OH A Mega Church
“Oh… a mega church.” It wasn’t what he said. It was the way he said it. The dots I wrote just now between “Oh” and “a mega church” were filled with unspoken yet well articulated superior displeasure towards me. Maybe it was the way he literally stepped back with crossed arms as though I had the plague. Perhaps it was the way his chest expanded with in/visible hot air. Mostly… it was the dots… the… unholy… Wow. Are you kidding me? I had been pegged. Judged. And momentarily ashamed.
I felt hot air filling my own chest while not-so-silent rebuttals raced through my mind. Did I step back and cross my arms like he did towards me? Maybe. Probably. Thus the battle tactic began. Some might call it wisdom, though it seemed more like a military intervention to keep peace between opposing forces who ought be on the same side. How dare he judge me when he knew nothing about me except where I went to church. Thankfully, something inside held me steady.
He continued with his tone of, “I’m better than you.” He loudly rambled about his belonging to a “small church” where people actually knew each other. Worship was really worship. And the pastor knew your name. I could have fiercely argued how our mega church did that. Truth be told, we (I) fell short often. Truth be told, I knew several people who went to his church. They too fall short often. Truth be told, we all fall short often.
After I convinced him that I genuinely knew the Lord (in spite of going to a mega church), we finally got to the heart of the issue. It’s not about the size. It’s about being where you believe God is calling you to be. It’s about living a life that pleases God.
Lest you throw stones at this man or even at me, please hear me out. I now go to a small church and have been immersed in small church culture. I love it and am deeply fulfilled. Even so, I have experienced similar accusatory postures from both ends of the spectrum. Assumptions fly across the board between church camps. Superior mindsets often infiltrate. Our size is better. Our way of doing things is better. We know God better. The one that scares me most is this. It’s when we use the name of God to justify arrogance towards our brothers and sisters in Christ. Sadly, that happens both ways. Sadly, I have been there and done that.
And thankfully I am growing… and learning… and loving life… and grateful for the big… and grateful for the small… and grateful for all the in-between places filled with dots.
The Lord is not limited to saving by many or by few! 1 Samuel 14:6 NAS