Dave, It seems too much of a generalization to say that ALL fast growing churches or ALL megachurches are weak and not spreading the gospel correctly and effectively. Some folk are doing things well, fostering community and leading in the power of the Spirit. There should be a distaste in our mouths for those ministries built around a personality, or on the prosperity garbage. Obviously you can draw a crowd without building a community of faith. However, one of the biggest mistakes I’ve witnessed among fundamentalists is to assume that every big church is inherently wrong, or worldly, or fill in the blank merely because of its size.
Could it be that most organizations, including churches, grow according to the capacity of their leadership (not discounting the power of the Spirit, of course)? Many of the IFB’s I have been in have been fairly solid overall, but their leadership could only take them to a certain point. And that is why many of the IFB churches do well, but only up to a certain number of members/attenders. It’s not the programs, it’s not necessarily poor preaching. But you can only grow into the abilities of the leaders. These big churches obviously have strong leaders.
Discussion
NewGeneralization
It seems too much of a generalization to say that ALL fast growing churches or ALL megachurches are weak and not spreading the gospel correctly and effectively. Some folk are doing things well, fostering community and leading in the power of the Spirit. There should be a distaste in our mouths for those ministries built around a personality, or on the prosperity garbage. Obviously you can draw a crowd without building a community of faith. However, one of the biggest mistakes I’ve witnessed among fundamentalists is to assume that every big church is inherently wrong, or worldly, or fill in the blank merely because of its size.
Could it be that most organizations, including churches, grow according to the capacity of their leadership (not discounting the power of the Spirit, of course)? Many of the IFB’s I have been in have been fairly solid overall, but their leadership could only take them to a certain point. And that is why many of the IFB churches do well, but only up to a certain number of members/attenders. It’s not the programs, it’s not necessarily poor preaching. But you can only grow into the abilities of the leaders. These big churches obviously have strong leaders.
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