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We are new to the area, I've only tried two churches, but the second church i fell in love with. It is the kind of service that you don't want to end, and the praise and worship is awesome. I was really digging it the first 3 weeks, and feeling like this will be my new church. However i am a social person who likes to make social connections but i just feel like another number there. Anyone ever feel like this when you first started going to a mega church?

Never been to a mega church, except when going to conference.  The large building concept removes the personal touch.  Whereas small groups really along the personal/social interaction and true ministry to flow.

Quote from: armywifenmom on Wed Oct 14, 2009 - 17:56:56
We are new to the area, I've only tried two churches, but the second church i fell in love with. It is the kind of service that you don't want to end, and the praise and worship is awesome. I was really digging it the first 3 weeks, and feeling like this will be my new church. However i am a social person who likes to make social connections but i just feel like another number there. Anyone ever feel like this when you first started going to a mega church?

Yes...But if you keep sitting in the same place you will start to connect with the people that sit around you.  We are creatures of habit...

Or join a women's Bible Study, small group, or start serving....

Quote from: armywifenmom on Wed Oct 14, 2009 - 17:56:56
We are new to the area, I've only tried two churches, but the second church i fell in love with. It is the kind of service that you don't want to end, and the praise and worship is awesome. I was really digging it the first 3 weeks, and feeling like this will be my new church. However i am a social person who likes to make social connections but i just feel like another number there. Anyone ever feel like this when you first started going to a mega church?

I've been to two...didn't feel comfortable at either.  I don't think bigger is better when it comes to churches.

Just my

In Christ,
KP

In such a huge outfit, how can overseers meaningfully oversee?

Quote from: k-pappy on Wed Oct 14, 2009 - 21:46:52

Quote from: armywifenmom on Wed Oct 14, 2009 - 17:56:56
We are new to the area, I've only tried two churches, but the second church i fell in love with. It is the kind of service that you don't want to end, and the praise and worship is awesome. I was really digging it the first 3 weeks, and feeling like this will be my new church. However i am a social person who likes to make social connections but i just feel like another number there. Anyone ever feel like this when you first started going to a mega church?

I've been to two...didn't feel comfortable at either.  I don't think bigger is better when it comes to churches.

Just my

In Christ,
KP

Quote from: farouk on Wed Oct 14, 2009 - 21:47:58
In such a huge outfit, how can overseers meaningfully oversee?

Actually similar as a military fashion.

There are groups of deacons each of which has a leader...and those leaders report to another leader.

The paid employees of the church are more about administration and maintenance. There is also a board that is responsible for direction. The pastor is a public speaker and really has no true authority inside of the church. It is a model that actually goes more in line with the original church and principle of Synagogue than anything else currently running.

Small group bible studies and other activities inside of the church are very numberous. There were at least six small group bible studies going on sunday mornings that I could have availed myself of. I checked out several of these and found a couple of these to my liking. (unfortunately it was one that had most of the "Who's Who" inside of Christiandom that I became a part of.)  I seem to have a talent for finding hornets nests inside of any church.

The libraries at these mega churchs is also usually rather extensive. I made good use of mine when I was a member. Granted there are the usual "leftover" books that are in there....but there are also some really good rescources in there as well. The librarians have enough money to make sure that they have some top notch rescources in there.

Intimacy in these churchs can be had...it is a matter of finding it. They are just people...alot of them but people just the same. Parking is usually the most difficult thing to deal with at them.

Right now most of the Mega Churchs are in trouble. Most churchs are experiencing a 10-20% drop in giving at the moment. For a small church this isn't so much a problem although serious....for a mega church this is usually devastating.  Like most churchs of smaller natures they are leveraged to the hilt...and this economy has hurt them so severely that...in  time if things do not get better many of them are going to have to resort to some kind of radical means to raise money. They all are about broke and going broker by the minute. Usually utility companies and bill collectors will extend a lot of grace to a church...but they need to eat too. And when push comes to shove...

While they exist...take advantage of them...use the libraries...listen in on the bible studies. (the music and production aspect of the services is always a joy to watch and listen to)

here we go again.....yea hurray!!! lets all root for NO GROWTH in the church!!! Yippee!!!


I will never get the negativity towards big churches. Do we not pray, each service, someone(s) will accept Christ?

But but but, if hundreds do....or gasp! thousands.......well well, then its just bad its just not right.....

AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH

Quote from: BAH-BLAH on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 08:46:45
here we go again.....yea hurray!!! lets all root for NO GROWTH in the church!!! Yippee!!!


I will never get the negativity towards big churches. Do we not pray, each service, someone(s) will accept Christ?

But but but, if hundreds do....or gasp! thousands.......well well, then its just bad its just not right.....

AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH

I didn't say anything negative about them...I have been a member of one and enjoyed my time there. There are issues with them just like there are issues with small churchs. No real difference except in what issues there are to face.

Quote from: JohnDB on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 08:49:07

Quote from: BAH-BLAH on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 08:46:45
here we go again.....yea hurray!!! lets all root for NO GROWTH in the church!!! Yippee!!!


I will never get the negativity towards big churches. Do we not pray, each service, someone(s) will accept Christ?

But but but, if hundreds do....or gasp! thousands.......well well, then its just bad its just not right.....

AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH

I didn't say anything negative about them...I have been a member of one and enjoyed my time there. There are issues with them just like there are issues with small churchs. No real difference except in what issues there are to face.

I know you didnt. I was responding to the "its not intimate enough, its out of control, cant meet people, just a number"

Quote from: BAH-BLAH on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 08:46:45
here we go again.....yea hurray!!! lets all root for NO GROWTH in the church!!! Yippee!!!


I will never get the negativity towards big churches. Do we not pray, each service, someone(s) will accept Christ?

But but but, if hundreds do....or gasp! thousands.......well well, then its just bad its just not right.....

AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH

You don't get it.  It isn't at all "no growth".  When they get "too" big, you break off a group and church plant.  Then there are two churches.  Two grow, break off, and then there are four.  You can do math, right?

Small churches have an intimacy, a closeness to each other connected to a closeness to God, that big churches can never have.  And that's just the way it is.

Quote from: phoebe on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 11:06:37

Quote from: BAH-BLAH on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 08:46:45
here we go again.....yea hurray!!! lets all root for NO GROWTH in the church!!! Yippee!!!


I will never get the negativity towards big churches. Do we not pray, each service, someone(s) will accept Christ?

But but but, if hundreds do....or gasp! thousands.......well well, then its just bad its just not right.....

AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH

You don't get it.  It isn't at all "no growth".  When they get "too" big, you break off a group and church plant.  Then there are two churches.  Two grow, break off, and then there are four.  You can do math, right?

Small churches have an intimacy, a closeness to each other connected to a closeness to God, that big churches can never have.  And that's just the way it is.

That flat out isn't true. Where it may be true for you and what you have experienced...it isn't true for everyone. I do happen to have personal experience on this. I have intimate friends that were made from a mega church that I am still close with to this day.

I do believe that someone recently made a case for where it was the plane's fault for flying into the towers instead of the terrorists flying them...the same logic applies in this case too.

It really isn't the church's fault if you can't find the intimacy you are looking for. It is the person looking for the intimacy's fault entirely.

Quote from: JohnDB on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 12:27:10

Quote from: phoebe on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 11:06:37

Quote from: BAH-BLAH on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 08:46:45
here we go again.....yea hurray!!! lets all root for NO GROWTH in the church!!! Yippee!!!


I will never get the negativity towards big churches. Do we not pray, each service, someone(s) will accept Christ?

But but but, if hundreds do....or gasp! thousands.......well well, then its just bad its just not right.....

AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH

You don't get it.  It isn't at all "no growth".  When they get "too" big, you break off a group and church plant.  Then there are two churches.  Two grow, break off, and then there are four.  You can do math, right?

Small churches have an intimacy, a closeness to each other connected to a closeness to God, that big churches can never have.  And that's just the way it is.

That flat out isn't true. Where it may be true for you and what you have experienced...it isn't true for everyone. I do happen to have personal experience on this. I have intimate friends that were made from a mega church that I am still close with to this day.

I do believe that someone recently made a case for where it was the plane's fault for flying into the towers instead of the terrorists flying them...the same logic applies in this case too.

It really isn't the church's fault if you can't find the intimacy you are looking for. It is the person looking for the intimacy's fault entirely.

"flat out"?  "entirely"?

Nope.

You draw some pretty hard lines that are not only judgmental, they are flawed.  Your arguments won't hold water.

You want responsibility to only go one way??    Yet when it comes to the planes, you make a case for the terrorist?

I think you just lost any credibility I may have seen in you.

That's like saying that the murder weapon is at fault, and not the shooter.  Or the victim is at fault, and not the serial killer.

That came out backwards...LOL

IT wasn't the planes fault...it was the terrorists fault.

(get a grip for a minute...lets apply real logic)

I was trying to say that intimacy can be had at mega churchs...but that if you can't find intimacy at a mega church it is solely your fault and not that of the church. K?

I dont mind the preference, its preference, I DO mind the sort of purist attitude that goes with it, and the comments about relational intimacy are simply not true.

Its DUH that of course you wont have a relationship with EVERYONE IN THE CHURCH. But you DO have with the same number or more.

The superiority comples comes from the small church advocates, not the big ones.

Incidentally, you need to explain how doing math has anything to do with the point you made. I hope I can do math, Im an engineer, now you have me doubting, because I fail to see how math helps me in this. We werent even discussing numbers, specific numbers, we are discusiing reaching a certain point and splitting.....wheres the math in that?

Quote from: JohnDB on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 13:16:47
That came out backwards...LOL

IT wasn't the planes fault...it was the terrorists fault.

(get a grip for a minute...lets apply real logic)

I was trying to say that intimacy can be had at mega churchs...but that if you can't find intimacy at a mega church it is solely your fault and not that of the church. K?

I was just going by what you said...

I would never say it is solely the fault of the guest/member and zero fault of the church.  I could rip that argument to shreds!  In mega, small, and every size in-between, there is plenty of responsibility (rather than "fault" or "blame") for all sizes, and all places.

What you and others have described is a collection of small churches within a mega church.

If that's what you like, more power to you.  I prefer knowing and loving the lives of every face I see around His Table.

I've never been to a mega church. Actually there are none in our region. I don't think I would like them though.  I guess I perfer the small little country churches where everybody knows each other or are at least familiar with one another. I also like the Pastor to be available to have conversation with when needed.

Ms B:

Yes, for a Biblical overseer to oversee Biblically, he has to know the ppl in front of him, to some extent.

Indeed.

Quote from: Bonnie on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 19:05:12
I've never been to a mega church. Actually there are none in our region. I don't think I would like them though.  I guess I perfer the small little country churches where everybody knows each other or are at least familiar with one another. I also like the Pastor to be available to have conversation with when needed.

Quote from: farouk on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 19:06:22
Ms B:

Yes, for a Biblical overseer to oversee Biblically, he has to know the ppl in front of him, to some extent.

Indeed.

Quote from: Bonnie on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 19:05:12
I've never been to a mega church. Actually there are none in our region. I don't think I would like them though.  I guess I perfer the small little country churches where everybody knows each other or are at least familiar with one another. I also like the Pastor to be available to have conversation with when needed.

I think it serves the Pastor and the people well if they know one another on some level.  You're right there.

Quote from: Bonnie on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 19:05:12
I've never been to a mega church. Actually there are none in our region. I don't think I would like them though.  I guess I perfer the small little country churches where everybody knows each other or are at least familiar with one another. I also like the Pastor to be available to have conversation with when needed.

I always found one to be available or to anoint me with oil and pray over me.

Ms Bonnie:

Exactly, and it's Scriptural, too, for them to take a personal care.

Take care.

Quote from: Bonnie on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 19:23:52

Quote from: farouk on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 19:06:22
Ms B:

Yes, for a Biblical overseer to oversee Biblically, he has to know the ppl in front of him, to some extent.

Indeed.

Quote from: Bonnie on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 19:05:12
I've never been to a mega church. Actually there are none in our region. I don't think I would like them though.  I guess I perfer the small little country churches where everybody knows each other or are at least familiar with one another. I also like the Pastor to be available to have conversation with when needed.

I think it serves the Pastor and the people well if they know one another on some level.  You're right there.

Quote from: ConqueredbyLove on Wed Oct 14, 2009 - 19:26:26

Quote from: armywifenmom on Wed Oct 14, 2009 - 17:56:56
We are new to the area, I've only tried two churches, but the second church i fell in love with. It is the kind of service that you don't want to end, and the praise and worship is awesome. I was really digging it the first 3 weeks, and feeling like this will be my new church. However i am a social person who likes to make social connections but i just feel like another number there. Anyone ever feel like this when you first started going to a mega church?

Yes...But if you keep sitting in the same place you will start to connect with the people that sit around you.  We are creatures of habit...

Or join a women's Bible Study, small group, or start serving....

Been to some, and this is a good post, having found it to be true.

What I've seen is that the mega churches tend to get more into praise singing and that sort of stuff, to make of for the lack of conncetivity, shall we say.  It's kind of like a certain atmosphere, which builds upon itself that way, making the singing time better and better.  So I would just go for the times of singing, which lasted quite a while, which I like, but I couldn't stand the teaching, such as "Jesus doesn't have a problem with sin".  There are so many option out there when you live in the city, one can pick and choose different churches for different things.  I did this, going to a few churches every week, for different stuff, depending upon which was strong in the area that I was going to it for.

Been home churching for a number of years now.  Getting into the worship and singing happens no matter the size or location or electronics -- it can be incredibly fulfilling and rich anyplace and anytime.  I guess that I've changed over the years.

Lets be clear, that one church taught funky stuff doesnt indict mega churches , it indicts THAT mega church.

Quote from: phoebe on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 14:37:58

Quote from: JohnDB on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 13:16:47
That came out backwards...LOL

IT wasn't the planes fault...it was the terrorists fault.

(get a grip for a minute...lets apply real logic)

I was trying to say that intimacy can be had at mega churchs...but that if you can't find intimacy at a mega church it is solely your fault and not that of the church. K?

I was just going by what you said...

I would never say it is solely the fault of the guest/member and zero fault of the church.  I could rip that argument to shreds!  In mega, small, and every size in-between, there is plenty of responsibility (rather than "fault" or "blame") for all sizes, and all places.

What you and others have described is a collection of small churches within a mega church.

If that's what you like, more power to you.  I prefer knowing and loving the lives of every face I see around His Table.

Then rip it.
I agree with his statement fully. The church can set the table, they cant make you eat. They can have every possible opportunity to know folks, if you show up and sit quietly in back, you will know no one!

Thats what he was getting at. Sure there may be some churches that do not afford a chance to get to know people, frankly I cannot imagine that, nor have I ever seen that....how would it even look when a church is the fault for the people not forging relationships? What possible thing can they do or not do? Im really curious.

Preference is fine, of course, we all have preferences. I dislike the smug purist tone that CAN come out when this topic comes up. Cant we just be glad that all these churches large and small are there? Discussing OUR preference is fine, so long as it is PREFERENCE, meaning there is something GOOD (to you) about where YOU go.....not that you want to run down where others go.

Quote from: ConqueredbyLove on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 19:27:34

Quote from: Bonnie on Thu Oct 15, 2009 - 19:05:12
I've never been to a mega church. Actually there are none in our region. I don't think I would like them though.  I guess I perfer the small little country churches where everybody knows each other or are at least familiar with one another. I also like the Pastor to be available to have conversation with when needed.

I always found one to be available or to anoint me with oil and pray over me.

I'm not saying mega churches are bad just that I like smaller ones better.

I for one am not dogging big or mega churches at all, but looking for experiences of others who may have not liked the feel at first but later loved it. God abides where his ppl are, and size is not a factor.

I was inbetween two ladies yesterday who also attend a mega church. One had been going there for 6yrs, the other 11yrs, and they had never met before. It just blew me away. I guess that could be a good thing if you are an introvert or not a ppl person. Thankfully, I'm involved in a few bible studies at other churches(you would think as big as my church is that they would have a womens bible study, but they dont) but most of the ladies are 50 and older. I don't mind an older crowd, but it's nice to befriend others who are experiencing some of the same things i am experiencing(raising children, going back to school etc)

I haven't read the entire thread, but what defines a Mega Church.

I have gone to many churches of 150 to 250 and only know 20 or so people. I presently go to a church of 1500 or so and know probably a  hundred people.

J:

Well, exactly; hard to get to know them all. (Hard for the overseers and pastors to get to know ppl, too.)

Sometimes ppl like to go to church, but with their 'privacy rights' uppermost in their minds, I know. I'm not sure that's the Biblical way, though...

Quote from: Jaime on Fri Oct 16, 2009 - 17:51:39
I haven't read the entire thread, but what defines a Mega Church.

I have gone to many churches of 150 to 250 and only know 20 or so people. I presently go to a church of 1500 or so and know probably a  hundred people.

I don't know exactly what defines one...I went to one that had about 5,000 in attendance every sunday. The Deacons (it was baptist) mostly all had seminary degrees as well is did most of the SS Teachers. When you joined you were assigned a deacon...a complete portfolio about him and how to contact him was sent to you...he might call or not...depends upon a lot of factors when you joined. He was going to be the first one that the pastor would call as well as the two deacon levels of leadership in the heirarchy if anything was reported amiss or positive about you.

(in other words if you wished to remain a deacon you had better do your job...it wasn't a popularity contest here...you had to really work at it...they had a list of replacements a mile long if you didn't want to serve...and considering the membership was a "who's who" of Christiandom...you really didn't want to be demoted by force.

They would have teams that went to hospitals and nursing homes and all kinds of stuff that they did. They were about to ask me to get on the list....and I ran and hid...I don't like sick people and I don't pray what people want to hear...so I ain't much comfort. I have real political correctness issues...often. I do not belong in that role.

But while I was a member I knew many in the administration...they knew me. They were always available ready willing and able...even if it was just to have lunch or dinner and/or hang out for a bit.

My ooint was that I got to know MORE people in a large church than a small one. A small church, in my experience, didn't mean an easier time of meeting folks. I don't feel like I go to a mega church, but a pretty big congregation.

Reminds me of the account of the Lord's feeding of the five thousand...

J:

The knowing ppl thing is vertical and horizontal.

My challenge: how well do I know my hurting brother in Christ?

Quote from: Jaime on Fri Oct 16, 2009 - 18:26:53
My ooint was that I got to know MORE people in a large church than a small one. A small church, in my experience, didn't mean an easier time of meeting folks. I don't feel like I go to a mega church, but a pretty big congregation.

There are those in a larger church I will never meet, but honestly the most isolated I ever felt was in a church of about 150 mostly older folks.

As a side note, I have always wondered what the scriptural authorization for separate congregations in a city is. For instance Paul never spoke of the East Side Church in Corinth or the charismatic brethren as opposed to the conservative brethren in Ephesus. I would say city-wide elders has more scriptural basis, since everyone met in homes anyway.

God has shown that HIS church will never be a 'mega-church'.


Matthew  7:13   Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  

 7:14   Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  

Mega church of small church, a good number of the folks are pew sitters who aren't very much involved.  Generalization for sure, but it applies to most (but not all).

I went to a megachurch.  In reality it was a much smaller church than the number at services.  The real teaching went to this small group of folks.  The teaching at the worship services was milk, as it was outreach oriented.

It had it's good points, and bad points as well.

Quote from: 3AM on Sat Oct 17, 2009 - 10:16:39
God has shown that HIS church will never be a 'mega-church'.


Matthew  7:13   Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  

 7:14   Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  

You have a point there, Brother.