www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall McChurches

Coming soon to a location near you; McChurch! [startribune.com]

Serving "Fast" food for Lent, I presume.

www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/15438921.html [startribune.com]

This could be a good thing for Protestantism. By building "satellite" churches in various local communities, it could help local communities to be re-evangelized.

More and more, I am beginning to see Evangelicalism as Protestantism remaking and renewing itself. This article could be seen as evidence of further maturation of that process.

-- John

I worry about this trend.. it tends to produce personality cults as the messenger transcends the Message.

Michael Thoma,
C^ABA ICYCY XPUCTY !

Is this not how we started? In 1888 Pittsburgh Father Theophany (Obushkewich) came from Shamokin (eastern PA) to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the baptism of Rus� into Christendom at RC Father Wladayslaw Miskiewicz�s rectory, on subsequent visits moving to Saint Adalbert�s Church itself. Then at the turn of the century Father Nicholas (Stefanovich) would go out to the people to have Liturgy, as Imperial Muscovite agents or �socialists in vestments� dogged him to win these communities into their �brotherhood� (see Allegheny County court transcripts of 1901). This is why so many parishes in neighboring communities are named for the same saint. We are only now amalgamating Resurrection Matins with the Pascal Liturgy in many of the pioneer parishes because these circuit riding priests would visit Saturday to bless the Paschal foods and do Mating then come back Sunday for Liturgy. Today�s depots don�t see the blessing of Pascal foods as a mission, they want to only do it for the choir after Easter Sunday Liturgy. Eating meats and dairy products that has been sitting out for 4 or 5 hours really confirms our ethnic belief in the gates of heaven being open Bright Week.

"More and more, I am beginning to see Evangelicalism as Protestantism remaking and renewing itself. This article could be seen as evidence of further maturation of that process."

Some Protestant churchmen strive for an efficiency better suited for a corporation. They act like CEOs. Instead of being shepherds to their flock they hand their sheep over to the wolves as long as they keep the wool.

Terry

This remote-church idea isn't new to me, my cousin's pastor does this. I think it's been going on for more than four years. The pastor is a very respectible man, being pro-life and pro-family and not bashful when giving hard-hitting sermons. Before they would video-remote, he would helicopter from one branch to another branch of his church. I think it was between north and southeast Houston.

It was never my cup of tea, but I can understand why some churches would do it. Rememeber that in this type of Protestant church, the focus of the service is on the sermon and music. It makes sense for Houston too, as we are spread out in more than 900 square miles (with the Greater-Houston boundaries included).

Terry

I'm sure you meant Matins but Mating made me chuckle.

Larry,
Sorry, forgive me, yes you are correct.
Mykhayl

While I see problems with their theology (being Protestant) the idea of satellite churches is not unlike a cathedral and diocesan parishes. Or a parish that grew and reaches out to nearby communities to form mission parishes. Not sure I would disparage either as "McChurch".

The only concern I have is that the congregation is so enthralled with this one figure - the pastor. Why not "ordain" (or appoint) a local as pastor to preach and teach to the satellites, why must all visible control reside in one figure?

The problem is that the pastor gets to be the 'center of action' with these video-feeds, this is effective when the pastor is legit and teaches truth - but in the wrong hands, this can also lead to one man becoming a business entity: rich, famous, etc. while getting away from the real Message.

I remember reading something when that Ted Haggard got busted, his 'vision' of a church was hardly Christian, he spoke in business lingo, viewing the congregation as an advertisers dream.

Of course, there's good and bad with everything. I'm not a big fan of 10,000 member Catholic parishes with 3 priests either - how many parishioners does Father really know when it gets that large anyhow?

Administrator,

C^AVA ICYCY XPUCTY

We�re not exactly discussing �theotokos� here. If we were speaking recipe you would be solid, but I though the article was referring to service, distribution or if we can get vulgar marketing (location, location, location). We must be organic and relevant to our XXI century corporate America public so witty �disparaging� terminology is simply alluring. Unless we are conversing in Church Slavonic, Liturgical Latin or Classical Greek yesterday�s language does not necessarily convey the same today and slang terms like �McChurch� will probably be even more problematic to someone reading this article sometime in the future.

Michael Thoma,

C^AVA ICYCY XPUCTY

True. But a despot is a despot and if we haven�t figured out a balance using canon law without demonizing committees, God bless the TV evangelist crowd.

By the way how is the glorification of Bishop Sheen going?

"The only concern I have is that the congregation is so enthralled with this one figure."

I was just talking about this with my wife today. I was wondering if the focus of congregational Protestant churches must be on one pastor because of the type of authority they gain. They do not tap into a greater authority, such as the Fathers, but must build this authority on far less stable grounds. Their interpretations of scripture can easily be self-made, which becomes troubling when the focus they bring to their sermon misses the point of the passages they quote.

It can be difficult for the pastor of a large church to hand the pulpit over to someone else, especially if he spearheaded its growth. In some of these churches, it is a committee of church elders who select (or fire) the pastor.

Terry