Mega Church, Not So Mega Committment

Several news outlets, including the Associated Press and USA Today, are reporting today on a new study published by the the Hartford Institute for Religion Research at Hartford Seminary and Leadership Network that found some surprising trends in mega-churches.  In the study they found:

• Nearly two-thirds of megachurch attenders are under 45 years old, as compared to only one-third for all Protestant churches (62% vs. 35%).
• Nearly a third of megachurch attenders are single, unmarried persons.  In a typical church, singles account for just 10% of the congregation.
• Megachurch attenders are both more educated and more affluent than attenders at other churches.
• The majority of megachurch attenders are not necessarily new to Christianity but nearly a quarter had not recently been in another church before coming to a megachurch.
• While newcomers almost always attend a megachurch at the invitation of family, friends or co-workers, the real attraction tends to be the church’s reputation, worship style and senior pastor.
• Long-term attendance flows from an appreciation for the church’s music/arts, social and community outreach and adult-oriented programs.
• 45% of megachurch attenders never volunteer at the church, and 40 percent are not engaged in a small group, the mainstay of megachurch programming.

As I have commented in the past, mega churches are meeting a need and are leading to people to Jesus Christ.  Two awesome things.  However, this study of 25,000 people at 12 mega churches indicates that megachurch attenders volunteer less and give less money than people who attend typical Protestant churches, although megachurch-goers tend to be wealthier and better educated. This follows the greater cultural trend of people being less committed to things because of their other commitments.  We are over committed and give less energy to our commitments.  For megachurches, this is problematic because it shows that attendees are less commitment to the church and they are not commitment enough to their stewardship through tithing or giving.  Mega churches draw in mega amounts of giving, so it leads me to believe that they can survive on less giving per member.

Let me be clear, giving and tithing in no way amounts to the zenith of Christian commitment, but it sure indicates how far people are willing to go to sacrificially give to God through their local congregation.  It seems that their Christian counterparts at smaller churches are more committed in their stewardship through giving.  Sure, giving is only a part of stewardship but as the saying goes, “it puts our money where our mouth is.” It seems at mega churches many people, 40%,  just show up to worship and are not connected to any of the major programs it is know for.

Now, after I have commented on mega churches, I will be critical of non megachurches based on this study:

1. We non-mega churches clearly have not succeed in the way that our larger sister churches have done.  Based on this study, 1/4 of the people have attended other churches.  How many of those churches are us non megachurches?
2. We non-mega churches have a lower number of younger people (under 45) in mainline denominations compared to larger churches.  We are missing the boat on attracting and holding younger people interested in faith.  We have to do a better job as the mainline churches are aging.  Studies have found that there are encouraging pockets of younger people attending churches.
3. We non-megachurch mainline churches need to do a better job of encouraging our congregations of bringing friends, families, and co-workers.  Mega churches have done that very well.
4. We mainline churches need to think hard about our worship, programs, and ministries.  We need to teach our people to branch out and try new things in worship.  Like what they are trying at the Sojourn Church, a Southern Baptist church, and uses liturgy, music, arts, blended worship, and serves communion EVERY WEEK!  Wow!  The worship is liturgical with a contemporary twist emergent and blends together all styles of worship.

Although, we non-mega church goers are more committed and give more per attendee, we need to learn from larger churches about what they are doing and how they are reaching people.  At the same time, we must resist the trend to “become like them” in everything we do.  Just because something works at church A does not mean it will work the same at church B.  That is something I learned in ministry.  Pastors and lay leaders need to keep track of trends, movements, and studies such as this one.