Since I don’t have to do any sermon preparation this week I figure it’s a good time to return to my blog routine. I have numerous unfinished blog posts in the works but tonight I really want to share how Lori and I ended up at Parkview Christian Church. If you haven’t heard of this church you obviously haven’t talked to Lori or I in the past 3 years because we end up talking about it pretty regularly. PCC is a megachurch of 6,000+ about 40 minutes from where we live. Many people wonder why in the world we would drive that far to go to church and Lori’s response would be, "Because it’s that good!"
Just over 3 years ago Lori and I had dinner up north for our anniversary and while we were eating we were trying to decide how to spend the rest of our evening. A couple years prior we got involved in a small group and in the process met some wonderful couples who attended PCC. We knew the church was in the vicinity and thought it would be fun to see what it was like. We just wanted to visit. Lori and I were happy with where we were going at the time and are by no means the ‘church shopping’ type. How many people incorporate going to church into their anniversary plans anyway? The Kuehl’s are weird like that.
What started off as a visit quickly turned into much more. Lori was set on making the change much sooner than me simply because I didn’t want it to be some sort of consumer Christian shopper type thing. A few months later I was in a position where my life and what I was hearing and seeing at PCC intersected powerfully. I had just returned from a weeklong Bible Quizzing event and some conversations I had during that week stirred up some passions for ministry that I had let die years earlier. It was time for a new thing. Shortly after this experience they did a series of messages on Nehemiah. If you’re not familiar with the story it’s basically about a guy building a wall. He finds out that the wall protecting a city he has only heard about was destroyed many years earlier and God uses him to rebuild the wall and gate. For me it was time to start rebuilding parts of my life that had been destroyed years earlier. PCC was the right place at the right time for me to start the rebuilding work.
Three years later there is probably still some rebuilding left but a lot has been accomplished over that time. I am excited about the opportunities that still lay ahead for Lori and I as we continue to grow and serve. I am sure that there are many ‘new things’ in store!
Initially I was considering doing a post about megachurch myths but actually found an excellent article on that topic so here is the link for that:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/february/debunking-megachurch-myths-especially-one-about-sheep.html
Here is some of my megachurch input based on my experiences at PCC:
Myth #1: ‘They grow because they water down the gospel.’ Would anyone conclude by reading about church growth in the book of Acts that they were watering down the gospel? I doubt it. I think this is a cheap shot, especially considering 80% of churches aren’t growing. After reading Acts I am more inclined to question what declining churches are preaching because it sure isn’t catching fish. Perhaps megachurches are catching fish precisely because they are preaching the gospel. If you think that megachurches aren’t catching new fish but simply other churches fish I’d suggest you read the research in the link I provided.
Myth #2: ‘They don’t have the kind of connection like you do at a smaller church.’ I heard something along these lines earlier this week, which is why megachurch stuff has been on my mind a bit. You are only as connected as you want to be and that is irregardless of church size. As I mentioned earlier Lori and I first became aware of this church through our not-so-small group. Large churches almost all have an extensive small group ministry because people need to have a close connection to people in the church. Add to that the number of ministry groups available to serve in and you’ve already got a large number of people that you connect with weekly. Once Lori and I got involved in Kidz Connection at PCC we had all the sense of connection we needed.
On a side note: A little bit of anonymity when it comes to attending church isn’t always a bad thing. Put yourself in the place of an unchurched person or someone who has been away from the church for an extended period of time and you’ll realize how intimidating a smaller church might be. I remember when I met Lori’s extended family for New Year’s a few months after we started dating. Walking into a situation where everyone knows everybody else and you’re the one that doesn’t is awkward to say the least. Only a special guy or girl can motivate you to willingly walk into that situation under normal circumstances. The ability to walk into a large church and blend in is a big perk that many unchurched folk take advantage of. The trick is funneling those people over time towards connecting type experiences that they need to grow and mature.
