Episode 65 - Us 200church Pastors Love Mega-Churches Too!

If you're like me, you've been to some really large churches for special conferences. I love them! If I could attend a conference a month, I would go. It's a good thing I can't, as my wife and family just might get too used to it! In today's podcast episode #65, Jonny and I talk with Karl Vaters about mega-churches, and why we ARE NOT mega-church bashers.

Willow Creek Community Church - Home Base for The Global Leadership Summit! [Click the Pic!]

I have been to the standard big four churches: Willow, Saddleback, Thomas Road, and Northpoint. I have personally been thrilled and encouraged, inspired and motivated by these great churches. But there is a bad thing lurking. It's really bad.

The bad thing is envy, sometimes known as lust, covetousness, or the comparison trap. This bad thing does not lurk in the mega-church, it lurks within our hearts. That's right pastor, it lurks in the deep, dark recesses of your wicked heart! Okay, so I exaggerate a little. But just a little. At least I know it has lurked in my heart too often while at these places.

Our friend, Karl "The Shark" Vaters is from Fountain Valley, CA where he pastors a 200church - Cornerstone Christian Fellowship. Karl pastors in the shadow of some of the largest churches in the country right there in SoCal. But his church is still needed and significant in the Kingdom of God.

Karl is also the Founder and Creator of NewSmallChurch.com, a website, like 200churches, devoted to the care and feeding of 200church pastors. While Karl is a rabid small church cheerleader, he is NOT a megachurch basher. He talks about this in one of his key blog posts, which forms the basis for this episode.

Karl is also an author. He wrote The Grasshopper Myth - Big Churches, Small Churches, and the Small Thinking That Divides Us. The message of this book has now gone to pastors all over the world!

As always, our podcasts are created to encourage you as a small church pastor. We try to make them helpful, inspiring, encouraging, and fun. We use leaders, coaches, pastors, and other types of real people. Really. You know, with me and Jonny on the podcast, we have to add some real people from time to time. We hope that this episode encourages you as you LOVE and LEAD your people.