Megachurch pastors in Dallas are starting to drop like flies. On June 9, Tony Evans stepped away for an unspecified period of time from the 10,000-member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, a church he started in his living room and led for…
89-year-old Swindoll isn’t retiring but has named a successor
At age 89, Chuck Swindoll isn’t retiring, but his church is calling a new senior pastor — who will preach some of the time. Swindoll was one of the first big names in the modern era of radio preachers and…
My brief life as a megachurch pastor
For two brief years, I served as senior pastor of a megachurch. Then quickly, unexpectedly, and mercifully, it was over. This article tells my story. Months before being appointed to the church, my bishop indicated it might happen. Their pastor,…
An interview with James MacDonald
Love him or hate him, James MacDonald is one thing for sure: A larger-than-life symbol of the stress and perils of leading a gigachurch — a role he now believes is impossible. Among evangelical pastors, MacDonald is both revered and…
48-year-old pastor ‘retires’ from Texas megachurch, citing failing health, but will become a vice president at NAMB
The 48-year-old pastor of one of the largest churches in the Southern Baptist Convention told his congregation Sept. 11 he will “retire” as their pastor due to serious health problems but will continue his ministry as vice president for church…
Pandemic is putting the nail in the decline of church construction
Decades-long declines in faith affiliation coupled with the pandemic-inspired evolution of online church services are contributing to a huge downturn in religious facility construction in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, total spending on the construction of…
Baylor study looks at American faith, technology in ‘age of Trump’
In an era when millions of Americans dread the next presidential Tweet and the nation’s mental health professionals report increasing cases of “Trump anxiety,” a study to combining those topics may be especially timely. And that’s just what Baylor University…
Megachurch trends we small churches must face
The appeal of the megachurch is undeniable: big building, large worship setting, youth and children’s programs, and a semi-celebrity pastor. Yet many smaller churches have not learned from their large counter parts. There are some things megachurches are doing well…
Study: Megachurches can trigger false spiritual highs
“God’s love becomes … such a drug that you can’t wait to come get your next hit. … You can’t wait to get involved to get the high from God.” That’s what a megachurch worshiper said in a new study…