Before I give you my answer to the question of whether mega churches are Biblical or not, let us define what a mega church is. The Hartford Institute defines a mega church as any church that averages over 2000 in weekly attendance. By this definition, there are over 1500 in the U.S. with over 200 in the state of Texas alone.
The largest mega church is Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. They average just over 43,000 every Sunday.
I find it strange that in these last days we are seeing the multiplication of mega churches while the overall numbers and health of the church is in decline.
I would like to offer my reasons why mega churches are not Biblical.
First, they are not the model given to us in the Scriptures. In Romans 16:1-3, the Apostle Paul mentions two of his helpers who also had a church meeting in their house. "Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus. Who for my life have laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house."
You can read the New Testament and find other references to churches in the homes of believers. They could have used other buildings and they could have built their own structures to conduct their ministries but they met in homes.
House churches and small churches offer a chance for interpersonal growth and discipleship that the mega church has no clue on how to address. Small house churches were the incubator of spiritual gifts and the growth of the number of these churches was amazing. I know that the mega church response is the cell group or community groups but it's just not the same experience.
Second, mega churches foster an atmosphere of entertainment instead of spiritual intimacy. They have the resources to assemble musicians and author/speaker "pastors" that little churches can't even imagine. The growth of mega churches strangles the small church, they just can't compete with all the specialists accumulated in the mega church. I call it the Walmartization of the church. In the consumer world Wal-mart has literally run multitudes of mom and pop businesses out of existence and the same thing is occurring with the smaller churches.
Third, mega churches have enormous attendance and membership drop outs. It's much easier to leave a mega church to check out the many offerings of the newer mega church in town.
Finally, the mega churches are "brands" that produce rock star pastors. The pastors of these churches become celebrities. The small church is usually sustained by servants of God who answer the call to shepherd the small church and often times are poorly supported financially. There just seems to be something wrong with the astronomical salaries, speaking fees and book royalties that the mega church pastor commands.
I just don't see that mega churches are Biblical in any sense of the word.
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