I thought I was done being floored by megachurches (usually defined as churches that worship at least 1,000 people on a weekend, if not more), but my mouth is agape again.

    I’m in Orlando, Fla., right now at a conference at a huge Baptist church.  This is a different kind of conference than ones I normally attend.  Most of the people here are Baptist, most are very conservative theologically, most are white, and most are male.  But a clergy friend and I decided to come in the hopes that we’d still learn some things from traditions that are different than ours.  After all, most of the growth in churches these days come from conservative evangelical churches.  Is there something they can teach those of us who come from a more mainline (usually folks who are more moderate or progressive in their theology) church tradition?  Certainly, there is, but the conference just started so I’m not quite sure of the specifics.

    The church, though, is massive.  It has 14,000 members and, of course, every program under the sun.  When I first approached it, I thought it was a little like an amusement park (Jesus Land, if you will), but that’s not quite accurate (thought its children’s wing is like walking into the Rainforest Cafe).  This church has a bit more of a Jesus University feel.  It’s trendy to use the word “campus” when talking about a church and its grounds and this really does seem like a campus with lots of different buildings (including a school and athletic complex named for a professional golfer).  I have to give churches like this credit because they can somehow help people connect in interpersonal relationships in a context that can easily promote anonymity (and there are probably quite a few folks who like that anonymity).  I’d find it easy to get lost here (and have literally done so already), but this way of doing church obviously speaks to lots and lots of people, not just here, but in many places.

    It’s been a little disconcerting at times being in a place where most folks have a different perspective of church than I do, but I’m glad I’m here (and not just because it was in the mid-80s).  It’s way too easy to stereotype (which I realize I’ve done) regardless of one’s culture or creed.  I don’t have to agree with everyone here, but I can still learn from them.