Megachurches Doubled In 5 Years, Survey Says

[The Straight Story]

Megachurches Doubled In 5 Years, Survey Says

POSTED: 1:28 pm EST February 10, 2006
UPDATED: 5:37 pm EST February 10, 2006

DALLAS -- A new survey shows Protestant megachurches continue to grow quickly and draw younger Americans and families through contemporary programs and conservative values.

The study says there are now more than 1,200 megachurches, defined as those having weekly attendance of 2,000 or more. That's twice as many as there were five years ago.

The research was published by the Dallas-based Leadership Network and a research institute at Connecticut's Hartford Seminary that conducted a similar survey in 2000.


http://www.local6.com/family/6908860/detail.html

[benburch]

1. SIX of them within 5 miles of here.

I'd hope for them burning down if they weren't all steel and concrete...

[supernova]

2. I'm really put off by mega churches

I wouldn't want to be involved with something equivalent to a small city. I mean what's the point?

It's rather isolationist if you ask me. If I want coffee, or to exercise, or get my laundry done, I'd rather go to the businesses that supply that service. :crazy:

I'm looking for a new spritual home, but I'm not going to a fundie mega church. I just want a small place where people are more interested in social justice work.

[Warpy]

3. Oh, balls, it's SHOWBIZ that draws them in there

The "conservative values" have nothing to do with the attraction, but the showbiz atmosphere is what drives them home.

Those churches have stages, video cameras and projection screens, full lighting setups, full sound systems, and nothing much to distinguish them as churches like crosses and pulpits and pews. Seats are theatre seating.

Eventually folks will begin to tire of the shtik as it becomes tired, repetitive and threadbare. That's when they'll notice there is no one to one contact with the star, er, minister, and that they're just faces in a big crowd with no identity at all. That's when they'll start to miss the small, mainstream churches.

I know because I've seen the process already occur with acquaintances.

[CatholicEdHead]

8. Yes it is all showbiz

andd a marketing niche. As along as something is "Christian ______" it is somehow automatically good and trustful. This goes to skateboarding, music, etc...

The worm will eventually turn, but not for a few years.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

15. There was an article in the Minneapolis paper yesterday or the day before

about young worshippers, in particular, turning to smaller, less structured churches.

[MemphisTiger]

19. Not all so-called, mega churches are like this

nm

[katsy]

4. must be that taxpayer money at work...

faith based charity my a$$.

[Poppyseedman]

5. How does taxpayer money connect to mega church growth. ?

Just asking!

[trotsky]

9. pResident Dumbshit's faith-based funding programs.

The money they don't have to spend you know, actually HELPING people, can be used to build fantastic monuments to just how wonderfully Christian they are.

[CatholicEdHead]

10. The "Golden Calf" syndrome

:(

[Poppyseedman]

11. You are not very well informed on the program

Personally, I find it quite a bit disturbing we are funding these programs, but they are not being used for building fantastic monuments to their faith.

Please read. The money does actually help people.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/guidance_document_01-06.pdf

[katsy]

12. Where are the audits...

of how they spend taxpayer money?

[NMMNG]

13. But many of the "faith-based" charities don't follow the rules

They proselytize, require people to pray and even convert to their faith to receive services, and/or require service recipients to follow faith-based restrictions as a condition of receiving services. Some agencies were proselytizing to victims of the Tsunami, and even were requiring them to proclaim themselves Christians to receive desperately needed aid--which I find deplorable and hardly "Christian". And Catholic Charities will not allow developmentally disabled clients in its programs to be sexually active because it's against their religious beliefs. If the clients wish to have sexual relations they have to seek another service provider. They also cannot use birth control, even if it is prescribed for reasons other than to prevent pregnancy, because that is against Catholic Church policy.

These are major reasons I believe "faith-based" charities should not receive tax dollars.

[trotsky]

14. It's simple common sense.

If the churches are getting money to do their social programs, and if nothing else about their budget changes, they will have "extra" money which they would have spent on the programs but which can now be used for luxuries.

And the taxpayer money only helps people who conform to the "care"givers' ideas of who is suitable for help. They get to freely discriminate and proselytize on MY dime. Fuck that.

If the money doesn't help EVERYONE, then it doesn't help ANYONE.

[DarkTirade]

6. My local tiny liberal paper did an article on them recently...

The writer actually went to each church and just kind of made note of what he saw. It's all about showbiz. Lots of lights, lots of music, getting people 'into the spirit' so they can be brainwashed that much easier.

[MemphisTiger]

18. Sounds like he was there for the wrong reasons

If you go to find something you don't like, you'll be successful.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. Yup, show biz and providing the only sense of community in

the bleak and soulless suburbs that circle our major cities.

[nemo137]

16. I loathe them. I don't trust them. My dad took us to one a few easters ago

And I hated it. Too big, bad theology, shitty much. I grew up going to a small, Swedish Lutheran-schismatic church, where everyone's family knew eachother. Being dragged to that monstrosity was fucking awful. I can't wait for this worm to turn.

[MemphisTiger]

17. I attend a so called mega church, but the seem to get

a bad rap. The draw is a worship style that you like, there are usually several serviced and at least one will probably fit you. I go to a contemporary one in the smaller chapel while the traditional service is held in the main sanctuary. the extra curriculars are a draw. There are many mission opportunities and other activities for everyone.

[f-bush]

20. Most mega churches I've been to have a watered down theology

and a self centeredness about them, along with a judgemental attitude. In most of them the "prosperity gospel" is preached, so the bottom line for their attendies is: "what's in it for me?"