Megachurches on the Rise -- Has Religion Become an Enterprise?Brandon Pierce, Contributor Most of us dont think of churches as a profitable establishment. We think of churches as being symbols of religion, and while they may raise some money for their obviously necessary expenses, in the end they are not for profit. Most are actually considered non-profit organizations by the Internal Revenue Service. And, yet, according to Forbes, the top ten megachurches in the United States brought in a staggering $8.5 billion in income last year. Is all of that for church expenses or being dispensed back into the community? Well, that is a question for the IRS. But we want to dig a little deeper and see what is so fascinating to Americans about the concept of megachurches. How do they do it? Well, like all things in life, bigger is better. Megachurches have more funds at their disposal, and that means they are able to turn their church services into a bigger spectacle. A look at the Lakewood Churchs website has Joel Olsteen everywhere. While his messages might be good, millions tune in to this guy as opposed to going to a local church and establishing a relationship with a real pastor. Is that good or bad? Well, the jury is out. Religion is always a lightning rod for debate, and this is no different. But Joel is a cultural phenomenon. What about those that are members of much smaller megachurches that place their pastor on a pedestal? It happens. Every Sunday, millions of Americans watch their church service on a television. Only, they are not in the comfort of their own home. They go to commune with their fellow Christians and watch messages preached to them from Jumbotron television screens. Gone is the old principle of church, where the pastor is a confidant and person to rely on. Many members of these megachurches would be lucky if they ever came within 100 yards of their pastor, much less get a private appointment to speak with them. The train keeps rolling, and megachurches seem to be the new trend in American religion. But is it a good one? Too many of these megachurches leave their congregation idolizing their figureheads . . . and all too often, they go astray, leaving a lot of lost sheep. At the risk of being long-winded, well leave this topic for now, and if you are interested we can delve further into the concept of megachurches and what happens when they go wrong. This article first appeared on Common Sense Conspiracy linkwithin_text=Related Articles: 