11 MegaChurch Myths

Megachurch

The Hartford Institute for Religion Research has been putting the North American MegaChurch under the microscope in 11 Myths About Megachurches.

Here’s the myths they challenge:

  1. All megachurches are alike.
  2. All megachurches are equally good at being big.
  3. There is an over-emphasis of money in all the megachurches.
  4. Megachurches are just spectator worship and are not serious about Christianity.
  5. These large churches only care about themselves and are not seriously involved in outreach and social ministry.
  6. All megachurches are major political players and pawns or powerbrokers to conservative politicians.
  7. All megachurches have huge sanctuaries and enormous campuses.
  8. All megachurches are nondenominational.
  9. All megachurches are homogeneous congregations with little diversity.
  10. Megachurches grow primarily because of great programming.
  11. The megachurch phenomenon is over and on the decline because it was just a Baby Boomer phenomenon. Gen Xers and Millennials aren’t interested in megachurches.

Summary Report in pdf: MegaChurches Today 2005

Interview in mp3: MegaChurch Myths

The fine print: Megachurch Research and Articles

3 Comments

  1. Posted 22 February, 2006 at 3:52 PM | Permalink

    Interesting listern. Sweeping generalisations with few actual figures quoted, if any? I would like to know more about the survey like who was surveyed the professionals or the people in the pews? More importantly what was the control they where measuring against? I would find it much more interesting ncd (Schwarz) profile of these churches, I think ncd would probably tell us more about the ‘Myths’.

  2. Posted 22 February, 2006 at 7:00 PM | Permalink

    Scott, good point about the data behind the report. Here’s the link: http://hirr.hartsem.edu/org/faith_megachurches_research.html

  3. Posted 24 February, 2006 at 4:11 PM | Permalink

    Thanks for the link Steve.

One Trackback

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