I’ve recently had a couple of playful conversations with some friends who want to know exactly when I became anti-megachurch. I’ve also gotten a couple of emails from folks saying in essence, “Yeah, we think megachurches suck too!”
This is all in response to the article entitled “We Can’t Do Megachurch Anymore.” Here’s the deal on that title. We didn’t pick it. We sent the article in titleless. The editors of LJ gave it that one. I think it’s a good title in that it makes you want to read the article. It does, however, give the impression that the article is an anti-megachurch rant. It wasn’t intended to be that at all. In fact, take the title off and read the article and I don’t think you’ll come away saying, “Man, those guys are down on megachurches.” The title creates the expectation and then you see what you’ve been told to look for. When we wrote it, our goal was to tell the Garnett story and how God is bringing change to one particular former megachurch. It’s a descriptive, not prescriptive, tale.
The title can actually be interpreted in two different ways. It all has to do with how you say the word “can’t”.
If you say it in a highbrow “I can’t believe you just asked me if I’m looking forward to the next Britney Spears album” sort of way, it sounds like we’re saying we’ve long since transcended such base megachurch ambitions. Click here to hear what I’m talking about.
If you say it in an Oklahoma redneck “I think that tornado is headed straight for this trailer park” sort of way, I think it takes on a whole new meaning. Click here to hear what I’m talking about.
Since the title of article is here to stay, we’re choosing to read it the Okie way. We haven’t consciously chosen to stop being a megachurch. We’re trying to faithfully play the cards we’ve been dealt.
The truth is that if our building filled up with people passionately worshiping God and being transformed into the likeness of Christ for the good of the world, Greg and I would be happy to start doing seminars describing how we were able to help a former megachurch get her groove back.
And yes, I spent more time putting this post together than I should have.
Update: Last night an angel of the Lord told me that I really needed
to change the first voice, so I did. And yes, this post has earned me a double eye roll from Heather.
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Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons
That’s hilarious…definitely a creative explanation, Wade. I enjoyed that.
It seems to me that a lot of our evaluations of the Garnett story come down to how we measure success. It’s not just a megachurch question, either. My congregation of 450 is going to have to make some fundamental adjustments if we are going to navigate the waters of the 21st century. For a while now, our heartbeat (the “life” of the church) has been either participating in a program or activity or planning the next one! It may be about Jesus in our minds…but it doesn’t translate in our actions. We’re not incarnating Christ by simply staying busy and offering more stuff to do. Transformation must take place in the day to day. I’m quickly becoming more concerned about what goes on between the meetings and the church events. I want that to be our heartbeat.
I went through and read the article and enjoyed it. And you’re right, I didn’t get the feel that you’re against megachurches. The lack of people truly seeking after Christ, and searching for Him daily, hourly, and in their every waking moment, is all too common.
I’m sorry, I couldn’t get past anything you wrote after the audio clips! My side hurts. I must admit, I was frightened when clicking on the first one for fear you had actually linked to Britney Spear’s new album (by the way, “album” is dating us). Why don’t you have Greg give it a go and see if he can nail the vocal inflections, just for fun.
Good post otherwise… I think.
Wade,
My favorite “sound-byte” in this latest post: “The truth is that if our building filled up with people passionately worshiping God and being transformed into the likeness of Christ for the good of the world, Greg and I would be happy to start doing seminars describing how we were able to help a former megachurch get her groove back.”
Thanks for explaining the title. Incidentally, I did not get the impression that you were anti-MegaChurch. I read it as an honest reflection of your particular context. Perhaps that’s because I know you and Greg though. That might color how one reads the article.
Regardless, it needed to be written AND read.
Wade… I knew what you were saying, and loved the article…great honesty…
Wade,
I am glad to hear it.
Joel Osteen can take you off his bad list now. 🙂
You do a very good impression of the adverage hick… I laughed…. a lot…
lovely post though..
Wade, thanks for explaining. To be honest, I was a little put off by the title when I read it (the article was great, though!) Not because I think megachurches are the greatest…but because that’s where their church is at on their journey. And if they are discipling and equipping (not just attracting) mass crowds, then praise God!!
I liked your article, despite its title! Having grown up at Garrnett, I remember J.O.Y. buses, the “Barn Room,” VBS old school and VBS huge, Workshop Wednesday with Acappella(they opened the balcony), countless workshops and booths, and too many transitions, turn-overs, and projects to mention. I have been hearing cryptic and sometimes disheartening things about Garnett for the last 3 years and your article helped explain a lot. I sent it to people who had been asking me what was going on back home, and I think it helped them too.
Those sound clips are terrifying. You need to find a home improvement project to sink your teeth into or something…..
Another reason we can’t do megachurch anymore is that the world is changing faster than we realize. Check out this well-done presentation on our “flattening world,” a world in which more organic, fast-moving, self-organizing organisms will be the ones that survive.
What other implications does that above presentation have for our discipleship/ecclesial models?
I loved the article and didn’t mind the title at all. It was an honest and informative examination of the facts on the ground, the cards you’ve been dealt. We up here in the Motown area are growing but we can see serious challenges ahead as Chrysler cuts another 19,000 jobs, Ford is bleeding out…. and on and on. We will have to adjust to a new financial reality — quickly!
I’ve told our congregation that we need to organize in such a way as to be bomb proof. To make it short — if Iran, Syria, China, North Korea or Outer Nutzistan decide to blow something up and gas goes to $20 a gallon, the only churches that will survive will be those people walk or bike to. So, while we are a large congregation, we must be ready to serve the Lord as a hundred smaller congregations in every neighborhood in the Detroit metro area.
You got it exactly right, Wade. We are called to be faithful , and you are doing just that.
Hilarious! But…I think you meant to insert “Arkansas” rather than Oklahoma up there!
i like the new voice betta..much betta
Not only did you spend way too much time on this post, you went back and changed it and spent even more time on a post that you spent too much time on. Helloooo!!
Hey, if you’ve got it, use it. But in the words of DC Talk, “Time is slippin’ away, slip slip slippin’ away!”
I liked the post.