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Megachurch

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A megachurch is a large church, frequently defined as having more than 2,000 worshippers for a typical weekly service.

Globally, these large congregations are a significant development in Protestant Christianity, challenging the roles of denominations as the primary sources of ministry resources and ministerial training. Most megachurches tend to be evangelical or pentecostal, and they rarely take unusual or unconventional doctrinal positions or advocate ascetic demands.

Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, South Korea (with 780,000 members in 2003, is the largest church in the world). Other examples are Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia (15,000 attending each Sunday) as well as many megachurches in the United States, typically found in exurban areas of the Sun Belt.

The interior of Rev. Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral illustrates the stage lighting, space, audio, and seating facilities often found in a megachurch.

History

Although there have been large churches throughout history (for example, Charles Spurgeon's Metropolitan Tabernacle in London attracted 5,000 weekly for years and religious broadcaster Aimee Semple McPherson's Angelus Temple in Los Angeles was similarly large), the widespread megachurch movement, with a large number of local congregants who return on a weekly basis, began in the 1950s.

More than half of these large church institutions are non-denominational churches; those that have ties to a larger body are most often members of the Southern Baptist denomination, which accounts for perhaps one in five megachurches. The Assemblies of God claim approximately one in ten. Another one tenth of the churches with congregations large enough to be included in the class are associated with historically African American denominations. Even those megachurches that belong to denominations generally have more in common with other megachurches than they do with smaller churches within their own denomination, and (among those affiliated with the seeker movement) do not include their denomination in their name or otherwise publicize their affiliation, believing that such would "turn off" many potential visitors.

Adjustments to cater for size

Coping with the large numbers of people who attend them requires many adjustments.

Worship in some megachurches tends to be more formal in practice, even as it becomes less traditional in tone. Because megachurches command resources that smaller churches cannot, they typically hire professional musicians who perform upbeat, modern praise music in a number of pop styles instead of traditional hymns. Despite the contemporary music, worship at a megachurch is a highly structured occasion. Some worshipers like the feeling of hundreds and in some, thousands of people worshiping together. In some, the worshippers are more audience than participants, and the entire production is typically choreographed in minute detail.

The architecture of the megachurch needs to ensure everyone can see and hear what is happening. Large open spaces allowing line of sight, but using elaborate video presentations and projections are common. Amplified sound dominates overcoming limits imposed by acoustics, mixing boards and high levels of production are found generally. Words to hymns and songs are projected on screens, reducing reliance on the hymnals found in the pews of more traditional churches. Many newer churches use theater-style individual chairs instead of pews.

The need for large parking lots to accommodate worshippers has led these churches to often be located on the outskirts of large cities, on tracts of an acre (4,000 m²) or more. A recent trend is for a megachurch to have one or more "satellite" locations away from the main church, which will have a small local staff. However, the main message is presented by the senior pastor via video presentation. This is referred to as the multi-site movement

The ministry of these churches must also be adjusted to cope with their size. Much of the actual teaching work of the church is handled by committees and smaller meetings outside the weekly services themselves, which are almost exclusively meant for collective (sometimes enthusiastic) but passive worship. Congregational oversight is generally limited to an annual meeting (where a budget and "board of directors" is approved); in some cases, the senior pastor has complete authority over all decisions.

Many were launched by a single gifted pastor, a person who combines flamboyant sermons with the organisational skills needed to turn weekly worship into a production number. Some of the churches have grown using the Cell System developed by David Yonggi Cho. There is sometimes an element of a cult of personality within some of these megachurches, which can lead to divisions and organisational difficulties when the founder retires, dies, or in some cases resigns under clouds of suspicion. Some megachurches have been able to weather these difficulties (Lakewood Church survived the death of its founder); others have failed (when Robert Tilton left under cloud of suspicion, his church folded shortly thereafter).

Many megachurches are planning on not having services on Christmas Day, 2005 [1], in very stark contrast to traditional Christian practices.

Demographics

Megachurches appeal to baby boomers and others who enjoy the polished showmanship of the worship services, and who find the size of the organisation and the upbeat style of these churches appealing. Some worshippers like the size because it allows them to retain more anonymity if they choose, than would be possible in a smaller church. The large numbers of worshippers is not for these believers a problem of scale; it is a demonstration of the dynamism of the institution. Also some worshipers feel that in a bigger church the Holy Spirit is felt more and is manifested better.

However, other Christians find the polish of the services and the impersonal nature of worship in these megachurches disconcerting, even among those churches using the Cell System of small groups.

As stated earlier, they are typically exurban in the Sun Belt in the southern United States.

The Christmas Shutdown Controversy

In 2005, Christmas Day will fall on a Sunday. As many individuals travel during the holiday, attendance tends to be lower during that period than on most weekends. Further, many churches (not just megachurches) elect to hold Christmas Eve services to honor the birth of Jesus Christ.

Associated Press learned that several of the major American megachurches (among them Chicagoland's Willow Creek Community Church and Dallas/Fort Worth's Fellowship Church, both of which were interviewed for the article) planned to be closed on Christmas Day Sunday (though both churches plan to have numerous services on the days preceding Christmas Day). The decision to not hold services on Sunday (which is the traditional day of worship for most Christian groups), especially since the Sunday falls on the second holiest day of the Christian calendar, has been criticized in some circles.

See also

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