By Eddie Lowen
Typing “megachurch” into Google”s search engine recently provided me with an instant and overwhelming education on the low regard many have for larger churches and those who lead them. The impression left by many commentators is that large churches always have egotistical preachers, always emphasize money above all else, and always compromise the integrity of the Bible for the sake of filling seats in their exorbitantly priced auditoriums.
If one enjoys unflattering generalizations and assumptions about large churches, the Internet makes them easy to find. One obscure author illustrated his disdain for large churches with a graphic depicting a church steeple topped not by a cross, but by a silhouette in the shape of Mickey Mouse”s ears! I get it, and so do you.
What many critics of megachurches fail to acknowledge is that the New Testament church began as a very large one: 3,000 men, plus many women and children. It may be that the first church was a super-megachurch of 10,000 participants from Day One (Pentecost). If we are supposed to be restoring that church, why do some object so strongly to duplicating its broad outreach?
I will add two observations to the discussion:
Observation No. 1: The two healthiest churches I have personally observed are quite large (I”m not speaking of the church where I serve). By healthy, I mean evangelistically effective, spiritually authentic, doctrinally accurate, biblically relevant, and philosophically balanced. I am sure that some smaller churches are equally healthy, but quantity is not undermining the quality of ministry in many large churches. In fact, many people from unhealthy small churches have been refreshed by what they have found at a healthy larger church. We hear similar testimonies at our larger church almost weekly.
Observation No. 2: After growing up in a smaller church, working in and with smaller churches, and visiting hundreds of small congregations, I have not discovered a single positive small church trait that cannot be duplicated in a larger church environment.
Friendliness? The warmest welcome I”ve received from a church occurred in the largest church building I”ve entered.
Relationships? Small groups and midsize classes allow close connections in the largest churches. The myth that large churches cannot love people well is alive only among people who have yet to experience a healthy larger church.
Ministers of Larger Churches
I do not claim to be neutral on this topic. About five years ago I accepted an invitation to become senior minister at a larger church. Compared to the truly large churches of our day, the church I serve is modest in size. However, from the perspective of 99 percent of the churches across America, our 2,000 attendees may sound like a lot.
Becoming senior minister of a larger congregation has given me the opportunity to meet pastors of other large churches. I knew a few of them prior to my transition to a large church, but most were men I merely recognized from publications and conventions. Below I will share some of my observations of them.
Not So Different
Pastors of larger churches are less sure of themselves than many would suspect. Sure, there are a few know-it-alls in every group, but I haven”t met many among the preachers of our larger churches. When our megachurch ministers gather, there are almost no instances of pastors congratulating themselves. Rather, we are seeking the same thing pastors of all churches desire: answers.
Usually, the largest church served by a megachurch pastor is the one he is currently helping to lead. That is why megachurch ministers seek input and insight from those with more experience. During last year”s conference for megachurch ministers, an admired pastor described his most stressful ministry day ever. We laughed and commiserated with him; and, we found a bit of perverse satisfaction in realizing his ministry, like ours, is more work than glamour. Sound familiar?
Except for the reliable truth of Scripture, ministry is experimental. Because of all the unknowns, even the most confident-looking megachurch pastor has some concern about the next step, or regret over a previous one. One respected pastor confided that he really doesn”t have a detailed vision for the future of his church; he”s simply trying to chart the next step. A lot of heads nodded. A minister from any size church could have spoken those words. Observers of megachurch pastor discussions would be surprised by the number of failed attempts and imperfections they confess.
Focused on Others
The insinuation (or outright accusation) frequently directed against large church pastors is that they are arrogant and self-absorbed. Human nature being what it is, I”m sure the allegation is at times legitimate. Still, I”m not convinced that leaders of large churches struggle with pride more than our colleagues in midsize or small churches. As I”ve observed one preacher at a very large church, he seems to have become more humble as his ministry has grown. I wonder if some of the accusations originate with people who can”t imagine themselves being highly visible without becoming puffed up.
My experiences and observations defy the negative stereotype of mega pastors. Consider these:
“¢ When my wife and I attended our first conference for large church pastors and wives, we determined beforehand that we would not force conversations with the more prominent attendees; we also determined to listen more than we spoke. However, we found our approach difficult to execute because people we considered “prominent” engaged us in conversation, asked to see photos of our children, and invited us to eat with them.
“¢ One poignant memory I have is a prayer session dedicated to the son of one couple. Despite their familiarity with disease and death, dozens of large church pastors were discreetly wiping tears from their faces afterward. My wife told me that an outpouring of similar concern occurred during a women”s session. Self-absorbed people don”t weep over the pain of others.
“¢ A few years ago, my wife was enduring some nagging health problems. It was not as serious as the challenges others were facing, but since mentioning it we have received many expressions of concern. That type of care is inconsistent with the image of megachurch pastors often painted by critics.
“¢ A number of pastors from larger churches have made themselves available to train and encourage leaders from smaller churches. I suspect any church on Christian Standard”s list of megachurches would agree to train leaders from other churches who are seeking instruction. Some larger churches have partnered with others in their region to plan special training events for any who desire help. Only kingdom-minded leaders would pursue such things.
We All Have a Great Shepherd
A lot of criticism has befallen large churches and their leaders. Some of it is legitimate, I am sure. We megachurch leaders should “watch our lives and doctrine closely,” as Paul told Timothy. But should larger churches and their leaders always be considered suspect? Proverbs 18:17 reads, “The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.”
Detractors have said and written plenty about megachurches that is negative, but I question the accuracy and intent of much of it. If a church neglects clear scriptural truth, it deserves to be admonished. However, beware those who seem obsessed with casting aspersions on healthy churches. They may be attempting to disguise their own unfruitfulness.
The biggest crisis facing American Christianity is not the growth of some churches, but the inability of many churches to fulfill Jesus” command to “bear much fruit” (John 15:5-8).
Eddie Lowen ministers with Westside Christian Church, Springfield, Illinois.
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