The Redefinition of "Christian Community"
Sometimes I think that we who are familiar only with smaller congregations fail to appreciate how some megachurches are redefining "Christian community." Even with the wholesome entertainments some churches provide, they are actually fostering new opportunities for fellowship within the body of Christ. Before you dismiss the Christian-themed plays, the other family-friendly entertainments as trivial and self-indulgent, remember their believers were probably engaging in pursuits of leisure anyway; before their churches offered alternatives they may have turned to secular sources for fun activities.
And consider the bounty of goods and services providers that they can often put their congregants in touch with. To have the option of a Christian elementary school, a Christian nursing home, a Christian insurance broker, Christian legal services, so on and so on. To a degree, there may even be some merit in keeping more of our expendable resources within the community of faith, supporting the businesses of fellow believers.
I don't mean to be Pollyannish about this: I realize that these ministries have to be vigilant against abusive practices, as well as distraction from their primary goal of spreading the gospel. But fostering community is a worthwhile secondary goal. So many small congregations struggle to promote more interaction between members other than the designated times of worship, prayer and bible study (maybe a few hours on Sundays and an hour or so on Tuesdays and Fridays, only). There are some things I wish smaller churches could do district- or jurisdiction-wide like the megachurches are doing by themselves.
And consider the bounty of goods and services providers that they can often put their congregants in touch with. To have the option of a Christian elementary school, a Christian nursing home, a Christian insurance broker, Christian legal services, so on and so on. To a degree, there may even be some merit in keeping more of our expendable resources within the community of faith, supporting the businesses of fellow believers.
I don't mean to be Pollyannish about this: I realize that these ministries have to be vigilant against abusive practices, as well as distraction from their primary goal of spreading the gospel. But fostering community is a worthwhile secondary goal. So many small congregations struggle to promote more interaction between members other than the designated times of worship, prayer and bible study (maybe a few hours on Sundays and an hour or so on Tuesdays and Fridays, only). There are some things I wish smaller churches could do district- or jurisdiction-wide like the megachurches are doing by themselves.
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