Do we want mega church?
Alright, someone is going to have to explain this to me. What is a mega church? I walk past this sign a couple times a week in Peckham and every time either Ben and I, actually usually the both of us, wonder out loud what makes a "Mega Church". Is it the size of the building? I doubt, the building it's in isn't particularly huge, nor does any other feature on it seem to be deserving of the title "mega". I don't know if the people are especially great, or big for that matter. In fact, I've never seen anybody go in or out of "The mega church". I can't think of any other feature that this church might have that others haven't, that warrents the title "mega", but maybe I'm missing something.
However, this sign makes me think everytime I pass it. Have things become so dire for the church, that we have to market ourselves, trying to outdo the others down the road? My mom challenged me this weekend on the thought of Kingdom. I love it, but how can it be lived out if churches feel the need to sell themselves like the newest mobile phone? I'm certain that God never wanted us to get to the point where churches are given ranks "I go to a great church." "So? I go to a mega church!" That just doesn't seem like the way forward to me.
Whatever happened to one body etc.? One thing that I never want to happen to me is for me to love my church, it's building, the institution, more than I love Jesus and his vision for church. Church could be such a beautiful thing, it has so much potential, but we have deformed it and turned it into a competition. That's just gross.
posted by Sarah at 4:00 AM
3 Comments:
Is it a distortian or someone realising the potential for their church and is you who are putting your church against this one? perhaps the mindset should be there is a mega church, I go to a mega church we are a mega church, I certainly think of the churh Im at as a mega church and the one I was at before this one. Perhaps the problem is more that when we try to say things are awesome, church is great people see it as a competition qand think they are being outdone rather than seeing it as a sign of affirmation that the kingdom is doing mega things.
Of course it all depends on the intention and mindset of whoever labbeled the church as mega.
i agree that there are mega churches. ive been to more than one. i think that thing that bothered me was the "the". surely there are loads of mega churches. and what maybe mega to me isnt mega to my neighbour. i have nothing against praising the church you go to, i just can't see that it's right to advertise your church as "the" great one.
however, maybe i am the one who is seeing it as a competition. hmmm.
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