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Beyond Megachurch Myths: What We Can Learn from America's Largest Churches (Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series)

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Beyond Megachurch Myths offers a counterpoint to megachurch critics, using survey data to overturn nine myths about megachurches, including the charge that the megachurch era is quickly fading into history. Scott Thumma and Dave Travis believe that the data demonstrates that not only will megachurches be with us for the foreseeable future, but that they are a much more complex phenomenon than most of us give them credit for being.

To understand this phenomenon, we must first have a definition. According to Thumma and Travis, a megachurch is "a Protestant church that averages at least two thousand total attendees in their weekend services" (p. xviii). More than 1250 congregations fit this description.

The nine myths are as follows: They're all alike, they're just too big, they're based on personality cults, they're concerned only about themselves and their attendees, they water down the faith, are bad for other churches, are homogeneous in race, class, and political affiliation, grow because they entertain, and finally, that they're in the process of dying because young people don't like them. As with any stereotype there is truth to the critiques, but the very fact that the movement is extraordinarily diverse means that the stereotypes easily fall apart. Megachurches may not be for everyone, but many people find them just right - and for many different reasons. And, whether we're fans of them or not, they have left a significant footprint on American religious life.

Megachurches have been with us for some time, but their numbers are increasing rapidly - almost exponentially. In demonstrating that megachurches aren't all alike, they authors distinguish four basic types- the "old-line/program-based" church, the "seeker church," the Charismatic/pastor-focused church, and finally the New Wave/Re-Envisioned Church. The first type tends to be the oldest, the New Wave the newest, and the Seeker church may be the focus of many of our stereotypes. Some megachurches are quite homogeneous, many are conservative, but there are many that are quite diverse and even quite liberal. While some are personality centered, many others aren't.

Although some of the older churches - which tend to be more liturgical in nature - buck the trend of modern culture, most of these churches are very in tune with modern culture - choosing an informal, pop music oriented format for worship, while being increasingly tech savvy. Most of all, these congregations have discovered how to adapt and evolve - something churches of all sizes need to consider.

Although the shadow side of this movement doesn't get the attention the positives do, the authors are quite aware that pastoral care and assimilation happens in very different ways. These churches have to be much more intentional about their work and it's quite likely that the person in the pew will have little contact with the senior leadership.

The future poses significant questions to these churches - most pressing of which might be logistical. Things like land use restrictions and rising gas prices, both of which are acknowledged in the book, though not considered overwhelming obstacles at this point.

One issue that some readers might be interested in is largely avoided, and that's theology. The authors generally steer clear of the topic, except to say that largeness doesn't necessarily lead to the watering down of the Christian message. What would be interesting to pursue would be the question of the role theology does play in growing churches, that question would simply be, does a conservative theology better enable this kind of growth - not because it's correct but because it offers more security to people.

Whether you're involved in leadership of large or small churches, there is something to be learned from reading this book. The very fact that each chapter ends with lessons to be learned suggests that the authors intended this not to be just an apologia for megachurches. They intend for this book to enhance the ministries of churches of all sizes. You don't have to aspire to mega status to learn a few lessons!

Rev. Dr. Robert Cornwall
Editor, Sharing the Practice (Academy of Parish Clergy)

This book is long on analysis and full of helpful lessons that any church can apply regardless of size. You could spend several months and thousands of dollars visiting the fastest growing churches in America and trying to gather what they've learned OR you can spend a few bucks and get it all in this book. Reading this book will challenge your assumptions and leave you inspired about the tremendous potential of the local church, including yours.

There are a lot of opinions about megachurches, but this is the first complete assessment of the megachurch phenomenon. It draws together extensive information and other available research to correct assumptions. It also includes practical questions and considerations for all pastors and church leaders. As a broad overview, it doesn't get better than this.

This book goes well with several others. I suggest Seeker Churches: Promoting Traditional Religion in a Nontraditional Way by Kimon Sargean, A Mosaic of Believers: Diversity and Innovation in a Multiethnic Church as well as Hollywood Faith: Holiness, Prosperity, and Ambition in a Los Angeles Church by Gerardo Marti, The Megachurch and the Mainline: Remaking Religious Tradition in the Twenty-first Century by Stephen Ellingson, When Church Became Theatre: The Transformation of Evangelical Architecture and Worship in Nineteenth-Century America by Jeanne Kilde, and Donald Miller's Reinventing American Protestantism: Christianity in the New Millennium.

This was a very helpful book for me because it reminded me that megachurches are doing megagood things to bring people to Christ and to build them up in the faith. The authors contend that the research shows that megachurches are not what they have been stereotyped to be. Not all megachurches water down the faith, or are a turnoff to young people, or are ready to fall apart as soon as the founding pastor leaves. Many senior ministers and their staffs have thought long and hard about who succeeds them.

Also, the research confirms that many people are drawn to megachurches because of their outstanding forms of worship and for the many services they provide. The authors also deflate the myth that megachurches are not serving the communities they reside in, and they give many examples of churches that are actively involved with serving their city.

The authors also acknowledge the challnges megachurches face: a stumbling economy, the long drives many people have to make to get to the megachurch, the problem of filling the shoes of a beloved senior minister, the problem of people coming and going without getting involved, etc.

I was intrigued throughout. Great book.

Thumma has been researching the Mega Church phenomena for some 15 years. This book is a result from this research (up to 2005) and deals with the myths about megachurches. The book is positive/critical, but most important, it substantiates it's statements on thorough research within the megachurches.
As a theology student, graduating on a research on megachurches in the Netherlands, this book is very usefull, though the situations are not completely alike.
I can recommend this book to everyone who wants to learn more about Megachurches.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for tips and strategies that have helped make megachurches so successful.
While this book will not give you a direct strategy what it does is give you the data from surveys of both megachurches and small churches and then compares and contrasts the differences. It will help you to see what it is that megachurches have done differently.

It will also help to dispel many of the notions and myths that surround megachurches. Some of those myths include "megachurches only grow because of the show", "megachurches are bad for the community", and "The magachurch movement is dying down".

as I siad if you are intrested in learning what it is that magechurches are doing that smaller ones are not this is a MUST have book. It will offer some good insight that you can implement now.

For many years I am interested in a megachurch phenomenon and like to read different books on subject. This book is different. Drawn from a research and destroying the myths surrounding the megachurches, I found this volume worth all the money and highly informative and refreshing. A great study for all the pastors and leaders.

Even though I am not a pastor of megachurch myself (in my country there is no single church with over 500 people in attendance), I have learned a lot about the proccess and principles beyond the growth of the megachurches. I wish someone would do a similar study on world megachurches as well from different cultural tradition. That would be a great volume 2!

As a missionary who works with many churches, I found Beyond Megachurch Myths to be very helpful in increasing my understanding of the church today. I would recommend it to anyone involved in ministry and/or Christian leadership. In addition to enhancing my understanding of the megachurch, I found many practical observations to strengthen my own ministry. I'm already looking forward to Dr. Thumma's next book!

Rev. Jack Landis

For what it attempts to do, which is give you a perspective on the megachurch movement in America, this book is a great choice. Packed with facts to compare against your church or just to understand what's going on. Very easy to read.

I think this piece adequately demonstrated that many of the popular negative impressions people hold of megachurches are false. I've believed that for a long time. Some of the books that came out in the late 90's suggesting that these churches are nothing but marketing and entertainment were clearly exaggerated. I wondered if the authors had actually visited and studied the churches they were slamming.

On the other hand, their claim that megachurches don't grow mainly by transfer from area evangelical churches doesn't square with our studies. So far, in studies of nearly 30 megachurches, we have found only two that had over 10% of their people stating that they met Christ in that church: Willow Creek at 23% and Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa at 60%. Our own church is also over 60%. All the others had less than 10% converts, and many had less than 5%.

Taking the word of pastors and staff on how many in the church are converts vs. transfers doesn't work. Only on the ground interviews of meaningful samples of attendees can be trusted.

Dennis McCallum, author Organic Disciplemaking: How to promote Christian leadership development through personal relationships, biblical discipleship, mentoring, and Christian community