‘MEGA CHURCH’ by Joel Pridmore

Sunday 5 May 2013

This time last week (if you ignore the 7 hour time difference), I found myself in the main auditorium of one of America’s so-called ‘Mega Churches.’ New Life is the church family for around 6000 people in Colorado Springs. It exceeded my expectations. One of the most fantastic things that we have appreciated about Elim Aberystwyth since we moved here in the summer is the sense of family. I heard that word time and again during the ‘More tea Vicar’ initiative as I asked what people valued most about our church. I believe God’s plan for us as a church includes growth… spiritually, in maturity, in influence and numerically. I don’t know if we will ever reach the 6000 mark but I do believe He wants us to grow! My concern about this was the question: How do we protect our sense of family? New Life in Colorado Springs exceeded my expectations… The incredible facilities, the amazing sound system, the spiritual depth and so on. But what impressed me most was that it felt like family. I realised that the sense of family is not all about how many people are in that community, but in how individuals are with one another. It is less about sharing a room and more about shared values. Small communities can exist within the huge community, which make it feel like home for anyone and everyone. I believe our church is going to become a spiritual home to hundreds within our locality. We must keep the sense of family that we enjoy by sharing the love of God we have received with anyone and everyone. That is what makes a church mega! “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)