The Product

The Calling

The Business

By

Barbara Lynne Norwood

10/16/2024

The Sales Of Salvation

The Bible has received mixed reviews over the course of almost three millennials.

Well, I should honestly say, that reviews were undocumented millennials ago, but the major event, the crucifixion in the Bible, has been very well documented because it endured endless criticisms, dissections, and dilutions over three millennials.

As of today, the rave reviews have outweighed the criticisms. Thank God!

My research was based on many public reviews of Bible sales, economist data, and experiences from others who had attended. However, I placed this article under A Mirage because there seems to be an outstanding number of Megachurches with a small turnout of non-believers being converted, thus, no Christian turnaround which was discouraging.

Over the years, I have seen my neighborhood local churches vanish into an abyss of

Over the years, I have seen my neighborhood local churches vanish into an abyss of “God knows where” to be dismissed for poor attendance, few donations, and unstable leadership then followed a trend. I was extremely concerned for the neighbors that regularly attended and were learning to maintain faith-filled Godly homes, and families that built good relationships within the walls weekly.  

The sense of community brought strength to their lives. If one were suffering through something, another member would help in some way. A True Body of Christ was being developed. 

Because the Megachurches turn away no one, gain popularity, and profit from these audiences, it is obvious there is a disconnect between the word of God being taught and spiritual needs being met within a community.  

For about two decades, I wondered what happened to those poor souls and did a little

research. I asked around a found the main reasons for non-attendance to the Megachurches were many felt “they didn’t fit in”,” found another way to spiritual development” or “I became a Muslim.” It became an ominous warning to me that something was seriously wrong.  

A poor malnourished soul in the eyes of our Almighty Father is of course disheartening to Him and should be to us as well. I tried not to see this as a failure in so many areas. 

Where there is an effort, there is a way to deliver spiritual nourishment to the Body of Christ which failed instead of being achieved. Salvation became a commodity. 

I always understood church not only as a place of worship, but community, learning, growing, yielding, and surrendering unto something greater than I and my fellow brothers in sisters. Hope for the future in a dark dark world. Love was key. 

Nowadays, the dynamics of the church are mechanical, non-Gospel driven, and secularly looked upon. 

I can honestly say that because I attended a Megachurch with an open mind and spirit but left the service feeling the same way I entered, unfulfilled, and in hunger and thirst for God’s word. I opted out of becoming a member after one service.  

If it is a church, the Holy Spirit always dwells there, not just on Sundays. Otherwise, it’s just bodies in a building. Now, I could understand why the non-believers were not in attendance or remained in attendance.  

A MIRAGE. 

Instead, a Sale of Salvation, a Soul commodity on the market in a building without receiving the product of Salvation. 

Upon further research, the market for Souls is instantly bought when they walk through the

doors. In my experience, I was greeted by how to become a member, invitations to the following weeks, classes, groups, shown, books for sale, the membership card, and last but not least, the ways to tithe. I felt extremely overwhelmed, intimidated, unprepared, and awkward. After all, I had just walked in. I said to myself, “Where am I?” Thinking it was because I was a newcomer, I returned the following week, to reassure myself it was that reason. Again, I was presented with a card to attend a class or some group that was starting that week.  

So, I was being offered a recurrence attendance for coming the last week. A commitment was in pursuit. A future follower. A sale. Again, I asked myself, “What is happening?” I needed to seek God for an urgency in my life at the time. I needed to be in His presence.  

I needed answers for my life, not to become a fulfillment for theirs. 

I was turned off and did not return.  

When I received my answers, they were from God. My relationship with God grew and grew and grew. We are required to worship together in Spirit and in truth, fellowship together and share our testimonies, challenges, strengths, weaknesses in our Faith. However, 

These people draw near to Me with their mouth, 

And honor Me with their lips, 

But their heart is far from Me. 

 And in vain they worship Me, 

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ Matthew 15:8-9 

The Calling

I have always understood A Calling to be from the Almighty, not from our own

understanding. By definition,” it’s a vocation into a profession, voluntarily, from another person, a divine messenger or from oneself.” 

A Calling requires absolute commitment unto a divine purpose to fulfill the redemption messages through divine scripture. The selfless adherence unto the call from The Almighty bears witnesses only for  

Him and for the love of others. 

I became aware of my calling as a child. I was saved at the age of 7 and fell deeply in love with Jesus! I told my mama I wanted to become a Nun or work as a missionary. Even with eyebrows raised, she supported my eagerness and hunger for this call. She even helped me to prepare as a teen to work in the missionary field. Of course, I had to grow up and experience a lot of life’s issues and mature.  

I had to understand who I was first, who God was, and how we could co-exist in my vessel together and help others around me in need. I wanted to work for Him in some capacity, but later, I was not sure which one. Then, it happened, Father revealed three callings to me.  

To become one with A Calling, one must understand His purpose as His Creation for His chosen Calling. 

‘Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,..’ 

2 Timothy:8-9 

I feel the Megachurches have not fulfilled the calling and have not led the ministry unto His purpose. Instead, it has become a factory of cookie cutter “Christians” leading souls away by a man-made template manufactured for business and not God driven.  

It is an established residence of congregants, consumers or followers that look for “only God knows what” because they are not being taught how to live according to His purpose, their destinies, nor God-given gifts and talents, Unretrieved. A tragedy. 

Again, A Mirage 

The Business

In conclusion, I gathered some research to get a bigger picture for you to decide if

Megachurches are the answer and if Jesus Christ himself would approve.  

I would love to hear about your experience if you visited a Megachurch.  Email me. 

Lynne@thekingdomcries.com 

  • There are about 1800 Megachurches in the USA. 
  • Attendance is usually 2000-45000 weekly 
  • About 80% are under 55. 
  • It attracts younger audiences. 
  • Generates casual events. (Pizza nights, Bar-B-ques, movie night, etc,..) 
  • Mostly 7 or more campuses. 
  • Derived from mergers with smaller local churches. 
  • Traditional pastors were either forced to merge or close its doors. 
  • It is called “A Rebirth” (whatever that means) 
  • Older adults are pushed away due to the change. 
  • The services are aired digitally across all campuses. 
  • They get many bad reviews because of scandals, lifestyle controversies, and financial strategies. 
  • Many newcomers wander in and leave because they feel they “don’t fit in.” 
  • A person that starts a Megachurch is usually an entrepreneur. 
  • Americans are becoming less Religious. 
  • The average budget for a Megachurch is $5 million. 
  • They have a staff of 100-250 people 
  • 40% of the members are non-denominational. 
  • Those members live autonomously and without accountability. 
  • The pastors are picked from non-denominational churches. 
  • Over the last few decades, the younger generation has found other avenues to Spirituality.  
  • The non-profits made $380 billion (about $1,200 per person in the US) a year globally. 
  • It generates more revenue than Apple or Microsoft combined. 
  • The Economists called it “The Divine Economy” 
  • The Economists believe its wealth is more than the love of God. 
  • They also believe if the religious leaders functioned as ONE market it would bring unity and harmony. 
  • The product is Salvation. 
  • The suppliers are priests, pastors, evangelists, etc. 
  • The Economists analyze the final product as a place in the afterlife. 
  • Christianity and Islam are most popular. 
  • The congregants, consumers and followers created different roadmaps to heaven. 
  • It’s internationally distributed. 
  • The Western Christians are less Christian than the rest of the world. 
  • Faith remains powerful as overturned Roe vs Wade by the Economists standards.

Thanks for Listening!  

Stay Encouraged! Stay Blessed!  

I love You and God Loves You! 😍😍