The Failure of the Megachurch

The mega-church model which was the flavor of the week in church leadership circles for decades is now beginning to crumble. Financial troubles forced Rick Warren to send a desperate plea for money to his Saddleback congregation two years ago. A Kansas City mega-church just lost their 20 million dollar campus to the bank. One of the country's first mega-churches, the Crystal Cathedral, recently filed for bankruptcy, and these stories are becoming more and more common. Yet, could it be that financial problems are just the symptom of a much deeper issue?

If the church is the body of Christ, then the mega-church is a body on steroids. The latest and greatest example is Andy Stanley's Northpoint Community Church, who recently raised five million dollars to build their own three-lane overpass so that they could keep parking-lot-exit-times under thirty minutes. Stanley's congregation numbers over fifteen-thousand people. For a church to become that abnormally large it has to make use of such artificial means that it actually ceases to be a healthy church model. Here are three reasons why:

• Mega-church size insulates the body from the natural pains and tensions which keep it healthy. Pain is good, even in the church. Pain forces a community and its leaders to grow deeper and more mature. For instance, if two families leave a small church it cannot be ignored. The small church will have to face underlying issues and learn how to heal and grow. Small church leaders are constantly confronted with their own shortcomings and thus experience true accountability. However, if those same two families left a mega-church, no one would even notice. By virtue of its size the mega-church is insulated from the naturally occurring tensions which make for a healthy body, and dysfunction is allowed to build up over time. Eventually the mega-church will become symptomatic, but by then it's usually too late. And even if it does begin to feel the pain, this pain is derived from a threat to the institution itself and not from any inherent relational dynamic which gives dignity and importance to every single member and family.
• Mega-church size inhibits diversity. Pastors flock to mega-church conferences attempting to copy the latest leadership techniques and strategies. I have been part of an entire generation of pastors who have attended conferences at Saddleback, Willow Creek and Northpoint Churches in order to become the next Rick Warren, Bill Hybels or Andy Stanley instead of simply being ourselves. Leadership must grow from within the neighborhood. It cannot be imported from another context because no two contexts are alike. Author Tim Keel often says copying another leader's strategy is like gluing fruit from one tree onto another tree and saying, "Look what I grew!" It is not reality. The strategy of a church and its efforts toward mission must always grow out of the context of the community in which the church exists.
• Mega-church size exploits the mega-church pastor. The mega-church pastor becomes like the liver of an alcoholic body. The anxiety, pressure, and stress generated by the mega-church is not shared by the typical member but is focused primarily upon the pastor. This pressure molds the pastor into something more akin to a CEO of a large corporation than a wise rabbi. Even pastors who attempt to stay healthy will end up flaming-out and suffering because the systemic issue cannot be mitigated by sound personal practices. All of the artificial means used to grow something so large become focused on the pastor and the pastor has to somehow try and cleanse the system. This is, as it turns out, an impossible task. So the church resorts to dialysis. They give the pastor a year off to try and get healthy again. Or they do a transplant and replace the pastor altogether, only to have the problem recur some years later.

If the mega-church is a failed model, then what is a better option? Recently the house church network has become the new solution. Small groups trained on discipleship which are loosely connected into a church network are cropping up all over America. Ministries like the British company 3DM will virtually franchise you a house church network for around $10,000. Boasting high success rates, coaching, and curriculum, 3DM will teach you everything you need to know about how to start your own house church network. However, undergirding the house church movement are the very same assumptions which fund the mega-church model -- only this time it isn't Applebees, but the boutique restaurant which they are peddling. The house church network is the boutique mega-church model.

The solution is to stop focusing on strategies meant to help a church become the next big thing, and simply be the church in your neighborhood in whatever form that takes. In the end, the age-old parish model, or neighborhood church is still the healthiest option. Tensions are present, but close proximity requires the fidelity which is essential to a healthy church. Small churches celebrate diversity. They no longer copy the mega-churches, because they don't have the resources to replicate their programs anyway. The small church doesn't ask, "What program can we create for single mothers," but rather, "What do we do for Sara? She's raising her kids all by herself." The result is a wonderfully diverse response to the challenges of communal life. When the solution to each local issue is not a program, but a relationship, then it is sustainable over time, and is free to grow without artificial means.

Most of all, the parish model supports the local pastor. Free of the constant pressure to grow bigger, the pastor is able to concentrate on growing deeper. The task given to the smaller Christian community is not to achieve success (i.e. size), but simply to be faithful within their particular context. Faithfulness is about organizing our common life together in such a way that we image God to all creation and experience peace. We need more small, healthy and vibrant communities of around 200 to 400 people -- natural and organic -- who do not feel a massive inferiority complex and pressure to expand. We need churches who are content to grow more mature and not necessarily bigger and if perhaps they do grow bigger, to simply divide and multiply while never leaving the neighborhood in order to become the regional mega-church. Because when it comes to church, bigger is not better -- and there is a point at which bigger inevitably becomes unsustainable and unhealthy.

 

 

 

Follow Tim Suttle on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Tim_Suttle

Comments

[Adonijah]

12:31 PM on 09/23/2011

Excellent article! Mega church = mega problems (eventually)

[Doug Economou]

11:38 AM on 09/15/2011

This is a tremendous article. Buckhead Church (North Point Ministries) is the big church here in Atlanta where I live and I have tons of friends who go there. I attended for a while and realized that is was attending this megachurch that was destroying my faith.

I need to experience humility and trial in order to become stronger in my faith in God. These church do not do this, rather create new programs instead of binding together as a church. I miss the neighborhood church.

[Educated Militant Moriah]

11:30 AM on 09/15/2011

WOW!!!!!!!

[Kevin Ledgister]

06:59 PM on 09/14/2011

Hey Tim, I think you only covered part of the issue and maybe speaking with North Point may have been helpful to you. The bridge was built because it could take up to 30 minutes for people to get out of the parking lot and if Christians struggle with traffic delays - imagine how the unchurched feel?

Second, NP's ministry model is not to grow Sunday morning but to grow people in groups. They believe that is the best environment for spiritual growth and care so their entire focus is to unite people in groups. That is their primary metric - not Sunday attendance.

Third, NP has avoided the problems of most large churches by sticking to a simple model. Rather than the cafeteria plan of most churches that collaspe under their own complexity and budgetary weight, NP looks at each program as a step. This allows them to focus only on a very limited set of activities and to shape them with the goal of leading people to be connected in a group. This enables them to have a very efficient business model in terms of money.

Every kind of church fails - both mega and tiny. It's just easy to focus on the megas because they are an anonymous target.

[aspiechristian]

04:13 PM on 09/14/2011

Well-written and right on target. When the mega-model began taking shape in this country, and after visiting Willow Creek, the idea made me uncomfortable. It was no longer church, but the Jesus Show, following a precise litany of emotional attention-grabbers, though there was nothing personal about it. No one was really expected to know the pastor, have him drop by for dinner, or even get an appointment with him - that's what the associate pastors were for. The church also became political, and bent on imitating the world in many other ways as well.

So, believing in the parish model myself, I left independent evangelicalism for the Episcopal church, and haven't looked back since. Our church building is over 100 years old, and is so small, church growth programs are impractical. We're always happy to receive new members, but our minister is dedicated to caring for his small but faithful flock. Since we are limited to what we can do inside our church, we focus on community outreach. Most importantly, we all know each other, prepare and eat meals together, are tolerant of individual beliefs (the Episcopal church is a non-confessing church), and responsive to the needs of our members. I find it an oasis for spiritual growth, comfort, and refreshment, and cannot imagine forsaking this ecclesiastical model of closeness, love, and Christian friendship.

[gloriaswanson43]

02:56 PM on 09/14/2011

Five million dollars raised for an overpass is five million dollars that didn't go to good works.

Mega churches sound less like churches and more like going to the theater once a week to see a play.

Church franchises? Not McDonald's but boutiques like Chanel. Ya'll need to start paying taxes.

[Educated Militant Moriah]

12:18 PM on 09/15/2011

HEHEHEHEHE!!! I like that Gloria Wanson43

Snakes in the Pulpit!!!!!! Church is a big Business all about MONEY

[Adonijah]

12:35 PM on 09/23/2011

LOL

@ Ya'll need to start paying taxes.

[Joshua Fuentes]

11:42 AM on 09/14/2011

First, if you have never been a member of a "mega church" than you have no room make speculations on what may or may not happen in one With that said, since the writers arguments are based off of speculation (I'm saying this because the writer has shown no proof for his points), than his argument is invalid. Secondly, all those same issues the author has pointed out against the "mega church" are same issues that go on in every church. I can say this because I have been a part of churches of all sizes. Third, I do agree when a church reaches a certain size it should multiply and raise up ministers within its congregation to lead the new church. Finally, fruit is never meant to be an inward thing that we only know about. Fruit is shown through our actions, which overflows into other people's lives. Churches are suppose to grow inward and outward for true fruit to be shown.

With all that said, all churches fail. Instead of bashing these churches, maybe we should start looking at what they do right. So I suggest we leave a comment on what our church does well. I'll even start, My church is reaching out to the inner city by working with other churches to give out 5,000 backpacks with school supplies for free. On top of this, we're putting on sports camp in the inner city to share the love of Christ with the children who live there.

[preacherrich]

11:24 AM on 09/14/2011

Tim, and others. The Mega-Church is defined as any church with over 2,000 in average worship attendance. I understand the concerns listed in the critique of the 'mega-church' model; however, I don't think it's helpful to lump all churches with over 2,000 in attendance together. They are often very different churches philosophically, theologically, worship style, how they do community, etc . . . There are large churches that are very healthy and making wonderful disciples of Jesus, and there are large churches that are very unhealthy. And that is true all churches regardless of size. Size is not the primary indicator of church health or disease; of a 'successful' church or a 'failed' church; the primary indicator is the making of disciples. I remember something in the Bible about looking at the fruit. Just my humble opinion.

[Cranmer1549]

11:06 AM on 09/14/2011

Megachurches can't help to become anything but large businesses with a pastor/CEO. When you have such large utility bills, multimedia production teams you have to pay and endless missions, you have to have a steady stream of cash on hand. It's just inevitable.

[Adonijah]

12:36 PM on 09/23/2011

Exactly

[KrisJ]

10:39 AM on 09/14/2011

"Mega-churches insulate the body"? How about the body learns to be self accountable instead of being spiritually babysat by others in the church.

"Inhibits Diversity"? Every mega church I've ever been to has been much more multicultural than any of the little churches I've attended.

"Must grow from within the neighbourhood"? Isn't it many of the little churches who are constantly losing their pastors due to transfers or other jobs? I know many used-to-be pastors who couldn't support their families on their little church offerings and had to have 1 or 2 other jobs to pay the bills. How do you devote yourself to your ministry when you can only give it a few hours a week? I also know that some denominations trasfer their pastors accross the country when they begin to get "too farmiliar" with their congregation (3-6 years or so). That's certainly not from "within the neighbourhood".

As far as flame out goes, that defintly does happen, but if the pastors learn to delegate instead of bearing the work themselves it is less likely to happen.

gal416 - "The fields are ripe unto harvest" and to keep your church small and insular on purpose is an eternal sin to those that you could have reached out to and didn't because you were happy with your warm little circle.

I can't believe that Pastor Tim would denounce big churches and then promote a church franchise! Incredible!

[dtbubba]

09:43 AM on 09/14/2011

Many of the strategies you point out for healthy churches were the starting point of the original batch of MegaChurches (Crystal Cathedral, Saddleback and Willow Creek). While growth overtook them they began by seeking the needs of their community and meeting them through surveys, connections in coffee houses . Their ministries are amazing and their community outreach is unmatchable by smaller churches.

Has AA been a failure? Is it not a program? I can think of 5 people off the top of my head who have been touched by this. We can rail against programs but not everyone, at the outset, is looking for a relationship. People like to get their feet wet and programs open that door for relationships to happen. I see it every day in our church. People who would not have connected otherwise getting connected through. . . programs! Are they the answer? No. But, pragmatically, they are a doorway to community. Just as a large church gathering - 50, 500, 5000, is a doorway to smaller community - 3, 9, 15.

Large or small, people will flock to the teacher that is feeding. Be it Pastor H.D. Awesome at MegaChurch USA or Mr. Jones at 227 Wooster St. Probably why the Catholic church just says the Priest is Christ in the midst of the congregation for mass. Pastor, church leader, is a powerful, spirit-filled role that draws people closer to Christ through the laying down of our lives for His cause and purpose.

[gal416]

11:57 PM on 09/13/2011

It's not the quantity that counts.

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:

It's the quality.

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

[riff4u]

08:37 PM on 09/13/2011

Mega churches are unfortunately more interested in mega bucks than anything else.

[Gregg-O]

03:27 AM on 09/14/2011

There you have it...mega church= business, not religion. They are not there for the faithful, but to fleece them.

[almostlyniceguy]

08:36 PM on 09/13/2011

Good points. I would also point out that pastors become rich and very unchristian (Rick Warren), and this affects the attitudes of the congregation.

Look at how the Christians cheered for the death of the hypothetical uninsured man in the debates.

[dtbubba]

10:01 AM on 09/14/2011

How is Rick Warren unchristian?

[almostlyniceguy]

06:38 PM on 09/14/2011

He was caught saying unchristian things about the people in this country who cannot afford to pay taxes.

[romeoforever]

08:26 PM on 09/13/2011

Mega-churches never seemed like a good business model to me dependent as they are on the contributions of the congregation. The overhead is too high on all the infrastructure and upkeep, social programs, etc.. If the economy sinks, then so does the mega-church I would think, unlike a less lucrative but more stable normal sized church. The Catholic Church can support large congregations in cathedrals, etc., because it is a vast international corporation with an incredible diversity of holdings. But a relatively independent Protestant church trying to support a vast institution is just going to have a harder time in the long run. Even the Catholics are up against it these days.