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Megachurch, mini-congregation: Pastoral care in the large congregation

This issue features a topic in which I have a personal interest—the megachurch (see Wanted: Megapastors), though I deplore the term and try never to use it. It is such a market-oriented word, so hurtful to the vast majority of ministers who work faithfully in congregations that do not approach “mega” dimensions except in spirit, courage, compassion and mission.

Wanted: Megapastors: Can successors find success?

With his folksy, conversational style, Pastor Frank Harrington turned Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta into a megachurch over three decades. At its peak, Peachtree had nearly 13,000 names on its rolls—six times the membership when Harrington assumed the pulpit in 1970. On the first Sunday of 1999, membership stood at 11,800, making Peachtree the largest congregation in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Schuller’s glass act: Passing the baton at the Crystal Cathedral

The ever-effervescent Robert H. Schuller—who says he invented the megachurch—was bubbling about the architectural atmosphere of the Crystal Cathedral, which is replete with statuary, greenery and fountains. He said the architectural plan ensures that the nearly 10,000-member church he founded will last for years, regardless of who is in the pulpit.