I heard a cool term the other day: GigaChurch. It's a word for a church of 10,000 people or more. This guy claims to have coined the term in a Washington Post article.
As the article mentions, I too heard a few years ago that MegaChurches were on the decline, and would soon be replaced by smaller, more intimate churches from the emerging church movement.
But as everything seems to be fragmenting these days, so too has the church world fragmented. I don't intend a negative connotation with "fragmentation" but a good one - fragmentation means we have a multitude of choices today. Read my article on fragmentation at WorshipIdeas. MegaChurches and GigaChurches are springing up all over, far from dead, but you can also attend a small group, a house church, a video venue or watch a service on the Internet.
Another thing I've noticed that the article mentions is that when a MegaChurch reaches 5,000, growth begins to speed up and it often morphs into a GigaChurch. I've seen this happen in two local MegaChurches. One of them had been hovering around 4,000-5,000 last year this time and shot up over 10,000 during the holidays. And Newspring has been on a steady growth curve for years and will soon be at the weekly 10,000 mark.
The author sees smaller, thriving, mission-minded churches under 600 people co-existing with the Mega and Gigachurches.
However, if your church just doesn't care anymore or is wrapped up in political church drama it may not around much longer.
This so parallels the Wal-Mart effect in business that it isn't funny. Dumb little stores that do dumb little things will get clobbered by Wal-Mart who will do most things smarter, cheaper and better.
You can't compete with Wal-Mart if you're cheap and boring. Why go to your local, boring grocery store when Super Wal-Mart has everything they do, only cheaper? But Whole Foods thrives because they offer what Wal-Mart's grocery doesn't: class, ambiance, wireless and yummy, gourmet food items. Have you ever taken home a meal from their hotbar? Wow!
Little churches can't even begin to compete with the talent and programs of a MegaChurch, nor should they try. So what can they offer that the MegaChurch can't?
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- Arranger/composer Don Chapman is the creative energy behind several websites devoted to contemporary worship: HymnCharts, WorshipFlow, and WorshipIdeas.com. He's the editor of the weekly WorshipIdeas newsletter that is read by over 50,000 worship leaders across the world.
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21 comments:
In some ways. the smaller church has a better opportunity to be "personal" and not treat members like numbers. True, the larger churches may also have "small group" settings but for some it's just not the same.
For whatever reason, some people desire a worship and faith journey in a "small town" atmosphere than the metropolis feeling of some churches. They also feel more welcome among a smaller group of people.
The same holds true for others who find comfort in the worship and faith journey in a much larger setting. There are more programs and there is more energy to support more activities. Some just feel more welcome in a fast paced setting.
I'm Music Director of a church with about 160 attending two services. We're beginning a "Contemporary" worship directed at the 20-30's crowd. This added service, which begins at 11:15, makes three on Sunday morning.
I agree, we can't really "compete" with the local large churches in many ways. However, the few young adults the church does have are expecting a "mega-church" worship experience and to get there from the very first Sunday!
How can I communicate to them in a loving manner, the advantages of the smaller church that we are and still attract the young adults?
The word "compete" troubles me when it comes to churches in general. What and who are we competing for?? Are we competing for which church is more popular?
bigger perhaps? are we competing
for new members? or maybe if the church is big enough and popular enough it may be televised??
Is churches today close to what our Lord Jesus Christ envisioned when He established it for the first time. Is our churches connecting to the people who does not know Christ so that these people will have the opportunity to know Him??
Are we too pre-occupied to make make mega churches and giga churches and better and better worship service performances with superb musical arrangements that rivals the secular world's best?
Only to forget why we are here and why Christ established His church.
Once in a while I would like to hear a good story about how our churches affected their surrounding community so well that it created a revival and many, many people got save and commited their lives to Christ.
Please be easy on me, I look forward to reading all the articles at "Worship Ideas" and enjoy them very much, espcially the great tips and advise on "Praise and Worship". I just want to remind us that praise and worship is only a small part of what our Lord Jesus expects us to do here, getting people connected to God because of His Son is what is all about............
Yes I know music is a great tool to use to reach out many people, especially the younger group and I'm not downgrading the value of it. But does this mean that if a church does not have a decent praise and worship team or a creative music director that it will fail and not grow?
Excellence. No matter what size your church is, excellence will help reach the lost for Christ. The style/genre does not matter as much as the quality of said style/genre. The size of a church does not matter as much as the quality either! God is a big God and doesn't NEED any one person (or group of people) to share His love and grace to the world. All we can do (as his church) is do our absolute best to spread the Good News. If that means having church in our living rooms - so be it! If that means spending millions (or billions) of dollars to build the largest auditorium on the planet - so be it!
Fantastic articles as always Don!
In general, small groups help people feel welcome no matter how big the regular service gets.
At a college campus, the congregation changes over almost completely in four years. Small group sizes fluctuate drastically. A former leader told me that perhaps the size of the group you have dictates whom you're given to minister. That is, if you're a small church, you're a small church for a reason. If you're big, you're big for a reason. And if you're doing it for the sake of Christ, that reason is good.
Small church does not equal failure. Big church does not necessarily equal impersonal. As Adam says above, the point is the Gospel being spread, however that is accomplished.
Don, would you consider including ShapingWorship.com as a free resource in your WorshipIdeas mailing? Check it out - tips, devotions, music, all free.
they can offer less people.
:-)
I'm optimistically awaiting the day when we separate style and music from worship. Worship has NOTHING to do with style. Worship has NOTHING to do with music. Style and music are EXPRESSIONS of worship. God DESERVES our worship b/c HE is worthy and we give him our worship by the way we live...everyday! As far as music and style, if you're going to get participation in those arenas then you HAVE TO be relevant in your demographic area. Businesses that are successful are relevant or they go out of business. The church needs to be relevant. After all, we have a very relevant message. I believe the church and church leaders could learn a lesson from Thomas Jefferson. "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock!" If we could get this it would be hard for any church not to grow beyond capacity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDqRheBu2cg
Don Chapman's piece on "GigaChurch" was a huge disappointment, so far as to say it was most certainly an offense to "The" Church. (I would even think it was an offense to Jesus, Himself.)
THIS is not the right spirit, Don! You're not edifying the body, whether it is a body of 120 saints, or the the body of a "GigaChurch", itself.
Run, do not walk, to your prayer closet, brother!
I'm surprised that Imagevine even had a link to this.
RICH YOUNG
Harvest Fellowship
Good heavens, this is one of my less controversial articles! Please don't continue reading my blog or you may very well have a stroke.
You got it, Don!
I will take you to lunch until I am broke to gain from the wisdom that is Don Chapman. After searching out your blog via Adam, blown away about your knowledge and ideas behind worship, church, and music in general. Great stuff man!
Hi all,
Ok, ok define what you believe is
"The Church" what I mean here is the church that our Lord Jesus Christ established here on earth to
spread HIs Gospel, reach out to those who do not know Him, and give
comfort, guidance, help, minister
etc, etc, to those that do know Him.
He (Jesus Christ)did not specify "SIZE" and "WHERE" as far
as HIs church is to gather and meet. He is more concerned in making sure HIs church spread out,
increase, reach out to all people and all nations, young, old, big, small I think you are now hopefully getting the picture of what is the "CHURCH", that is us, meaning "us" who believe on Him as far as being our Lord and Savior, it has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the size and or size of the building we gather, isn't it??
So, if you ask me, on a typical sunday morning or evening where I would rather see young people go,
either at a" METALLICA CONCERT" full of drugs and hedonism or....
a "HILLSONG UNITED" worship service
of about 10,000 young worshipers,
it is a no brainer..........
c'mon folks wake up
blessings
ed
What bee got into Rich's bonnet? (Though Don, you didn't have to drive the guy away; you might have drawn him out about why he had a beef with the article.)
The Jerusalem church had thousands of members. Don's point seems to be that there's nothing inherently wrong or right, better or worse, about large churches or small churches. It's a simple fact. So what?
Small churches can offer an immediate intimacy and accessibility that can be harder to come by in huge congregations. There's less opportunity to be anonymous, a greater likelihood of being spotted as a visitor and treated as a guest, instead of having to seek out the information booth or consult a campus map on your own.
Just a thought...is the church an evangelistic tool to provide a hip place for unsaved people to hang out(while the rest of us do Acts 2:42)?
It may be. I'm just not sure that scripture supports or prohibits this. I'm personally knee-deep in cool church hipness, and I'm not sure that it's the best thing for the bride of Christ.
I do enjoy being a part of edgy music, but it bothers me to see the theological ignorance around me.
The bottom line is that a sovereign God is fully able to sort it all out, but I do have personal doubts about where we've headed.
I am a musician and dont go to a church based on how great the music is. I have yet to see any church come close the the musicianship that I go to concerts to see, (and i have been to newspring) and thats ok. Thats not why I go. I go to be spiritually uplifted. Not entertained. Thats just me though!!!
Smaller churches offer opportunities to utilize and develop the member's giftings as unique individuals - it could be in visual arts, music, drama, preaching, teaching and serving.
God gave us these gifts to serve others and not just stay in church like guests being served all the time. As much as I like going to big churches, I don't think I would have had the chance to use my voice to lead the worship or be mentored by my pastors closely.
A lot of people goes to these big churches only to sit next to strangers every week, listen to the preaching and worship, then go home.
Intimate relationships are harder to form as they usually get stuck in the superficial level of acquaintance - whatever happened to sisterhood and brotherhood in Christ.
Whereas if you go to a smaller church and serve there, you get to know the people in a spiritually deeper level, which means, encouragements are more heartfelt and prayers are more relevant to each of the member's lives.
Everybody is encouraged to serve with whatever gift they have, no one is just a face in the crowd.
Character is refined when we serve each other, there are ups and downs, disagreements and personality clashes at some point, but the most important thing is, really growing together, learning how to forgive, love, and to uphold each other to Christ.
Please don't get me wrong, like I said before, I myself go to big churches sometimes and I definitely love the worship, but as far as spiritual growth, I'd personally prefer smaller churches.
Cheap and boring...Well, the cost is high to be a christian and it is certainly not cheap and boring but, those who do not realize the price paid by Jesuds Chrsit that we can be free from sin and have eternity would not understand such a high price and before zJesus went to our Father, He ministered to one on the cross, a robber who was beside Him. A congregation of one who listened. How may are listening? How many understand and can testify to the mercy and pardon so freely given at a PRICE WE COULD NEVER AFFORD. tHE SIZE OF THE CHURCH DOES NOT MATTER, WHAT MATTERS IS THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO ABIDE AND WHO THEY CAME TO WORSHIP.
Hi all
A few things to consider. Firstly, I don't think Jesus ever went to church, and if he arrived today, he'd probably be much more comfortable in a synagogue than in almost any Christian church.
Secondly, I have a suspicion that God isn't interested in our singing and music. That's for us, and maybe we should admit it. God is interested in how we love others, not how we sing. I really, really believe this. The worship is actually for us - I don't mind if you enjoy singing, but I don't think we should pretend it's for God. I love good music, but I recognise that the enjoyment is mine. God is interested in how I love and care for others.
There is very little talk of Jesus singing, or telling us that God enjoys our singing. What Jesus shows us is pleasing to God, is giving a cup of water to a thirsty person, feeding the hungry...
Kind regards
Andrew
Sigh......The gospel, the truth of his Word has been sustaining Christians for 2000 years without the need or help of "Relevancy, Vision, Purpose, Leadership".
Let me tell you something, If The Great USA went trhough another great depression, do you think lost people will make a choice of the church where they want to seek God based on music?? Lights? Style? Give me a BREAK!!
Thats WHY OUR AMERICAN GOSPEL only works in AMERICA...go preach that to the persecuted church in China, India or in 3rd World Countries like Peru, etc etc
My friends, it seems to me the wrong gospel is being preached at all these Giga, Tetra, Mega social clubs...churches...
No wonder the Paul Washers of today do not draw big crowds like the Perry Non so Noble, etc etc
I'm going to sound like "Rodney King" when I say, "Can't we all just get along?"
I've been leading music in churches for over 30 years. I've seen good, but unfortunatel, mostly bad come from the so-called "worship" wars. The truth is, all through Christian music history, there have been cycles of musical controversy that Christians have had knock-down, drag out fights over. For example, there was tremendous upheaval regarding whether or not the Church should:
- Change unison, unaccompanied Gregorian Chant to include part singing (14th-15th centuries)
- include or not include instruments in the worship service (14th century until now)
- allow women to sing or not to sing (13th – 17th century)
- use only scripture songs from the Bible or allow human composed "hymns" and poetry (16th – 17th century)
- use only melodies passed down from previous generations or to allow new ones (15th century to now)
- allow percussion instruments and "rock" music used in worship, and on and on (13th century to now)
-
These things will never stop being argued about until Jesus comes.
My take is, why not learn and utilize the best from the past and the present? Why does it have to turn into a theological tug of war as to who's music is the "best" for reaching people and growing the church? Or, whose music style is more "worshipful"?
And, something else that always bugs about these discussions is, the seemingly inevitable attempt to put some sort of patronizing "spiritual" put-down on churches using "traditional" music, or churches using "blended" music, or churches using only "contemporary" music. The implication being, that if you don't do it "our/my" way - your church is going to die out or it's not relevant to our society.
The truth is we are not all the same. Big churches reach certain types of people. Small churches in rural Arkansas reach a certain type of people. Churches in large cities, in small towns, in rural towns, in college towns, etc. all attract different kinds of people.
Not everyone listens to the same radio station. Look at the myriads of differing styles of secular pop music/rap, hip-hop, country, cross-over, fusion, heavy metal, etc. These stations all exist because they have an audience.
My point is that as long as the message of the Gospel preached in a particular church conforms with sound Biblical Christian doctrine, I really don't think the "style" really matters all that much. It is the Holy Spirit that draws the unbeliever ultimately to salvation. God can use whatever gifts your church has been given, whether great or small, in reaching people for Him and aiding your people in worship.
I enjoy and appreciate some new contemporary songs and hymns. People who refuse to listen, use or adapt to it may miss a blessing - but that is Ok with me because I do not believe everyone MUST listen to and like everything I like. On the other hand, I enjoy and appreciate many traditional hymns and Gospel songs of the past. Those who refuse to use, sing, or even adapt some of the great hymns of our faith miss out on a wealth of Christian hymnody passed down to us through centuries of persecution, trials, revivals, highs and lows in the Christian church. All of these types and styles of Christian music have validity.
So, what am I saying? Learn from the new, the old, from each other and utilize what works for your church. What works in my church probably wouldn't work in Zimbabwe. That doesn't mean that the musical style I am using now is "wrong" or the Christian music used in Zimbabwe is "wrong" - just different.
Let’s be comfortable with the idea that God can and does use all kinds of musical styles and giftedness.
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