A conversation about the mega-church movement

The following conversation took place on About.com in the Christianity General forum between myself and another member. I thought it was worthy of posting here, because this conversation sums up how I currently feel about the mega-church movement in this country.

I feel that the mega-church isn't a church in the true sense of the word. Read on to find out how I feel about this current phenomenon.

Forum Member: "There are more ampitheater-style non-denominational churches being built everyday."

Zec: Yes and it breaks my heart. The sense I get from you is that you want a close-knit community of believers and true fellowship. An opportunity to study the word and grow in your walk with Christ. It has been my experience that that is not possible in a amphitheatre type church. In fact, the people who run those churches know it, because they often institute programs and ideas to foster a sense of fellowship that they themselves know is not naturally possible given the size of the church.

Let's take a look at this whole idea of shaking the person's hand next to you on Sunday morning. What does that do? In my opinion, it spreads more germs than anything else. You most likely won't see that same person again next week, and did you even learn their name? Probably not and you know nothing about them, other than the fact that when you shook their hand you learned that they were doing good or fine. Yeah, great fellowship there.

Then there's always that idea that you should join a small group immediately. This group most likely won't meet at the church though, no it will have to meet off of church property at some time during the week. But you can't just start a group of believers, no no, you'll have to take a training class on how to lead a group of 5-15 people in the word of God at your house and on your time table. But at this point, aren't you really just taking over the role of the church? I mean you now have a group of people gathering together to studyGod's word, having fellowship and depending on the group sharing a meal together. Why would you need to go back to church? People can host small groups by themselves, I don't feel they need the "church" to tell them how to host a party essentially.

Also, can non-believers attend these groups? I mean churches are all gung-ho on this bring a friend to church day thing I've seen happen. Can you bring a non-believer to a small group fellowship and just let that person be, or is there a burning need to convert that person to your way of thinking that night? I'm sad to say the focus seems to be on the latter.

The sense I get from the mega-church is that the church gives you a pre-packaged meal on Sunday, a feel good sing-along time, usually a Power Point presentation and usually the songs are ripped right from CCM stations and this is followed by a 30 minute sermon that's 20 minutes of stories from the pastor's past. In fact, if you want true fellowship and want to experience worship like they did in the days of Jesus leave the formal church altogether and gather with a group of believers in your home, that's how the disciples did it. There was no formal building until a few hundred years later. There was no order to the service, no offering of money, as far as I know, just people who desired to have fellowship with other believers.

The amphitheatre is dead and sterile. I'm thinking about leaving mine, because I am not getting my true needs met, instead I got the feeling that I was getting a fix for an addiction rather than a true worship experience. There are people who flock to the big churches, but usually it's because they have the mindset of "get me in and get me out" like a quickie car wash.

FM: "Those members will not last long on this site. People want to go to a place and make friends, study scripture, and pray with people who are like-minded."

Zec: I didn't realize segregation was making a comeback. If a person who is seeking God came to your church with questions or a different view on God what would you do? Would you answer their questions or would you show that person the door, because they obviously don't know God? Or more importantly would they even be allowed to ask questions? I haven't found a church yet that has a Q & A session on Sundays. My old church in Connecticut had a Q & A session on Sunday nights, but I don't have access to that church anymore.

I think you can see from this conversation some of my problems with the mega-church movement in this country, maybe you've experienced something similar in your own mega-church. Am I wrong in my thinking on this issue? I don't think so, but please share with me your experiences with your church, it doesn't have to be a mega-church or a mini-mega-church or a half-caff grande mini-mega church with extra whipped cream. Just share your experiences.