Bob Smietana’s recent article “Some fear megachurch bubble may soon burst” considers the possibility that the best days for megachurches may soon end. Since the 1970s the number of churches with 2,000 or more in weekly worship attendance in the United States has grown from fewer than a dozen to thousands.
Several factors suggest the bubble may burst:
- Aging pastors/clergy and likelihood of significant decline during ministerial transition
- Unsustainable economics, including large campuses and overhead
- Recently failed megachurches, including the Crystal Cathedral
Other factors suggest that the new model is sustainable:
- Data suggests that successful churches weather storms equally well regardless of size
- The number of megachurches continues to grow
- Megachurches are effectively leveraging technology, including growth in multi-site congregations
So What?
There are good arguments for each possibility over the next decade for American megachurches: decline, stability and growth. Which do you believe is most likely? Why?