From Rowland: I wonder if he shops at Supermarkets? See my article on megachurches – http://jmm.org.au/articles/19701.htm

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I have to admit: I don ¢â‚¬â„¢t get it

September 27, 2010 by Chaplain Mike

This is all kind of off the top of my head, so take it for what it is ¢â‚¬”an impromptu rant.

OK, this may seem like a weird thing to talk about, but I ¢â‚¬â„¢m going to anyway. I ¢â‚¬â„¢m sure most people don ¢â‚¬â„¢t even think about it; the status quo is simply accepted without question. But it has bugged me for years, and I have to just say it plainly and see what people think.

I don ¢â‚¬â„¢t see why we need big churches.

I ¢â‚¬â„¢m not saying it ¢â‚¬â„¢s wrong to have a big church. It ¢â‚¬â„¢s not a right vs. wrong issue. I ¢â‚¬â„¢m not saying it ¢â‚¬â„¢s bad to have a big church. It ¢â‚¬â„¢s not a matter of good or bad. In most cases, I just don ¢â‚¬â„¢t see the point.

I need someone to convince me otherwise. Because right now, I just don ¢â‚¬â„¢t get it.

You might say it gives the church more opportunities for ministry. Really? What can a church of 1000 do that four churches of 250, by themselves or in cooperation, can ¢â‚¬â„¢t do? What can a church of 2000 that four churches of 500 can ¢â‚¬â„¢t do? And wouldn ¢â‚¬â„¢t it be better to have four smaller churches, strategically located in local neighborhoods, intentionally focusing on ministering to their neighbors, than one megachurch that people drive 50 miles to attend?

I guess I could see some larger churches in city contexts, where large populations are packed in small areas, and where congregations can serve the needy among whom they live more effectively through their facilities and programs.

But honestly, when you think about it, the ministries that make a genuine, lasting impact in reaching unbelievers or edifying Christians happen person-to-person or in small groups. We have a grass-roots faith, a down-to-earth religion that exalts those who take a towel and wash the feet of their brothers and sisters. We serve a Savior who deliberately chose obscurity and whose story should teach us to distrust the  ¢â‚¬Å“multitudes. ¢â‚¬  The first leaders in the church were not CEO ¢â‚¬â„¢s but servants who walked the dusty roads of the Roman Empire, paid their own way by working in the marketplace, and met with their fellow believers in homes. The early Christians met and prayed as they ate meals around the table together.
How does having a church campus the size of Microsoft promote this kind of Christianity?

Break up the big churches, I say! Let ¢â‚¬â„¢s start a grass-roots movement of planting neighborhood churches. Set a limit at 400-500 people, and long before reaching that point, start sending teams to start sister congregations in other neighborhoods. This will allow pastors to be pastors, personally involved in the spiritual formation and pastoral care of their congregations. This will allow Christians to have churches close to home. This will give churches a defined context for ministry and help them to have a real impact on their local community.

I ¢â‚¬â„¢ve thought about this, and I can come up with only one reason for big churches ¢â‚¬”it is an awe-inspiring experience when thousands of people in a worship service sing hymns together.

Honestly, that ¢â‚¬â„¢s it.

At the risk of sounding too cynical, I tend to think the main thing that big churches accomplish is to make their pastors (and maybe their worship leaders) famous. These guys (and they are almost all guys) end up getting on TV, writing books, speaking at conferences, and getting their names splashed all over the Christian (and sometimes the secular) press. Simply because of their ability to build big impressive churches, they are considered models for us all.

Most of them are gifted, dedicated, sincere, passionate people. They are great CEO ¢â‚¬â„¢s and visionaries. But if these are their gifts, why aren ¢â‚¬â„¢t they out there in the marketplace, leading companies and having an impact in the world? In my view, they could probably do more good introducing Christian ethics and integrity into the vocations of daily life and business. Imagine how much better our communities and institutions would be if people like this were using their prodigious gifts to serve the world in the world!
I just don ¢â‚¬â„¢t see the reason for big churches. I don ¢â‚¬â„¢t see that they can do anything that a bunch of smaller churches couldn ¢â‚¬â„¢t accomplish much more effectively and in greater harmony with the ethos of Jesus and NT Christianity.

http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/i-have-to-admit-i-dont-get-it