The Mega Church in America: Missionary or Miscreant

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The Mega Church in America Missionary or Miscreant The size of the Christian megachurch is manifested in its title, which demonstrates that this typically prodigious and resplendent edifice sustains a weekly attendance of at least two thousand congregants; and that the majority of the mega churches are of the Protestant persuasion, of which its doctrine is basically the antithesis of Catholicism’s authoritarian structures, as well as the other major religions of Islam, Hinduism and Old Testament Judaism (The Hartford Seminary). Over the years, there has not only been an enormous emergence of mega churches here in the US, but also of many disparaging remarks from the public, comedians, books and the news media, about this institution. Some assert that these types of churches are not really concerned about the souls of the people, and they are prodigious only because of the avarice, a misrepresentation of Jesus Christ and a manipulation of the hearts of people, in conjunction with a gross negligence of spiritual leadership. The truth is, that in some instances there is malfeasance, but in others, the church is led by the Spirit of God with vigor and integrity. The church or Ecclesia, as it is called in the original Greek language, regardless of size, are the called out ones who assemble to represent the Body and life of Jesus Christ. They engage in meetings of praise, worship, and listening to the Word of God, which is taken from their manual called the Holy Bible, or the Scriptures; those bringing the message are considered to be the mouthpieces for God, and are typically called preachers (KJV, Eph 5.23-32). According to the Bible, the church, which includes the preachers, is to strive to exemplify the type of life that Jesu... ... middle of paper ... ...veland, Anne C., and Otis B. Wheeler: From Meetinghouse to Megachurch A material and Cultural History. Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 2003. Print Megachurch Definition .Hartford Seminary, The Hartford Institute for Religion Research, N.P., 2000 -2006. Web 11 Nov. 2011 McElvaine, Robert S. Grand Theft JESUS: the hijacking of religion in America. New York: Crown Publishers, a division of Random House Inc., 2008. Print Moore, Laurence R. Selling GOD American Religion in the Marketplace of Culture. New York : Oxford University Press, 1994. Print Thumma, Scott and Dave Travis. Beyond Megachurch Myths What We Can Learn from America’s Largest Churches .California: John Wiley & Sons Inc. Published Jossey- Bass.2007. Print

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