Do people that attend McChurch go home to a McMansion...

[Swede]

Here's a sight that lists these monstrosities. Some of them seat over 7000,one seats 15,000. Jesus wept.

(Warning: This is slow loading)

http://hirr.hartsem.edu/org/faith_megachurches_database_cong.html

[ixion]

1. and pray to their McJeebus?

yep, indeed they do.

Good little drones all. :-(

[MadJohnShaft]

2. McJob, McCar, McKids....

[Protagoras]

3. McBrains

with their McInfotainment.

[Sal316]

4. Not all 'McChurch' goers are drones....

...I'm one of them. And, yes, my church is on that list. I belong to what's called 'Life Covenant Church' based in Edmond, OK. It's more commonly known as LifeChurch.TV.

When I first heard about it, it piqued my curiosity because the infomercial (yes, infomercial) asked "Are you sick of 'religous' people?".

So, when they had their first 'preview', me and my family went to check it out.

We liked it.

So we went back.

And we still liked it.

And now we're members.

For me to enjoy going to church is a minor miracle in itself (pardon the pun). I found that too many 'churches' were all style, no substance...and completely irrelevant to the world today. (I should know, I'm a recovering Catholic). They were also 'cliquey' and exclusive. Not what I imagined Christianity to be.

Lifechurch owns 2 buildings...a main church in OK and a staff office bldg. The rest of their 'campuses' use existing facilities such as schools, etc. They don't spend money on building 'churches' so they can spend it on mission work. They also partner with Alternative Missions doing various things in North, Central, and South America.

This church doesn't use the Bible to beat you into submission (re: yer goin' ta hell or God hates fags!) or to justify discrimination. It's an uplifiting, 'self-centered', message that's relevant, funny, thought-provoking, and most importantly, human.

They have a great kids program, too. I remember going to Catechism and hating it. My kids love going to sunday school, because they learn in a fun, interactive, age appropriate way. I just had to memorize my prayers, and remember the fear of getting it wrong in front of the nuns.

While I do agree that some of these 'McChurches' are 'cultish' (re: TBN, Osteen, etc.), not all of them are.

There's a Hindu belief that 'many rivers lead to the Sea of Enlightenment'. No one church is 'right' or 'wrong'. It may not fit you personally, but it doesn't make it the 'wrong' religion/church. That's the point I think most RW Christians miss....and even some of us on the left, too.

Anyway, that's just my two cents....take it for what it's worth.

Peace,

Christian aka Sal316

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. I can't imagine going to a giant church. :^) I grew up in a tiny

town that could be swallowed up byt those churches. I like the coziness of a small congregation but I can see the draw of the big churches. Especially those old cathedrals. I visited some in France and they really did inspire a sense of spiritual awe and majesty. (But so does spednign time in nature.)

Editing to ask.. Is it progressive enought to be listed on Would Jesus love a liberal? http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/liberalchristians.htm

[Sal316]

10. Our campus isn't that big....

...maybe 50-75 people there.

The numbers for lifechurch come because they broadcast from OK to 7 different campuses....so not everyone is in the same place.

I've gotten to know the pastor, his wife and kids, the band guys, a number of people that go.... it is really cozy.

[catabryna]

5. Nope, not all in my case!

I go to a church that is affiliated with Willow Creek. The reason Willow Creek is such a big church and the local church that I attend in Austin has grown from 50 people in 1998 to roughly 4,000 is because we are meeting a need for a more contemporary worship experience and "fire and damnation" aren't our middle names.

I can't say the same for all churches on that list, but I can say that in our instance, people seem to find us. We don't actively go out to find them.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. How progressive is it? Would it be something I should list on

Would Jesus love a liberal?

http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/liberalchristians.htm

[catabryna]

11. Well, I think "how progessive" is ...

probably in the eye of the beholder. I find it to be progressive, but you can visit their website to get a feel... they have mpegs of their Sunday messages among other things. Our pastor just recently published his own book as well.

www.gatewaychurch.com

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. Thanks. I will check it out. For myself progressive means

open to gays, tolerant to pluralistic (all faiths lead to God), and if not outright universalist they at least do not use Hell to browbeat people. :)

[catabryna]

13. Wouldn't say outright universalist...

but, most definitely open to gays and I wouldn't go to a church that used Hell to browbeat people! I'm not even sure that I believe in the traditional concept of Hell.

[Sequoia]

6. McDonalds for lunch.

[Skidmore]

7. Shoot, you can attend McChurch without leaving your McCouch.

[Swede]

14. I was talking about the huge mega church monstrosites going up all over

the USA.