What happens when people outgrow consumer-oriented megachurches?

[Davenport]

There are common strategies churches follow to grow huge. Loud rock music, no Sunday School, few doctrines, celebrity pastor (often requiring sermons to be video streamed), little bible education in any form, etc. After attending a few of these churches, I notice there are very few older people in them. And, I expect the main reason for that is that older people don't feel comfortable in them.

So, what happens when the young people in the churches become older people and no longer feel comfortable (or fulfilled) in these megachurches? Will these people be able to adjust to more traditional churches, or will they just drop out of church?

 

[maxwel]

Oh, this is easy

When the members get too old to enjoy the latest bit of "seeker sensitive" hoopla,
you just ignore them, and let them leave.

If your church's main focus is on seekers, then it isn't focused on church members anyway...
so who cares what happens to them?

Just don't worry about it!

: )

...

 

[Davenport]

Oh, this is easy

When the members get too old to enjoy the latest bit of "seeker sensitive" hoopla,
you just ignore them, and let them leave.

If your church's main focus is on seekers, then it isn't focused on church members anyway...
so who cares what happens to them?

Just don't worry about it!

: )

...

In one regard, I have no worries of what the future brings.

In another regard, I see these consumer-oriented churches as dead ends for Christians. They'll tire of these churches but they won't be fit for other churches.

 

[maxwel]

I have no problem with a church being large.

I only have a problem if a church is full of people, but not full of Bible.

...

 

[Davenport]

I have no problem with a church being large.

I only have a problem if a church is full of people, but not full of Bible.

...

I don't think I'm being unclear. The specific issue I raise is about whether the church will be full of people in the future.

 

[maxwel]

I don't think I'm being unclear. The specific issue I raise is about whether the church will be full of people in the future.

I think that depends on HOW the church acquired the people to start with.

If a church is just teaching good Bible, and attendance increases, there's nothing wrong with that.
But we have a lot of mega churches around with no Bible teaching at all.

 

[Davenport]

But we have a lot of mega churches around with no Bible teaching at all.

The absence of Bible teaching is deliberate. If you never say anything anyone disagrees with, no one will ever leave out of disagreement.

If Bob goes to a megachurch from the age of 18 to 40, and then tired of the teen rock music, what happens to him when he leaves?

 

[maxwel]

The absence of Bible teaching is deliberate. If you never say anything anyone disagrees with, no one will ever leave out of disagreement.

If Bob goes to a megachurch from the age of 18 to 40, and then tired of the teen rock music, what happens to him when he leaves?

1. If Bob goes to a mega church that specializes in teen rock, and that church doesn't teach much bible... then one day Bob will leave, and the church won't really care, and nobody will miss him.

2. However, we should distinguish that it's possible for a large church to teach good Bible, and a few of them do.

--

 

[Lillywolf]

It's a matter of quality not quantity.

The young raised in a mega-church aren't going to know to look for anything but the style of teaching they are use to there. And we're thinking they will grow old. What if they die unaware of the Gospel and all its meaning?
A pastor with 10,000 members in his/her congregation can't possibly shepherd as they should all that number. And putting out a new book every six months or so that is just a printing of the sermon's broadcast for those past six months isn't enough to guide that individual who needs council as member of that flock.

But mega-churches are a sign of the, I want it yesterday, give it to me in a pill form to reverse all I've done to myself over decades of time, mentality now. We're a society of the elder wise people who grew up without cell phones, voice mail, or Twitter, Facebook, etc...
We came into those things after having to rough it for decades.
The young that primarily populate mega churches are the techno-bunnies. Everything is easy and programmable. They don't know what it means to do without, have patience, and take pride in penmanship and the capacity to spell.
Life is fiber-optically linked and user friendly. Once upon a time if you felt like someone was watching you and listening in on your conversations you were labeled paranoid. Now you're labeled an Alexa consumer.

 

[Angela53510]

The image of Mars Hill and Mark Driscoll comes to mind. He started out teaching the Bible. He actually kept preaching it, as the church got larger. Then satellite campuses. Things were growing.

Finally, some of the elders came forward and talk about how he abused them. The plagarism in his books. The lack of moral character. Etc.

Down comes the empire! I have no idea where those people went. We had one in my home town here, and it is boarded up. I hope the people looked elsewhere.

We have a couple of small, denominational "mega" churches in our town. I have never attended the Pentecostal one, but I did go to the Baptist one, as the church we left, with an incredible teaching pastor was the same denomination.

So, we went to the Baptist one. Other than the band playing the Beatles, and a few other secular songs, the so-called worship was a rock concert. Don't bother singing along, you won't be heard. Then sermon was the worst I had ever heard in my life. He was just starting a teaching series on Ephesians. Great stuff. He read Eph. 1:1 and then told everyone about his vacation back to Ontario in the summer, his real home. Because Ontario is wonderful, the best place in the world to live. (Don't ever say this to someone from Alberta!) To say nothing of the fact that we live in a world renowned tourist destination because it is so beautiful. That was the sermon. Say what??

So, I thought, maybe I am being hard on him, first sermon back. So, I listed to a pod cast, after the next week. Same thing, but for Eph. 1:2. Nothing like exegeting the text.

It seems like when you get over 1000 people, size becomes more important than God. I will never attend that sort of church again, no matter how professional the music is.

 

[Davenport]

The image of Mars Hill and Mark Driscoll comes to mind. He started out teaching the Bible. He actually kept preaching it, as the church got larger. Then satellite campuses. Things were growing.

That's one problem with these megachurches, when the charismatic pastor leaves, for whatever reason, the church is likely to evaporate. I think people in a church should be like extended family, and mega-churches can't provide that because the people around you keep changing.

It seems like when you get over 1000 people, size becomes more important than God. I will never attend that sort of church again, no matter how professional the music is.

In the past, when a church grew very large, they'd plant a new church. The new church would be in the same denomination but independent of the church that planted it. These days, the pastors are egomaniacs who want to lead as large a flock as they can, so if they plant a new church, it becomes a branch of the original church and the sermons are video streamed.

And, these egomaniacs sacrifice everything for growth. Which is my concern. What do their members do when they grow too old, or otherwise lose, the megachurch with rock music and self-help sermons? I don't think they're fit for a regular church because of their expectations. Also, they'd be middle-age, but have a child-like knowledge of the Bible.

Yes, I think a 1000 is getting too large.

 

[Trailblazer]

The absence of Bible teaching is deliberate. If you never say anything anyone disagrees with, no one will ever leave out of disagreement.

If Bob goes to a megachurch from the age of 18 to 40, and then tired of the teen rock music, what happens to him when he leaves?

If Bob were their only for the music. It really does not matter. If he were their for Bible teaching. He will go to another church for Bible teaching.
Then there is always Christian Radio. If Bob wants to hear the word of God. Then Bob will find it. For God is in control of all things.

 

[Demi777]

There are common strategies churches follow to grow huge. Loud rock music, no Sunday School, few doctrines, celebrity pastor (often requiring sermons to be video streamed), little bible education in any form, etc. After attending a few of these churches, I notice there are very few older people in them. And, I expect the main reason for that is that older people don't feel comfortable in them.

So, what happens when the young people in the churches become older people and no longer feel comfortable (or fulfilled) in these megachurches? Will these people be able to adjust to more traditional churches, or will they just drop out of church?

Ive went to a megachurch. its cool and has good preaching, justhard to get there. Live stream isnt bad, opposite actually, that makes it easier for ppl sick at home to watch the sermon and keep growing.
I think u got a too negative picture of mega churches. When they dont have sunday school they usually have different courses and seminars. Plus not all of them have awful preachers.
What is old ppl to u?
there where ive been the main group targeted is the younger generation (which is understandable) but a lot of people up till their 60s are there.
Most pensioneers dont like loud music and hang onto tradition. many churches ae trying to attract young people to Christ by copying what they like and christianizing it

 

[oldethennew]

when 'church' becomes strictly about 'business', to put it simply, 'it's NOT church' anymore'.
and be sure, that Jesus Christ doesn't like the miss-appropriation of 'His Name'...

 

[maxwel]

Yes, I think a 1000 is getting too large.

Well, choosing a local assembly is a matter where we have some liberty... so I don't have any personal rules about church size.

However, it's just common sense that a large church is going to be different than a small church.
A large church will, by necessity, have some different issues, and different problems, than a small church.
A large church may also have some benefits which are not available from a small church.

If you have the luxury of multiple churches in your area, which all teach the bible well...
this seem like a matter of personal taste and liberty.

...

 

[p_rehbein]

Well, choosing a local assembly is a matter where we have some liberty... so I don't have any personal rules about church size.

However, it's just common sense that a large church is going to be different than a small church.
A large church will, by necessity, have some different issues, and different problems, than a small church.
A large church may also have some benefits which are not available from a small church.

If you have the luxury of multiple churches in your area, which all teach the bible well...
this seem like a matter of personal taste and liberty.

...

If you have the luxury of multiple churches in your area, which all teach the bible well...
this seem like a matter of personal taste and liberty.


THAT is the important part! Without that, the size of the congregation doesn't matter one whit......

Christ taught 2 or three and He taught 4 and 5 thousand...........soooooooo

Why not learn from Christ what the IMPORTANT thing is?

 

[oldethennew]

Well, choosing a local assembly is a matter where we have some liberty... so I don't have any personal rules about church size.

However, it's just common sense that a large church is going to be different than a small church.
A large church will, by necessity, have some different issues, and different problems, than a small church.
A large church may also have some benefits which are not available from a small church.

If you have the luxury of multiple churches in your area, which all teach the bible well...
this seem like a matter of personal taste and liberty.
=====================================================================

that's our MAX. - he never seems to 'step OUT' of the world, but seems to always want to 'compromise and,
seems to want to remain acceptable to 'BOTH' sides...
this is very heart-breaking to us both, - once you have been blessed with the Holy Spirit and submitted
your ALL, then there simply is NOT a 'choice', and if one thinks that there is? well, the writing is on the wall...

...

 

[maxwel]

that's our MAX. - he never seems to 'step OUT' of the world, but seems to always want to 'compromise and,
seems to want to remain acceptable to 'BOTH' sides...
this is very heart-breaking to us both, - once you have been blessed with the Holy Spirit and submitted
your ALL, then there simply is NOT a 'choice', and if one thinks that there is? well, the writing is on the wall...

I'll be happy to agree with you...
as soon as you show me the proper church size explained in scripture.


...

 

[oldethennew]

I'll be happy to agree with you...
as soon as you show me the proper church size explained in scripture.


...

========================================================
you very well know, there is no 'proper church size, or a 'choice' if you know the scriptures -
'Fear God and keep His Commandments, for this is the whole DUTY of man',,.
'Many are called, but few are chosen' - 'harsh'-yet oh so true, for this is our Saviour's ways,
whether we agree with Him or not - it always and will ever be, about HIM...

 

[maxwel]

========================================================
you very well know, there is no 'proper church size, or a 'choice' if you know the scriptures -
'Fear God and keep His Commandments, for this is the whole DUTY of man',,.
'Many are called, but few are chosen' - 'harsh'-yet oh so true, for this is our Saviour's ways,
whether we agree with Him or not - it always and will ever be, about HIM...

This being the case...
what is the problem with me basically just saying the same thing in my own words?


I honestly don't see what we're having a disagreement about.




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