Last week, a group of around 25 people met together in Orlando to see how mega and micro churches can cooperate together for the Kingdom. The group consisted of representatives from four mega churches, two denominations, a missions group and several simple church networks. Those from the mega churches were very sympathetic to what simple church represents.
We looked at what God is doing around the nation and the different strengths that both have to offer. Mega churches are very visible, and can make an impact at a national level that simple churches cannot. (For example, mega church leaders Rick Warren and Joel Hunter were involved in the inauguration ceremonies of Barack Obama.) They have many different resources. However, simple churches can reach into segments of society that will not darken the doors of a church building. They usually have a deep understanding of community.
All of us are seeking the Kingdom, even though our expressions of church may be very different. If we can learn to build each other up, we will advance the work of God.
It was an interesting dialog, and very encouraging for a first attempt at this. Perhaps most important were the friendships that were formed. I believe one of the results is that we will be working much more closely with the mega church here in Austin.
9 replies on “Mega/Micro”
I’m so glad to hear about this kind of dialog. When I share with friends that are concerned about the ‘little journey‘, one of the things I try to sincerely convey is that I don’t see it as I’m right in my journey and they are now wrong, but that this is where the Father has me in this season of my life. This is the expression of church that I’m desiring to see developed and matured in my life.
At times when I previously participated in community pastors groups, (as a faith-based ministry director) I always believed that those connections were so important. It was so important for the body of Christ to see that each of us has his part in the kingdom. I came to see it as, each of us has a portion of the harvest field that we labor in. And in each section of the field some of us may be watering, while others are weeding, others planting seeds, others breaking up the hard ground. Then there is the other portions of the field where others are tending to what the Father has them doing. Then as we join together, then we can even over lap in in our labors and be even more effective in our ability to share Christ. Coming together, encouraging one another, building up one another, learning from one another.
Felicity – this is fantastic. Did you take notes? I would love to hear what you guys learned and what practical ways you see working together.
For house churches, megachurches are great fishing grounds. Just go Sunday morning asking the Lord to lead you to fish, and you will always find a seeking family, couple, or individual to take to lunch.
Take it from there …
I used to have an “us vs. them” attitude when it came to micro and mega church. Now I see it as “one body many parts”.
You are correct in saying “all of us are seeking the Kingdom”. We need them and they need us.
1 Corinthians 12:21 says, “And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.” and verse 26 says, “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
Sherry’s comment is spot on.
Take It Home — Where it Belongs!
Western Christianity, by virtue of the Institutional Church claims 400,000 churches and $230 Billion worth of church buildings – in America alone, a multi-billion dollar book industry, radio programs and networks, Music and Dove Awards, multi national TV networks, and countless seminaries and training programs. Never in history has the church had more resources. Yet, look at the culture, and ask this question: Are we getting the job done?
Now, consider this: The early church in the first three centuries had none of the things mentioned above. They were largely illiterate, poor, illegal, without any scriptures to speak of, and had no church buildings or professional clergy. Yet, they grew from 25,000 in 100 AD to over 20,000,000 in 300 AD. This, at a time when the world’s population is thought to be but 300 million — the Roman Empire in the neighborhood of 45 million. Not only was the early church transforming the culture, but it was close to bringing the Roman Empire to its knees.
It was about that time, Emperor Constantine, after seeing he couldn’t beat them — ‘joined’ them, and established the Institutional Church under the authority of the Roman government.
I would not have been well received at a meeting of this sort. I am too firmly entrenched in the reality that the Institutional paradigm is built off a foundational lie ROOTED in PAGANISM, and would have made that conviction well known.
Pal Madden
http://www.ylifeonline.org
The Organic Church is to the Institutional Church what conservatism is to liberalism.
Pal Madden
http://www.ylifeonline.org
Bravo to whoever set up the Mega/Micro meeting! It is certainly good to talk!
It’s my opinion that we err when we allow the format to become the focus. God only knows the hours wasted each Sunday morning rehearsing the reasons “we” are better than “them”.
Jesus was emphatic about making disciples and apparently ambivalent concerning format.
This is encouraging. The “us” v/s “them” approach fails the test of an individuals’ desire to serve others, as Jesus served his disciples. What makes me think I can love my neighbor when we meet in a house as a church, but cannot love a member of my congregation whom I meet on sunday mornings? They both need to be served – without any partiality. I have been trying to get such a dialog going within our church, which is an instituaional church. I just have not found good reasons to leave it – the Lord has called me to love them – whether they are in a simple church setting or not. I am hoping the Lord is truly at work and will guide me in this phase of the dialog with our church leaders and use it to restore his Church to what He wants it to be.
This “thing” going on is of God and Him only. To turn back and cooperate with that which He moved us out of is wrong I believe. If He want’s those people out He will open their eyes like He has ours. Running back to the man-headed fraud of a church to get confirmation will only pollute what God is doing. The Catholic missionaries allowed the heathens to keep their ways only to have this Christian-heathen religion, only because they wanted to grow for success/control and $$$$$. Let God do His thing and get out of the way, His view of success might be very small and pure.