Mini-church vs. Mega-church
“Consider it the religious version of the Walmart effect that has swept through America – with more and more people deciding to find religion at the spiritual version of big-box stores rather than at small mom-and-pop-style congregations.”
This from Bob Smietana’s Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why It Matters, where he devotes a chapter to the current church reality in the USA. The numbers stagger.
First, most congregations are small but most people are in megachurches or bigger churches.
Second, the “median congregation had only 70 regular participants” in 2018-2019, though later I think Bob said 65. Anyway, choose your number. That’s the median.
Third, the average person going to church goes to one with 360 regulars with a budget of 450K.
Fourth, the top 1 percent of churches have close to 20% of the people and resources.
Which means church life in the USA mirrors the social conditions of America.
Fifth, the megachurches are populated mostly by people who have left smaller churches for the big church.
Sixth, those in the megachurches both give less money and participate as volunteers less. The criticism that megachurches attract those who want the show without commitment hits the nail on the head. I would contend, however, that those who do participate actively in these large churches are every bit as committed and have greater resources for their active work.
Seventh, here’s a big one: the observers of this stuff contend that the shift of church populations to the megachurches is “another possible sign of the decline of organized religion.”
Eighth, the inequality of churches (people and resources) is very similar to the inequalities in the broader culture. “A relative handful of big churches have about half of the money and people,” according to the long-term research of March Chaves of Duke.
Why are people shifting to the megachurches? I give a few of my guesses:
First, many people have been burned in small churches and are looking for a safe place.
Second, the performance level of both music or worship, as well as the captivating speaking by the preachers attract many.
Third, the resources and the variety of ministries available at megachurches gives people a niche into which they can plug in their own aspirations and desires for participation.
Fourth, the expectations for megachurch attenders are considerably less, if also often nonexistent. Those who participate in mini-churches or small churches are expected to participate, their names and lives are known, and they are under (in some sense) a greater scrutiny about their Christian behaviors.
For most of my adult life we went to megachurches, had and led mall group experiences, and poured out our time, energy, and money for not much return other than fellowship and entertaining services and robust programming for our kids. Now I’ve joined a local liturgical church of 30 white haired people. The first Sunday the female pastor learned our names and has remembered them ever since. She says my name at communion. She also pastors me and the rest of the flock, and this is the first time I can ever remember feeling that feeling of being under a pastor’s care. This little church plays a vital role in caring for the elderly and poor in our community, and I am blessed to be there and to join in with all they are doing. I will never go back to a megachurch.
I’ve been using the comparison of Walmart and the mega church for a few years now. The larger churches suck out of the little churches money and talent, and drowns out their voice in the community. They are a one-stop-shop for the whole family to get what they need without too much effort. One major difference between Walmart and the mega churches, is you usually get your coffee and donut free from the church.