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What is a megachurch? Characteristics identified

Say "megachurch" and "small country church" and just think of the comparisons those words conjure up. Let the "Six Flags over Jesus" jokes start now.

But new research has found that many of the ideas folks have about megachurches don't match the realities. Among the misconceptions: that most megachurches are nondenominational; that they're too "seeker-friendly" and not serious enough about theology; that they're all huge and all alike.

The stereotypes are easy to slide into. But both the megachurch researchers and people involved with some of the largest Presbyterian churches say there is much that congregations of all sizes can learn from the megachurch experience.

That's not a one-way street. Other studies have found that small congregations have real strengths too and much to offer -- for example, in terms of helping people grow spiritually and involving people in congregational life. The Research Services office of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) says about six in 10 Presbyterian churches have an average worship attendance of fewer than 100 people.

But for those willing to put aside their preconceptions and pay attention, the growth of the nation's largest churches can say a lot about the role of church in today's culture. And growth is evident. The number of congregations of more than 2,000 members increased by nearly 50 percent between 2000 and 2005.

Presbyterian churches minister by megachurch principles

While relatively few American megachurches come from mainline denominations, some do -- and that includes Presbyterian congregations from Florida to Washington state.

Leaders from some of those congregations say people do tote around a wheelbarrow of misconceptions about big churches. They also say some of what works for them could work for congregations of any size -- and that they can learn valuable lessons from smaller, more intimate churches too.

Here's a glimpse inside a few Presbyterian megachurches -- all big, but all different.

Weeks announces retirement plans

Louis B. Weeks, president of Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education, has announced plans to retire from the seminary June 30, 2007.

Weeks was named the sixth president of Union in May 1994.

British astronomer wins $1.4 Million Templeton Prize

c. 2006 Religion News Service

John D. Barrow, a British cosmologist and astronomer whose work has helped scientists and theologians find common understanding about the nature of life and the universe, was named the winner of the 2006 Templeton Prize on March 15.

 The prize -- officially called the Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries About Spiritual Realities -- was founded in 1972 by philanthropist and global financier Sir John Templeton and is perhaps the most prestigious award in the field of religion.

At $1.4 million, the award is the largest annual monetary prize given to an individual.

In a church-denomination “divorce,” who keeps the property?

It's like the moth that keeps darting through the room -- flickering at the periphery of things, always moving on, hard to see clearly. But there's a growing sense in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that property issues -- and particularly the question of whether a church that wants to leave the denomination can take its property with it -- are worth keeping an eye on.

The property question is being debated openly in the PC(USA) and in other denominations as well -- most noticeably in the Episcopal Church. Some congregations, furious about the denomination's decision to consecrate V. Gene Robinson as an openly gay bishop in 2003, say they've withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the Episcopal Church in the United States, in some cases have affiliated with conservative Anglican bishops in Africa.

Some of the congregations that leave are determined to take their property with them. They've hired lawyers and initiated legal challenges to the idea that congregations hold their property "in trust" for the denomination -- challenges that in certain cases have been successful.

CEDN organizes against divestment

A new Presbyterian affinity group--the Committee to End Divestment Now (CEDN)--has organized around an effort "to correct" what they believe was a mistake made in 2004 by the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

They are seeking repeal of the resolution calling for "a process of phased selective divestment in multinational corporations operating in Israel." That repeal could occur at the 217th General Assembly this June.

ACC concludes Task Force report “consistent” with PC(USA) principles

The Advisory Committee on the Constitution recently issued its formal advice regarding the report of the Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) -- and has concluded that what the task force is recommending "is clear and within the power of the General Assembly to approve if it chooses."

That leaves the assembly, which will meet in Birmingham in June, free to decide what it wants to do about the task force report, which so far already has inspired both strong support and intense criticism.

The ACC traced in its advice the history of Presbyterian decision-making regarding the ordination of gays and lesbians. The denomination's constitution limits ordination to those who practice fidelity if they are married or chastity if they are single.

The task force is recommending that those national ordination standards remain in place, but asks the assembly to issue a new authoritative interpretation that would allow local governing bodies to determine whether departures from those standards would violate essentials of Reformed polity and faith, or should be permitted.

Galloway family gives Montreat conference center $1 million gift

The family of Feeny Galloway has established the Feeny Galloway Community Endowment Fund in recognition of Mrs. Galloway's love for Montreat and its ministry "to call all God's people to a life of discipleship."  The permanent funds provided by this endowment will ensure that the unique community life of Montreat, with its Christian heritage, will be available to touch lives and strengthen family ties by supporting two important areas of ministry within the conference center: Clubs, the popular summer day camp program, and Montreat's Sunday Summer Worship Series.

Feeny Galloway's grandsons, Alexander and William Galloway, have grown up participating in the Clubs program at Montreat every summer.  "It was always a treat for her to have them there with her," wrote her husband James Galloway, "and she worked hard to make sure they loved that time in Clubs.   It worked.  They do love Montreat."  The Feeny Galloway Community Endowment Fund will assure the same life-changing Clubs experience for thousands of other young people by underwriting the cost of staffing, equipment, scholarships, and other needs. 

Spahr not guilty of misconduct in performing same-sex marriages

Jane Adams Spahr, an ordained Presbyterian pastor, was found not guilty of misconduct March 3 after a trial on charges that she violated the denomination's position on same-sex marriage by performing weddings for two lesbian couples.

The Permanent Judicial Commission (PJC) of Redwoods Presbytery said in a written ruling that the marriage of same-sex couples is not "outside of, or contrary to, the essentials of the Reformed faith as understood" by the presbytery. Spahr, 63, a longtime lesbian activist in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), had faced sanctions ranging from a reprimand to removal from ministry. She was exultant after the verdict. "Today the church recognized that God's love is for all, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people," Spahr said afterward. "This historic ruling means that as a minister I can exercise my conscience to marry two people who have demonstrated their commitment to love, honor and cherish one another."

The presbytery's judicial commission ruled 6-1 that Spahr was acting within her "right of conscience" in 2004 and 2005 when she performed same-sex unions for the couples. The PJC added, in its majority opinion: "We also find that the accused acted within the normative standards of Redwoods Presbytery, faithfully reporting to it her activities at reasonable intervals."

Spahr had pleaded not guilty, although she acknowledged that she'd married Annie Senechal to Sherrill Figuera on May 27, 2005, outside Guerneville, Calif., near San Francisco. Neither woman is Presbyterian. She also acknowledged marrying the other couple, Barbara Jean Douglass and Connie Valois, on Aug. 21, 2004, in Rochester, N.Y. They are affiliated with a Presbyterian church in Rochester, but are inactive.

WCC in Brazil: a meeting of “firsts”, historical perspectives

Once every seven or eight years since the World Council of Churches was founded in 1948, there has been an "assembly" that gathers delegates of member churches, official observers from other churches and agencies, WCC staff, co-opted staff and visitors. The Ninth Assembly of the WCC convened on February 14, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, following four related, pre-assembly conferences of Christian women, youth, Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities.

Of the nine WCC assemblies convened over 58 years, this was the first to take place in Latin America. It was also the first assembly since September 11, 2001 and the declaration of an official "war on terror." This made it the first assembly since the U.S. carried out its doctrine of pre-emptive war in the invasion of Iraq, despite the opposition of many church leaders. From an internal perspective, Porto Alegre was significant in being the first assembly since the work of the Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the World Council of Churches. For a variety of reasons, then, expectations were high for decisions and actions that might emerge from the Ninth Assembly. But was the institution of such an "assembly" up to the tasks at hand?