Excerpt from Book Review of Beyond Megachurch Myths from Outreach Magazine, by Tamara Rice:
For any church leader who has lived in the shadow of a megachurch comes a book that addresses the rumors, myths and accusations railed at super-sized ministries in a surprisingly constructive way. And don’t let the authors’ credentials fool you—Scott Thumma hails from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research and Dave Travis, from Leadership Network—they see beyond statistics to the ugly realities of “sheep stealing” and ministry monopolies.It would be a mistake, however, to approach this book expecting to have your own style of ministry unchallenged. In addressing each myth, from “they’re all alike” to “they water down the faith,” Thumma and Travis glean what can be learned from the megachurch experience by a pastor from even the smallest church, and this may grate on those who are simply and fundamentally against a single church growing into the thousands—no matter what the catalyst for growth.
Yet in reality, there is much to learn. According to the authors’ research, megachurches are generally more concerned with evangelism and outreach than smaller churches. Moreover, Thumma and Travis assert that many of the megachurch pastors they encounter are practically “obsessed” with evangelism.
In addition, while many small church pastors complain that their church’s culture inhibits change and innovation, the authors claim that megachurch pastors find their congregations easily incorporate new ideas and new people, and deal with conflict in healthy, open ways. So, unlocking their secrets—delegation, confidence, transparency—might not be such a bad idea.
Again, those who might get the most out of Beyond Megachurch Myths may be leaders of churches stuck in the long shadow of a local megachurch. In fact, the book’s best thoughts may be in chapter seven, which addresses the myth that megachurches are bad for other churches. Thumma and Travis urge smaller churches “living in the orbit of the mammoth church down the street” to work with the situation and not against it, in part by clarifying their own individual purpose and ministry in the community.
-EXCERPTED from Outreach magazine, "Media Cue," September/October 2007
Order the book, Beyond Megachurch Myths: What We Can Learn from America's Largest Churches, by Scott Thumma & Dave Travis.
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