by Alan Langstaff

Odds & Ends are letters covering important topics that do not require a whole article.

BETHEL CHURCH – REDDING, CA

Bethel Church in Redding, California, a megachurch that has greatly impacted churches in America (including the worship songs they have made), has announced major reforms and has distanced themselves from nationally known ministries, including Todd Bentley and Shawn Bolts.

“The church said its broader review includes leadership accountability, prophetic ministry oversight, pastoral conduct, reporting procedures, restoration practices, public ministry accountability and the theological frameworks that have shaped Bethel’s culture.

Leaders also said they are specifically examining teachings related to honor, authority, accountability, restoration and reconciliation, as well as the culture and power dynamics within the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry.”
(By Katelyn Webb, Christian Post)

MEGACHURCHES

An article from Ministry Watch suggests “Is the Age of the Megachurch over?”

“Megachurches are not going away, of course. But data in recent years suggest their growth and numbers are leveling out, and possibly even declining.

In 1970, the United States had less than 20 protestant megachurches, churches with more than 2,000 in weekly attendance. Today, that number is close to 2,000, a 100-fold increase. However, this number has been mostly unchanged for the past 10 years. In other words, after a period of explosive growth from 1970 to about 2010, the growth in the number of megachurches, and the number of people who attend them, seems to have stagnated.

Outreach Magazine publishes an annual list of the fastest growing churches in America, and the largest churches in America. I recently compared the most recent list to the list from 2006 — 20 years ago. My analysis was not comprehensive, but it was fascinating.

For example, the largest church on the 2006 list was Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, pastored by Joel Osteen. In 2006 and 2026, the attendance listed was 45,000. No growth whatsoever over a 20-year period…

I do not want to overstate my case. As William Bennett famously said, “The plural of anecdote is not data.” I am sharing anecdotes, not data — or at least, not all the data. I will be the first to admit that.

And I can think of a couple of good counterarguments to my thesis that the Age of the Megachurch is over.

First, while these churches have declined, others have emerged, and some of them are very large indeed. For example, Life.Church of Edmond, Okla., led by Craig Groeschel, now claims 85,000 attendees. That makes it the largest church in the nation. Church of the Highlands of Birmingham, Ala., is led by Chris Hodges. That church claims 60,000 attendees. And Christ’s Church of the Valley in Peoria, Ariz., is both the No. 3 church on this year’s list and it remains one of the fastest growing churches in the country, with 54,142 in weekly attendance.

However, it is worth noting that all three of these churches are multi-site churches. Life.Church has more than 45 physical locations. Church of the Highlands has at least 27 locations. Christ’s Church of the Valley has more than 18 physical locations. The multisite phenomenon was rare in 2006 and nonexistent in 1970. It is obvious that if these multisite churches were not aggregating numbers from dozens of sites, their numbers would be much less eye-popping.

The growth in multi-site churches, and the anemic growth in the number of megachurches also make obvious that American infatuation with megachurches seems to be in decline.

Ryan Burge, my “go to guy” when it comes to church data, notes that the median size of a church in America is about 70 people. Put plainly, the nation’s megachurches attract about five to seven million people each week. But non-megachurches attract 10 times that many — 50 to 70 million people.

In other words, the megachurch is not now, nor has it ever been, representative of the church experience in the United States. [Though] Megachurches feel dominant.”
(By Warren Cole Smith, Ministry Watch)

CHURCH ATTENDANCE UP FOR FIRST TIME IN DECADES

“The past 25 years have been rough for American churches and other houses of worship.

The median worship attendance dropped by more than half. Church closures and the rise of the nones — those who claim no religion — have grabbed all the headlines. And faith in institutions like organized religion has plummeted.

Yet a new report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shows signs of a shift — for the first time in two decades, attendance is up. More people are volunteering, and there also seems to be a renewed sense of optimism among pastors and other clergy.

“The headline finding is cautious optimism,” Alison Norton, co-director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, told reporters at the annual conference of the Religion News Association, meeting in Atlanta. She added that the data showed a story of resilience and recalibration.

“Across a range of indicators, there are signs of recovery and, in some cases, renewal,” the study’s authors wrote.”
(By Bob Smietana, Ministry Watch)

NEW PARADIGM OF MISSION

New study suggests traditional mission organizations will need to adapt to remain viable.

“This New Paradigm has several components, but at its core is the notion that well-trained indigenous missionaries are better positioned to evangelize their neighbors than American missionaries who come from thousands of miles away with little knowledge of the language or culture of the people they hope to evangelize….

The Institute for Great Commission Research (IGCR) at California Baptist University recently released “Missional Imagination: How the Next Generation Understands Missions.” Among the “top line” findings of this landmark study is this: “Supporting local Christians in their context is seen as the most trusted model of missions.”

The study continued, “This preference reflects a strong concern for cultural legitimacy, partnership, and long-term witness, and signals a shift away from models centered on external control, short-term intervention, or visibility.””
(By Ministry Watch)

Some call it the “New Paradigm” of mission. However, there will always be a place for short-term missions, including those of young people.

REVIVAL IS COMING

Nearly 3 in 10 United States Adults believe a spiritual revival is likely to happen in the next 12 months – rising to 38 percent among Gen Z.

Even when revival is difficult to define or predict, the belief that spiritual change is possible signals a meaningful shift in cultural posture – from indifference and resistance towards openness and curiosity.

David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna, added, “The research doesn’t predict a revival…Yet, it reveals something worth paying attention to: a large number of Americans believe one is possible – and for younger adults especially.”

(Read more: Barna.com)

ARE YOUNG ADULTS ENGAGING MORE AT CHURCH

Two in five senior pastors say their church has experienced higher engagement among Gen Z (45%) and Millennials (42%).

Larger non-mainline churches led by younger pastors are most likely to report rising engagement among young adults.

The findings reveal a complex picture. What makes these findings significant is not that engagement is rising everywhere. It clearly is not. Rather, the data suggests that in a substantial number of churches, pastors are seeing real signs of renewed interest and participation among the younger generation.

(Read more: Barna.com)

EASTER MIRACLE

This item reflects on the rescue mission that went on at Easter for two airmen who were shot down in the Iranian War.

“”This airman was an absolute hero,” McCormick said. “He climbed 7,000 feet. When the planners were trying to identify where he was, they could not imagine he was both injured and able to get to that point where he could eventually be rescued.” The operation involved hundreds of special operators and aircraft and relied on intelligence tactics, including misdirection efforts that helped locate the airman, he added.”
(By Newsmax Wires)