In Tampa we have the good fortune of having Ron Hammerle as a friend. He has done much research on mega-churches, including attending Sunday services at several of them. He has come to a number of conclusions about what is universal with all of them and may be useful to us as we work to welcome guests and grow. This month I share some of Ron’s findings. Thank you, Ron.

The single most effective step in growing a congregation is to bring a friend to church for either a topical interest group or a planned service. Mega churches are comprised and sustained by small, special interest groups. These small groups serve as leadership training places as well as provide fellowship. Most guests who become members do so because of their participation in small groups, rather than attendance at the regular service. Hymnals are not used; the words are projected on a screen and state of the art sound and video is present. The choirs of these churches consist of talented, well-prepared, semi-professional singers who are dressed casually. These churches feature contemporary, upbeat, melodic music and they use contemporary musical instruments, specifically not an organ. Although there is emphasis on making guests feel welcome it is not overdone…no proselytizing.

From Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church, which perhaps many of you have read, Ron has gleaned pearls of wisdom. It is important in leadership to be able to distinguish what is essential and what is not. In Warren’s church each first-time guest receives a welcoming letter and an enclosed pre-paid postcard which contains three questions: 1) What did you notice first? 2) What did you like best? 3) What did you like least? Nearly 90% of the thousands responses to the first question received say the guest noticed the warmth and friendliness of the people. In addition Warren believes the church can drain the life out of people by committee work. There are no committees in his church, just different lay ministries. He says the difference is committees discuss it, ministries do it; committees talk and consider, ministries serve and care; committees discuss needs, ministries meet needs.

I visited one “mega-church” in August, Without Walls International in Tampa, totally devoted to the love and gospel of Jesus, led by a dynamic, charismatic woman. But the atmosphere was more like what I know of early evangelical revivals so perhaps attendance at another “more representative” church is in order. According to Ron, who also attended that Sunday, WWI is not a good representative mega-church. To be sure I learned little; it was loud, the congregants wandered in and out as the “spirit” moved them, and I observed no encouragement from the pulpit for congregants to think or question.

I wish all of you in our Florida congregations a good and meaningful year as you pursue excellence and your work in social justice. You can reach me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 813-931-9727. I look forward to hearing from you.