Megachurch or Microchurch?

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Don’t anyone get offended here, but I’m just not a megachurch gal. 

I’m not knocking the phenomenon. Well, maybe a bit. But I’m definitely not knocking the people involved in the phenomenon. I have many loved ones in my life whose faith I don’t question one bit who do the megachurch thing. But it’s not for me. It just doesn’t feel right. On so many levels.

It’s not just that they create a temptation for Sunday mornings (or afternoons or Saturday evenings) to become showtime -- although they do create that temptation. The fact is, when your service meets in a vast auditorium that seats a thousand, the struggle against the performative is real – whether you do worship in a contemporary style with a band and stage lights and special effects reminiscent of a rock concert or do it in a traditional style with a five-hundred voice choir and thirty-piece orchestra. But no, the music isn't my main issue.

It’s the ease of being anonymous in such a large crowd. Of being nothing more than a spectator or consumer.

I’m a regular attender in my little congregation here in SA. I even go to Sunday School every Sunday (and substitute teach once in a while). I’m also a deacon (that will make some of you twitch). But I’ve said many times that I feel like my real church is my middle school team at my school.

We pray together every school morning. We text each other regularly to check in, to share stories and jokes, to celebrate victories. These are the people who brought me meals when I was home for weeks after my hysterectomy – and then just hung out a bit to visit. These are the people who recommend books and podcasts that I really enjoy because they really know me. They know my real struggles beneath the surface. We come from different denominational backgrounds with different worship practices, and we don’t agree on everything theologically – just the important stuff.

But we are the church to each other.

Recently, I came across the term “microchurch”. “Small communities of Christ-followers (minimum of 3, maximum of 20) who have connected their lives together for the purpose of loving God, loving one another, and reaching others with the gospel.”

That's my middle school team. And I realize that I've had other microchurches in my life. Like the cluster of young mothers I hung with in New Jersey. And the group of theater geek believers here at CSDC. 

I think that's what we should be searching for, friends. That small group. Not a once-a-week experience that we enjoy for an hour, no matter how good the preaching is. Because the church is supposed to do life together. Not just Bible study, or praise music, or prayer time, or even service projects or mission trips. 

LIFE.

Find your group. Ask God to bring you your group. Because we all need a legit church of the micro variety.

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