I recently read a report that concluded that Maine doesn’t have a mega-church. Delaware, Vermont, and Rhode Island too. I’m thinking that there are some people that might need to get out a little more. Or maybe get in the Bible a little more!
Sure, I understand that by their definition a mega-church is one with at least 2,000 weekly attenders. But, I’m thinking about how the Bible uses the word mega (Greek megas). That is the word often translated “great” in the New Testament.
In Scripture we see that the Lord’s churches were characterized by great power, great joy, great grace, great love, and great persecution as they preached a great “mystery of godliness” about their great Lord and Saviour and Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Their great God did a great work through them to His great glory.
I’m happy that I’m part of a mega-church. It is mega/great because it belongs to the Lord, is empowered by the Lord, is occupied by the Lord, and is occupied with the Lord and His ministry! He actually meets with us when we assemble. We have that mega-power, joy, grace, and love, and we’ve even endured some of that persecution that the Lord promised. How mega is that?!
One time someone asked me “how big is it?” I thought, “There is really no way to measure it. It is so big to God that He gave His only begotten Son to lay down His life for it. He gave it His Holy Spirit. He gave it the responsibility to fulfill His great commission. He entrusted it with the Gospel, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. Its ministry extends around the world through its support of missionaries. When it prays the Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth bends His ear to receive its petitions. The Alpha and Omega walks in the midst of it. It is the temple of God, the pillar and ground of the truth, the body of Christ, the espoused virgin of the Lord Jesus, the house of God, the church of the living God!”
Yes, Maine does have a mega-church. Actually, mega-churches. They are in Vermont, Delaware, and Rhode Island too. I’ve been to them and they fit the description as given in the New Testament. Every church that qualifies as an assembly belonging to the Lord Jesus Christ is mega! Man-made works that number in the thousands don’t hold a candle (think Revelation 1-3) to what the Lord’s churches are by the mega grace of God.