So I went to a mega church today.......

[backstept]

after seeing Samurai and Michael Chris's posts I'm going to clarify that the church I used to go to was only a large church not a mega church

 

[Rii]

It's not us you'll have to convince of the piety of your McWorship, it's God.

^ If you use derogatory insults like "McWorship", you have already decided.

Maybe Rii has already dediced she dislike megachurches but, as she pointed out, it's not her you should convince, but your God.

He. Yeah, no icon. It feels too much like advertising.

 

[Michael Chris]

after seeing Samurai and Michael Chris's posts I'm going to clarify that the church I used to go to was only a large church not a mega church

Well, the church I was talking about is one of the largest in the country, so there are many smaller ones that might be considered mega.

 

[RyanKCR]

I'm reminded of Jesus kicking the money changer's asses in the temple.

"And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."

That's my opinion on Starbucks and the like in church.

Do you know what was going on there, why Christ was as upset as He was?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ I *think* it was like this (linky):

Only Jewish and Tyrian money were accepted for offerings during Temple ceremonies. The money changers were there to exchange Greek and Roman currency *for* this money so that everyone would be able to participate. So it's not simply the fact that there *were* money changers that was the problem. It was that the exchange rate was unfair - the price was inflated, the money changers were dishonest.

As for the animals, well, didn't ancient worship rites often involve animal sacrifice?

 

[RyanKCR]

^ I *think* it was like this (linky):

Only Jewish and Tyrian money were accepted for offerings during Temple ceremonies. The money changers were there to exchange Greek and Roman currency *for* this money so that everyone would be able to participate. So it's not simply the fact that there *were* money changers that was the problem. It was that the exchange rate was unfair - the price was inflated, the money changers were dishonest.

As for the animals, well, didn't ancient worship rites often involve animal sacrifice?

That was part of it yes. As your link indicated (and I thank it because I couldn't remember the name) it was occuring in the Court of the Gentiles. That is where the gentiles were allowed to worship. Plus the money changers were also there to sell animals for offering so that cheapened the sacrifice. It had started to help those who could not get a suitable animal and turned into just buying God's forgivness. That plus the loud nature of it disrupted the purpose of the Court of the Gentiles.

 

[Star Wolf]

A church with a gym is like a gym with a cafe; It's just not what it's supposed to be. It moves away from its intended purpose and becomes a living parody. And when did all the damned bookstores become coffee shops? Shakes his cane angrily at the world.

I attend a hundred active member church. We have a basketball hoop in the parking lot, a pool table and a table tennis table. If we were a thousand we would probably have a grade school and would need facilities to service our membership. With 10,000 you do tend to add stuff like gyms. After all churches do try to build the total man. It takes a special type of person who only prays and wants no other support from his community.

I think what is missing is that many don't understand that church members want to join together in fellowship. In almost any mega Christian church I am aware of the campus is open to all. After all its a recruitment tool.