Loved by some and derided by others, evangelical megachurches have unquestionably changed the landscape of American Christianity with new technologies, cultural adaptations, and philosophies of ministry. At the same time, megachurches themselves have evolved over the last forty years, moving beyond early “seeker service” experiments to pioneer new forms of evangelistic worship and community outreach. This session—both an appreciation and a critique—combines case study fieldwork with insights from musicology and the social sciences to reflect on the unexpected ways megachurches continue to influence worship in American churches of all sizes.
Recent Media Resources
Katie Callaway on Wonder, Curiosity, and Imagination in Worship
In this episode, Katie Callaway of Christian Temple Christian Church, in Catonsville, Maryland, shares how her congregation explored and deepened their understanding of worship by experimenting with godly play.
Robby Kiley on Creating Inclusive Community and Welcome
In this episode, Robby Kiley of Saint Pius X Parish in Granger, Indiana, shares how a grant project focused on welcome at the Mass for people across the spectrum of abilities extended beyond worship into a wider embrace of people in community and participation.
Nathan Longfield on Embodiment, Creativity and Trauma-informed Worship
In this episode, Nathan Longfield, pastor of Emmaus Church, a newer worshiping community, talks about their year-long project that explored embodiment and trauma-informed practices to more deeply engage in worship as a congregation and community.
Katie Callaway on Wonder, Curiosity, and Imagination in Worship
In this episode, Katie Callaway of Christian Temple Christian Church, in Catonsville, Maryland, shares how her congregation explored and deepened their understanding of worship by experimenting with godly play.
Robby Kiley on Creating Inclusive Community and Welcome
In this episode, Robby Kiley of Saint Pius X Parish in Granger, Indiana, shares how a grant project focused on welcome at the Mass for people across the spectrum of abilities extended beyond worship into a wider embrace of people in community and participation.
Nathan Longfield on Embodiment, Creativity and Trauma-informed Worship
In this episode, Nathan Longfield, pastor of Emmaus Church, a newer worshiping community, talks about their year-long project that explored embodiment and trauma-informed practices to more deeply engage in worship as a congregation and community.
Diversity & Inclusion for All
A podcast from Calvin University featuring thoughtful leaders discussing key topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the context of Christian life and witness.