Professor discusses future of mega-churches - Northwestern College

Professor discusses future of mega-churches - Northwestern College:

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November 7—Minnesota houses a number of mega-churches, and those congregations continue to grow. What is behind this moving trend? Why the shift in the way we worship? Northwestern Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries, Susan Payne, MATS, recently talked to the Minnesota Christian Examiner about the development and sustainability of the mega-church movement: Is the mega-church here to stay? “I think a key strength of the mega-church model is that it is resource rich,” said Sue Payne, assistant professor of Church Ministries at Northwestern College in St. Paul. “It has the best of preachers/teachers, it has gifted worship/music leaders and musicians. It has a program for almost anyone; it has the comfort of good coffee, nice décor and an on-site bookstore.”   With a plentiful supply of resources, these large church communities also have the potential to accomplish things smaller churches cannot.   “[Mega-churches] build amazing facilities for children and youth,” Payne continued. “They have the latest in technology. The gathered community can do ‘big’ things together—like run a food pantry, sponsor thousands of children in a third world community, supply mentors or tutors for an entire school or raise a million dollars for disaster relief.”