A Mega Niche?

So, after a brief but necessary break to celebrate 9-02-10 day, I wanted to bring back the idea of Mega churches vs. Niche Church and what that means. Again, this comes from my latest look at the Emmys, which showed a whole lot of rewards for those programs that appeal to a very specific, and usually small audience, as opposed to the wide spread winners we've seen in years past (although, I will say, it's been a while.) Is it time for churches to do the same? Should the appeal to a broad "market" be abandoned as churches hone down to a narrow target?
To be fully honest, I think 10 years ago I would have had a definitive answer for you on this. Now that I'm older, and possibly wiser, I'm not really sure. I've seen both sides do it, and do it well. I've been fortunate to be around, and even work at, what would be described as a Mega-Church, able to reach a lot of different people across a lot of different ways. It was fun, and I think very effective at sharing Jesus to a variety of different people.
And, I've been around smaller churches that have intentionally chosen to narrow their focus in order to share Jesus effectively with a specific range of people. And, I would say objectively that seem to have been pretty effective as well.
I couple that with what I've seen a little too much of: Small to Mid-size churches who try to be all things to all people, and in so doing do a rather average job of that. Yes, we reach some people for Christ, but it always feels like we could be more effective if we were either larger, or more focused.
So, what to do? Help our churches grow bigger? I'd be okay with that. It would mean we're doing something right. I'm not one of those who thinks big churches are inherently bad (and believe me, there are plenty of people who think that.) If all the churches in one area grew bigger it would mean they're not stealing "sheep" but they're really reaching the unchurched which is our main purpose anyway. That's a pretty good outcome in my book.
But somehow, I don't know that we can pull that off. God could make it happen, sure, that's not the issue. It's just, we seem to get in the way. We're unable to do that when it all comes down to it. So, is the Niche way of thinking a better way? What would it look like if a community had 10 different churches all focused on different things? One church did Small groups really well, and another did Children's Programs really well. One church focused on International missions, and another Mission closer to home. As I write that, I'm not sure that works either. It seems like people with our varied passions and desires would get frustrated by having such narrowly defined churches. I think I might even get frustrated by that.
But again, I'm pretty quick to say that I really don't know. And, as so many churches continue to simply spin their wheels and not reach anybody new for Jesus, is it worth a big bold risk if there's a big, potential upside?
Lots of questions today, and not many answers. But I hope it gets you thinking. It's done that for me.

Don't go to church, Be the Church

Bill