Shopping for God by James B. Twitchell6/12/2023 Hailing consumption as "one of the most creative activities in the modern world," Twitchell insists that megachurches are "putting over nothing on their parishioners." They're selling what people want to buy. They don't ask them to sing or pray out loud. They've even begun to attract men, by providing "rough camaraderie" with flag football, Ultimate Frisbee, and motorcycle ministries. Unlike traditional institutions, which encourage quiet introspection, modern "big box" megachurches are public places, open 24/7, with rock concert audiovisual systems, kiddie playgrounds, karaoke, golf courses, and gift shops. In megachurches (with over 2,000 congregants), they "ditch the doctrine, cue the percussion, turn up the volume, and run the video." Often located in places with large, transient populations, megachurches offer a "preformatted community" and a sense of belonging. They are more accommodating than demanding. "Pastorpreneurs" reach many of these "seekers" with a religion of sensation. These men and women, Twitchell writes, view their next church and denominational affiliation as "just another purchase decision." At the same time, main-line churches are in free-fall and, thanks to intermarriage, residential mobility and a fluid class structure, 50 percent of Americans no longer belong to their parents' church. In fact, the number of Americans who indicate they attend church every week has dropped. In the last 30 years, Twitchell emphasizes, there has been no overall increase in religious faith.
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