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Christianity And The Mega Church
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Book Synopsis Unraveling the Mega-Church by : Wilmer MacNair
Download or read book Unraveling the Mega-Church written by Wilmer MacNair and published by Praeger. This book was released on 2009-05-14 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As American mega-churches continue to grow in both number and congregation size, more and more people want to know what all the commotion is about. Here, MacNair shows the emergence of the modern mega-church as not only a disturbing break from tradition, but as a distortion of the Christian tradition of worship - morphing the Church into something more like a business than a place of worship or a place where the presence of Jesus is preserved for future generations. This book answers several questions in an effort to help readers better understand this trend: What is the impact of the emergence of the mega-church, what does this mean to modern Christianity and to the future of Christianity? What does this tell us about the practice of religion today and about faith in God, in any God, in any religion, in the face of the encroachment of mega organizational thinking and money-making upon traditional belief systems? An inside observer, social scientist and faith leader, MacNair offers an insightful critique of mega-churches and their proliferation throughout the country. Reporting from within the halls of Christian history and the Christian intellectual tradition, he offers a new perspective on a growing trend in American Christianity. Taking readers on a tour of a typical mega-church, MacNair reveals the inner workings of this growing organizational approach to American Christianity. He looks at the physical meeting place, the music, the sermon, the groups and services available to congregants, the messages and values it promotes, and the future of the mega-church in America. He argues that the main goal of the mega-church is growth and expansion, and that such an approach distorts the essence of Christianity and sends the wrong message to followers. With more than 1200 mega-churches in the U.S., and hundreds of thousands of congregants, this controversial work will pique the interest of anyone who wishes to know more about the movement as well as the critiques it engenders.
Download or read book Ingenuity written by Lisa L. Thompson and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 2018-11-06 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ingenuity introduces a theology and practice of preaching that emerges from the faith and wisdom of black women. Preaching has been resourced and taught from a narrow field of cultural or gendered experiences, historically. Without much support from established channels, black women are left to “figure it out” on their own, and others discern how to preach from a limiting scope. The best preachers understand their own voices and the voices of others. They stretch and grow, and this enables them to preach more effectively. Ingenuity equips readers to negotiate tradition, life experiences, and theological conviction in the creative work that makes way for sacred speech. With Ingenuity, Lisa Thompson offers deep insights for anyone seeking to enlarge their understanding, their language, and their sense of lived experiences, and offers practical help through “In Practice” segments for those who preach. "Written from the deep well of the spirituality of Black women, Thompson has given us a remarkable guide for what preaching should be and must be for the times we are in. Accessible, thoughtful, probing, pastoral, prophetic—all come together in this text. A must read for anyone committed to faithful excellence in proclaiming the word." -Emilie M. Townes, Dean and E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of Womanist Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
Book Synopsis Handbook of Megachurches by : Stephen J. Hunt
Download or read book Handbook of Megachurches written by Stephen J. Hunt and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2019-11-26 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The megachurch is an exceptional recent religious trend, certainly within Christian spheres. Spreading from the USA, megachurches now reached reach different global contexts. The edited volume Handbook of Megachurches offers a comprehensive account of the subject from various academic perspectives.
Book Synopsis Christianity and the Mega Church by : Elizabeth Robinson
Download or read book Christianity and the Mega Church written by Elizabeth Robinson and published by Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.. This book was released on 2020-04-23 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To evaluate the validity of the megachurch as we know it, this book will focus on the ability of the megachurch here in America to win souls for Christ or whether its function serves as a big business in our society under the auspices of church.
Download or read book High on God written by James Wellman and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2020 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Focuses on the emotional, social, and religious dynamics that pull thousands of people into megachurches and how those churches make some feel like they are 'high on God' and can't wait to get their next spiritual 'hit'"--Publisher marketing.
Book Synopsis Beyond Megachurch Myths by : Scott Thumma
Download or read book Beyond Megachurch Myths written by Scott Thumma and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2007-08-10 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on extensive, broad-based, and well-designed research, as well as stories and anecdotes, Beyond Megachurch Myths dispels popluar myths about megachurches while highlighting the diversity within the megachurch phenomenon. Defining a megachurch as a Protestant church that averages at least 2000 total attendees in their weekend services, Scott Thumma and Dave Travis reveal what these churches are and are not, why they are thriving, what their members say about their experiences, and why they have many valuable lessons to teach smaller churches.
Book Synopsis The Purpose Driven Church by : Rick Warren
Download or read book The Purpose Driven Church written by Rick Warren and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2007-09-04 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The issue is church health, not church growth—if your church is healthy, growth will occur naturally. So how do we make healthy churches, driven by purpose? In order for any church to thrive, it must be built around the five New Testament purposes given to the church by Jesus Christ. In this classic of Christian church stability, pastor and bestselling author of The Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren unpacks this proven five-part strategy that will enable your church to grow: Warmer through fellowship. Deeper through discipleship. Stronger through worship. Broader through ministry. Larger through evangelism. Every church is driven by something. Tradition, finances, programs, personalities, events, seekers, and even buildings can each be the controlling force in a church. But Warren will show you how to concentrate on building people and let God build the church. In other words, healthy, consistent growth is the result of balancing the five biblical purposes of the church. And The Purpose Driven Church will show you how to do that. “The Purpose Driven Church has brought focus and direction to more pastors and church leaders than you can count. What a gift!”—John Ortberg, bestselling author.
Book Synopsis The Megachurch and the Mainline by : Stephen Ellingson
Download or read book The Megachurch and the Mainline written by Stephen Ellingson and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2008-09-15 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Religious traditions provide the stories and rituals that define the core values of church members. Yet modern life in America can make those customs seem undesirable, even impractical. As a result, many congregations refashion church traditions so they may remain powerful and salient. How do these transformations occur? How do clergy and worshipers negotiate which aspects should be preserved or discarded? Focusing on the innovations of several mainline Protestant churches in the San Francisco Bay Area, Stephen Ellingson’s The Megachurch and the Mainline provides new understandings of the transformation of spiritual traditions. For Ellingson, these particular congregations typify a new type of Lutheranism—one which combines the evangelical approaches that are embodied in the growing legion of megachurches with American society’s emphasis on pragmatism and consumerism. Here Ellingson provides vivid descriptions of congregations as they sacrifice hymns in favor of rock music and scrap traditional white robes and stoles for Hawaiian shirts, while also making readers aware of the long history of similar attempts to Americanize the Lutheran tradition. This is an important examination of a religion in flux—one that speaks to the growing popularity of evangelicalism in America.
Book Synopsis Ethnic Church Meets Megachurch by : Prema A. Kurien
Download or read book Ethnic Church Meets Megachurch written by Prema A. Kurien and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2017-06-20 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book exposes the profound impact American evangelicalism is having on the religious lives of contemporary Christian immigrants, and the pressures immigrant churches face to incorporate evangelical worship styles, often at the expense of maintaining their ethnic character and support systems. Most interestingly, it shows that the integration patterns of post-1965 Christian immigrants and their descendants have essentially reversed earlier models. While immigrants from Europe and their children were expected to shed their ethnic identities to become Americans, in the sphere of religion, they could maintain their ethnic traditions within American denominations. This book shows that members of the contemporary second generation are incorporating into U.S. society by maintaining their ethnic identities in secular contexts but are adopting a de-ethnicized religious identity and practice. In particular, many are gravitating toward evangelical megachurches. Drawing on multi-site research in the U.S. and India, this book also provides a global perspective on religion, demonstrating the variety of ways in which transnational processes affect religious organizations and their members, and how forces of globalization, from the period of colonialism to contemporary out-migration, have brought tremendous changes among Christian communities in the Global South. Book jacket.
Book Synopsis Left Behind in a Megachurch World by : Ruth Tucker
Download or read book Left Behind in a Megachurch World written by Ruth Tucker and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Designed to encourage the smaller church with a membership of around 100, this insightful and well-researched book opposes the idea that numbers are the only way to measure a church's success, and emphasizes spiritual growth and development.
Book Synopsis The Black Megachurch by : Tamelyn Tucker-Worgs
Download or read book The Black Megachurch written by Tamelyn Tucker-Worgs and published by . This book was released on 2012-08-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An explosion of flourishing black megachurches has changed the landscape of American religious life. Boasting memberships into the tens of thousands and meeting within both adorned walls and refurbished warehouse buildings, these contemporary fruits of the Civil Rights Movement hold many of the resources necessary to address America's contemporary social disparities. After studying nearly 150 black megachurches, Tamelyn N. Tucker-Worgs asks, How are these church communities engaging the public sphere? And, why are their approaches so varied? The Black Megachurch sets aside the broad assumptions usually applied to the study of black churches and analyzes the three factors most necessary for social engagement--theological orientation, organization of community development initiatives, and gender-based spheres of labor and leadership. In doing so, Tucker-Worgs underscores the myriad ways in which black megachurches have responded to the changing social climate and concludes that while some have lived up to their potential, others have a long way to go. WINNER of the 2012 W.E.B. DuBois Distinguished Book Award - Presented by The National Conference of Black Political Scientists
Book Synopsis The Purpose Driven Life by : Rick Warren
Download or read book The Purpose Driven Life written by Rick Warren and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2012-10-23 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover and fulfill your God-given purpose by joining the more than thirty-five million others who have embarked on a spiritual journey that started with this #1 New York Times bestselling book by Pastor Rick Warren. Before you were born, God knew what your life had in store for you. His hope for you is to discover the life he created just for you--both here on earth, and forever in eternity. Let Rick Warren guide you as you learn to live out your true purpose. The Purpose Driven Life is more than a book; it's a road map for your spiritual journey. Combining thoughtful verses from Scripture with timely stories and perspectives from Warren's own life, The Purpose Driven Life will help you discover the answer to one of life's most important questions: What on earth am I here for? Throughout The Purpose Driven Life, Warren will teach you to spend time getting to know yourself and your creator in order to live your life to the fullest. Unlocking your true purpose will also reduce your stress, simplify your decisions, increase your satisfaction, and, most importantly, prepare you for eternity. Designed to be read over the course of forty-two days, The Purpose Driven Life will help you see the big picture, giving you a fresh perspective on the way that the pieces of your life fit together. Every chapter of The Purpose Driven Life provides a daily meditation and practical steps to help you uncover and live out your purpose, starting with exploring three essential questions: The Question of Existence: Why am I alive? The Question of Significance: Does my life matter? The Question of Purpose: What on earth am I here for? Each copy of The Purpose Driven Life also includes thoughtful discussion questions, audio Bible studies that go along with every chapter, and access to a supportive online community, giving you the opportunity to dive even deeper into each life-changing lesson.
Book Synopsis Sexual Misconduct and the Future of Mega-Churches by : Glenn L. Starks
Download or read book Sexual Misconduct and the Future of Mega-Churches written by Glenn L. Starks and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2013-03-07 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why have multiple mega-church leaders—Ted Haggard and Bishop Eddie Long, for example—committed acts of sexual misconduct? This book discusses the reasons in depth and examines how these acts are impacting the future of megachurches. Mega-churches—churches with congregations that number in the thousands of worshippers—are growing in popularity in America and around the world. Shockingly, a growing number of megachurch leaders have committed acts of sexual misconduct. While these scandalous crimes have received much attention through the media, literature that examines the topic in detail has been lacking. This book examines the various aspects of sexual misconduct by megachurch leaders, providing a comprehensive review of the topic that discusses the direct and indirect reasons for these crimes. The book provides unbiased, factual coverage of megachurch sexual abuse cases, covering issues surrounding the victims in specific cases, the role of the church, and notable ministers, such as Ted Haggard of New Life Church, Colorado Springs, CO; Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Lithonia, GA; and Joe Barron of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Dallas, TX. The author also discusses how these incidences have impacted societal perceptions of religion, and large churches, and religious organizations, and provides recommendations to curb future cases of sexual abuse within megachurches.
Book Synopsis From Mounds to Megachurches by : David Salter Williams
Download or read book From Mounds to Megachurches written by David Salter Williams and published by University of Georgia Press. This book was released on 2010-01-25 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This sweeping overview of the role religion, especially diverse denominations of Christianity, has played in Georgia's history, from pre-colonial days to the modern era, uses the stories of important figures to portray larger historical narratives and denominational battles.
Book Synopsis Pentecostal Megachurches in Southeast Asia by : Terence Chong
Download or read book Pentecostal Megachurches in Southeast Asia written by Terence Chong and published by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. This book was released on 2018-03-06 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charismatic pastors, fast-paced worship sessions, inspirational but shallow theology, and large congregations — these are just some of the associated traits of Pentecostal megachurches. But what lies beneath the veneer of glitz? What are their congregations like? How did they grow so quickly? How have they managed to negotiate local and transnational challenges? This book seeks to understand the growth and popularity of independent Pentecostal megachurches in Southeast Asia. Using an ethnographic approach, the chapters examine Pentecostal megachurches in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore. Each chapter dwells on the development of the megachurch set against the specific background of the country’s politics and history.
Download or read book Mega Churches written by Sam Hey and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our religious world is changing and many traditional expressions of Christianity seem to be in serious decline. By way of contrast, a relatively new type of church - in the form of large megachurches - appears to be growing to the point where they are replacing traditional denominational churches in size and influence. This book traces the origins and development of megachurches in Australia, in particular through a careful and detailed study of the origins and growth of the Christian Outreach Centre movement. It explores reasons for the growth of the megachurches and the lessons that can be learnt from this form of church. It examines their revivalist religious experiences, their organisational structures and leadership styles; and asks how these have helped the growth of megachurch, as well as their expansion into new activities such as schools, social welfare and political lobbying. It also considers lessons to be learnt from their ability to develop an affiliated network of smaller churches, local and overseas missions, and the growth of new national and international megachurch denominations. Based on a ten year study that explores the historical, social and religious dimensions of Australia's megachurches, the book examines reasons why this experiential form of religion seems attractive to many Australians when many traditional mainstream religious institutions struggle to attract adherents. It evaluates the contribution of such churches to the lives of participants, the wider mission of Christianity and their role in Australian society. It also reflects on the future of the megachurches as they continue to change in order to maintain attendances and support their large staff and resource base, and addresses the question of how successful they are in preserving core Christian beliefs, practices and mission commitments.
Book Synopsis Megachurches and Social Engagement by : Mark J. Cartledge
Download or read book Megachurches and Social Engagement written by Mark J. Cartledge and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2019-06-07 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the nature and significance of social engagement by megachurches using Anglican and African diaspora Pentecostal case studies. It describes the range of social engagement activities, offering explanations in term of theological motivations and the influence of globalisation.
