Why go to a mega-church?

I attend one of the larger churches in Sydney, Australia, and friends that attend smaller churches often wonder why I would find the mega-church experience satisfying. My simple answer is that is where I was saved (i.e. found God) and thus where I attend. However there is far more to the mega-church experience than most people assume. For one thing there is a plethora of ministries within it that can engage people in a more specialised way than a smaller church could afford to. For example offering courses to help people with drug addictions, problems with sexual sin or marriage breakdowns.

The New York Times recently published an article discussing how a recent survey found that Americans are changing faiths/denominations at an increasing rate. Whilst the overall article is interesting, this quote reinforces my point:

“The trend is toward more personal religion, and evangelicals offer that,” said Mr. Prothero, chairman of the religion department at Boston University, who explained that evangelical churches tailor many of their activities for youth. “Those losing out are offering impersonal religion and those winning are offering a smaller scale: mega-churches succeed not because they are mega but because they have smaller ministries inside.”

At the same time the onus is on larger churches to not lazily plan mega-events (which are relatively easy to centrally control) but to empower and support smaller ministries, whilst ensuring that standards and culture meet those of the larger church. I'm proud to say that I think the guys running my church have got this nailed, but it's a dynamic equilibrium, and as such requires constant monitoring to ensure it is done right whilst allowing people breathing space to get things wrong and be individually creative.

Inside the mind of a suicide bomber via Halo 3

Wired columnist Clive Thompson writes about how Suicide Bombing Makes Sick Sense in 'Halo 3', and gives us a better understanding of asymmetric warfare from the side with less power.

Real Men 2008

CCC's Real Men conference for 2008 is titled "Life", it will be on 25th-26th July 2008. Here is the promo for it:

Losing the culture wars?

It seems that Christians are increasingly becoming aware that we are losing the culture wars, beaten back by the sexual revolution, anti-creation science teaching in schools and the post-modern tendency to see everything as relative and DIY mysticism as a healthy spiritual path.

Time magazine has an article about Christianity's Image Problem, Michael Craven questions whether Christians are the problem and the tepid success of Christian movie brand Fox Faith makes some wonder if Christians are even paying attention. I found this comment about Fox Faith's difficulties most interesting:

Media guru Phil Cooke, president of Cooke Pictures, said Fox Faith faces unique challenges from “a branding point of view” due to the diversity of the Christian community.

“While the general culture looks at 'Christians' being a homogenous group of people, we [Christians] track along a wide range of extremes in our thinking, our attitudes toward culture, and our doctrinal perspectives,” Cooke said. “The Passion of The Christ, which pretty much set this 'faith-based' fascination off in the minds of Hollywood, was a traditional story of the Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. It told a story that the main thrust of the Christian community can agree on, and as a result, hit the box office jackpot. But once you drift from that central story that is the core of our faith, all bets are off.”

For me that hits the nail on the head. Christians are losing the culture wars because we are not a simple monolithic block. Different parts of the Christian faith succeed in different areas.

The Catholic church is still very well regarded for its third world missions and charity works, whilst in the first world many look so the Salvation Army or other Christian organisations for hope and mercy. Some Australian denominations like Christian City Church and Hillsong are well known for their emphasis on modern cultural elements in their worship and services, whilst also encouraging their congregation to be involved in the world of media and business. The Anglican church is well regarded for their intellectual rigour and emphasis on academic study, whilst also reaching out to their local communities.

Of course the fact that different groups of Christians have different effects upon the world should not be a surprise to us:

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.”
1 Corinthians 12:12

The culture wars (if you like to see them that way) are really going to be won one fight at a time by the Christians on the ground. One day the church may be “chief among the mountains” (see Michah 4:1) , but that day is not yet come.

World’s Funniest Dad

Via Roy Osherove World’s Funniest Dad comes some great laughter medicine:

Amazing Grace (Movie)

The abolition of legalised slavery in the British Empire in 1807 was one of the great turning points for Western civilization, and was directly because of the powerful conversion of John Newton, a former slaveship master turned Anglican rector, who counselled the British MP William Wilberforce after his own conversion experience to serve God by staying in politics and fighting slavery and general sinfulness.

John Newton is most famously remembered for his heartfelt hymn, Amazing Grace, which captured the essence of his conversion experience.

A new movie called Amazing Grace has been made about William Wilberforce and John Newton and will be released in Australia on 26th July.

Modern Slavery
Unfortunately the abolition of legal slavery in most countries around the world has not stopped the trafficking of human beings. Stop the Traffik is a global organisation setup to help raise awareness of human trafficking and call on the UN and member governments to do more to combat this massive problem. They are using the Amazing Grace film to raise awareness for the plight of people in bondage.


For more good information on this topic check out the Anti-Slavery Project, which is supported by the Community Law Centre at the University of Technology, Sydney, and the BBC UK's Modern Slavery in-depth feature, which provides the following shocking statistics:

Australian Pentecostals < Buddhists

Amongst the various interest census facts reported by the SMH was this one:

“Though Pentecostal churches grew 26 per cent in Australia and 48 per cent in NSW, they remain numerically small, with 219,000 adherents, about half the numbers of Buddhists.”

That is a mixed result, it is brilliant that Pentecostal churches are growing, disheartening that they remain such a small part of the Christian faith in Australia and weird that there are more Buddhists - although given the loose definition of 'Buddhist' (likes Richard Gere, meditates, read a couple of books once, is a vegan), it is perhaps not so surprising.