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My guess is the "megachurch" just has the pastor download "This Week's Sermon" from the higher church authority's iTunes Podcasts and he just recites a pre-rehearsed sentiment of stupidity to his sheep.
That is one thing that I've actually thought about, and concerns me. I pray that someday if I'm working in the ministry I don't ever feel tempted to stoop to that sort of thing.
Have you visited a large mega-church with a fancy sound system and rockin-type music? What do you think of that sort of setting? Do you like that more than a traditional, hymn-based music service? If you were to attend a church, would you prefer a quiet, traditional setting? Or a more contemporary, showy atmosphere?
I like a stone church with an organ that will shake the foundations, Good traditional hyms. I don't want any touchy feely hand holding or guitars.
This is one of the better threads I've seen on this forum. Thank you for posting it, kdbrich........
I was brought up in a small small SBC church that grew into a large church over the years. In 1954 when we joined and dad was a deacon, there were less than 30 people. By 1990 it's congregation numbered in the thousands. I left there when a teenager but went back about 10 years ago....a little past its glory.
I moved from there to a mega pentecostal church. I left there for two reasons. 1) they solicited money from me for a narrow gauge train, and 2) I saw the pastor walking through the lobby one day and two burly guys with radios in their ears providing security. Neither of those inspired me as to the ministry of that church. I figured that although their work was probably pretty good, it was not one I wanted to be associated with.
In the intervening years I pastored a small church of about 25 people for a couple of years. It was an SBC mission in a predominately RC community where I developed friendships with and the respect of the AoG, Presbyterian, CoC pastors and the local priest.
After much prayer, I decided that it is important for a shepherd to know his flock. If you walk up to a pastor and ask the location of the home of a member of his congregation and he cannot give you exact directions without checking his notes, the church is too big.
I love many of the praise services. The joy and fellowship and excitement and love for each other and Jesus is awesome. I think it should be incorporated in most churches. I attended a pentecostal catholic church at one point that had one that was really good and brought a lot of people into the church.
On the other hand, when I pray I secrete myself away from the world and seek the quietness of of a sanctuary or the calmness of the woodlands and prairie of my home. I am planning to build a prayer circle in the woods behind my house as a place of sanctuary and prayer. It will be based, in large part, on the traditions of my native american ancestors. But it will be a place of quiet and meditation.
I've had God talk to me on several occasions. Each time it was when I was in prayer, while I was alone, and while I was still. God has never spoken to me during a praise service or a sermon or a prayer meeting. He always speaks quietly, with whispers. He doesn't command, he queries in a quiet voice that cannot be heard over the cacophony of most worship services today. The fellowship of a praise service is wonderful....but it is too noisy and active to allow the Spirit to be heard. But then so is the traditional Baptist Hymnal songs. As are sermons. They are all good to hear and share. But to worship and communicate one must do as Jesus said in Matt 6. Take yourself away to a quiet place and speak to God knowing that you do not need to ask for anything because He knows before you ask what you need.
How you structure your service is immaterial....you are selling the joy of the Lord and you must "package" it to the "market" you define. But try to lead people to have a personal relationship with God. and that can only be done with prayer. And prayer is only heard if done in private.......when it is quiet so the prayor can hear the voice of God.
I don't go to church, any church, a big one, a small one. It makes no difference to me. Others can worship the way they see fit but I won't be there no matter what it looks like or what music they play.
From an architectural point of view alone, I like old churches, like the kind I saw in England, even the ruins of the old monastaries and churches were gorgeous too me.
I've been to them all, from the eerie, cavernous, gargoyles around the building type churches to the mega church. I will admit, I had no problem with the mega church I was going to when I stopped believing the fantasy. It was a great church and provided a way for me to hide. In the small churches, like a small neighborhood, everyone knows you and your business. You miss a Sunday and people are either calling you to look for news to gossip about or speculating about what sin are you committing.
Since I used to play the keyboards in the small church, missing any service meant no music so there was always an obligation. Also, in small churches, everyone feels they can sing or play music which can lead to some disasters. In the mega church, you often have musicians and singers who came from being professional secular singers and musicians meaning they know what they are doing on stage. You get great musical entertainment.
If I had to chose, I believe I would go with the smaller church. More personal, more of a family feeling. The mega churches are just too loud with a false sense of being at a rock concert - with the preacher being the star.
Really, I think I would prefer a small Quaker church where everyone sits still until they felt 'moved' to speak.
I love that warm and fuzzy feeling. I suppose it can happen anywhere. I have come up with feelings of "connectedness" standing in line at a grocery store, and it had nothing to do with humans around me. I guess I belong to the church of "Here I Be."
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