out - what sort of small groups? what do they do? Things like that..

We were in a large church for a while, not really a mega church, but large. They had small groups but it didn't work very well, at least not for us. They also would never let us sit wherever we wanted on Sunday morning. We would always be asked to get up and move, so we started sitting in the balcony. I got tired of climbing the stairs every Sunday. The people mostly acted very cold. There were many activities but there was a fee charged for almost every church event.

agricola wrote: But even most megachurches have found that people do 'better' psychologically in smaller groups.

I have been in a couple of mega churches It helps to find a group that you relate too. It can be a bible study group. A therapy group. A young couples group. If you try to take on the whole church at once you will boggle. I taking about 3000 to 5000 people. Some have their own sports teams like soccer for the kids. They also have more money. If you have been in a small CoC you are in for a culture shock. I used to think God was poor. It was the church of Christ I went to.

faithfyl wrote:They also would never let us sit wherever we wanted on Sunday morning. We would always be asked to get up and move, so we started sitting in the balcony. I got tired of climbing the stairs every Sunday.

They had to be sure everything was set up right for the TV camera.

The people mostly acted very cold.

That was my experience / perception. It was like everyone was there for their "praise and worship" fix, and don't you dare disturb that.

It was also a money making machine. Better get your "tithes and offerings" ready. There was a 30 - 45 minute sermonette prior to the taking up of the collection.

Oops......this post probably isn't appropriate for "new paths". May be deleted, but I'm ok with that.

Edited to add a positive comment for the mega churches: If you are just escaping from a cultish, oppressive, fundamentalist church, a mega church can be ideal as one can get lost in the crowd. Sometimes, that's just what the doctor ordered, and you can do your spiritual explorations more privately. I attended at least one mega church during my escape journey, and it was refreshing to me at that time. They are not all bad, by any means.