The evolution of American church life

Never has American church life been so thoroughly studied and analyzed. Even after the studies have been completed and analyzed, a thoughtful person in bewilderment asks “what is going on?”

The July 27 edition of Christian Century magazine takes an extended look at megachurches. By definition, a megachurch is a congregation that has more than 2,000 people in attendance each Sunday. The number of such churches has exploded over the past several years. There are now more than 1,300 such congregations across the United States. One researcher claims that 9 percent of American Protestant worshipers are attending a megachurch.

Other features of the megachurch profile include:

• They are lead by strong authoritarian ministers.

• As the size of the megachurch grows, the education level of the minister diminishes.

• Megachurches are a suburban phenomenon.

• While most megachurches are evangelical, they are marked by theological diversity, not conformity.

• The worship services of megachurches make extensive use of high-tech electronics and are high-quality productions.

• The congregations of megachurches are politically conservative and strongly pro-life.

• Megachurches avoid denominational identity in their names. Two-thirds of all megachurches maintain a denominational connection, but downplay their affiliation or carefully hide it.

The Christian Century articles avoid the other side of the coin. The Barna Research Group has been making extensive studies of the growth of home churches. That groups has found that 5 percent of worshiping Americans are gathering in private homes in groups of 30 or less. The Barna Group says the home church movement is growing rapidly and may already be closer to 10 percent than 5 percent of worshiping Americans.

Gatherings of home churches have singing, Bible readings, prayers and sermons in an informal setting. Their strength is found in discussions. Home churches are seldom led by trained clergy. Serious discussion of theology and the practical application of religious beliefs are facilitated in the informal setting of home churches.

These two movements are attracting participants from across the spectrum of American churches. Every denominational congregation has members who are disenchanted with traditional liturgies and confessions of faith. In our highly mobile society they make good prospects for the megachurch on a 40-acre site just down the freeway or an intimate gathering of neighbors in a nearby living room.

While the growth of these two movements is impressive, smaller churches with traditional music, liturgy and confessional theology are still quite healthy. They may be graying, but they are a long way from dying. Organ music still has the power to create majesty and can lead a congregation in the singing of great hymns. Creeds and confessions of faith inform the worshiper of the wisdom of the ages. A good, thoughtful sermon from an educated local pastor who is known and respected in the community goes far beyond entertainment. Good sermonizing educates and enlightens. Churches with steeples and church bells, stain glass windows and pews of wood are not going away. Their stone and brick construction, the pillars and ornate chandeliers speak of enduring values and beliefs.

Many smaller, traditional churches, I believe unwisely, try to capture the excitement and growth of the megachurch or the informal pleasantries of the house church. We need them to be who they are.

In the midst of the changes I have described, another identifiable movement is taking place. It is generally called the emergent church. The emergent church cannot be identified with a denomination, a building or particular gatherings. The dynamics of the emergent church is found in the inquisitive, searching mind of every person who pursues a religious understanding of life. I hope it never takes on an institutional form, but rather infects every body of believers. It is the reformation movement of the early 21st century. Reformation movements tend to become someone’s new orthodoxy. It is my hope and prayer that the emergent church will be the force that will make reformation a never-ending pursuit.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer, Alaska. His e-mail address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.