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High on God: How Megachurches Won the Heart of America
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About High On God: How Megachurches Won The Heart Of
Product Description "God is like a drug, a high, [I] can't wait for the next hit." This direct quote from a megachurch member speaking about his experience of God might be dismissed as some sort of spiritually-induced drug riff. However, according to the research in this book, it was not only sincere, but a deeply felt, and sought-after sensibility. Megachurch attendees desire this first-hand experience of God, and many report finding it in their congregations. The book focuses on the emotional, social and religious dynamics that pull thousands of people into megachurches and how those churches make some feel like they are "high on God" and can't wait to get their next spiritual "hit." High on God gives the first robust and plausible explanation for why megachurches have conquered the churchgoing market of America. Without condescension or exaggeration, the authors show the genius of megachurches: the power of charisma, the design of facilities, the training of leaders, the emotional dynamics, and the strategies that bring people together and lead them to serve and help others. Using Emile Durkheim's concept of homo duplex, the authors plot the strategies that megachurches employ to satisfy the core human craving for personal meaning and social integration, as well as personal identity and communal solidarity. The authors also show how these churches can go wrong, sometimes tragically so. But they argue that, for the most part, megachurches help their attendees find themselves through bonding with and serving others. Review "How have megachurches taken over church attendance in America? By replacing traditional church formalities with casual clothing and everyday settings that look like malls or pop concerts. Above all, by creating successful interaction rituals, with high rhythmic entrainment, mutual attention, and a love affair with a charismatic pastor who channels embodied emotions back out into the congregation. Wellman, Corcoran, and Stockly explore the dangers too, as adulation of the pastor can lead to sex scandals and the perils of too much success. High-energy churches draw people from low-energy churches by putting into practice the power of micro-sociology." -- Randall Collins, author of Napoleon Never Slept: How Great Leaders Leverage Social Energy "Neither dismissive nor encomiastic, High on God examines the phenomenon of megachurches from a variety of perspectives-- sociological, demographic, psychological, ethnographic and, most important, historical. The authors discern an intricate negotiation between self and society that characterizes those who attend megachurches. This intelligent and nuanced study may provide the best analysis of megachurches (and those who love them) to date." -- Randall Balmer, author of Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America "In High on God, Emile Durkheim meets Joel Osteen. Authors Wellman, Corcoran, and Stockly integrate social science theory with contemporary data to explain the emotional draw of America's largest Protestant churches. They argue that megachurches and their charismatic pastors help fulfill deep human needs. A fascinating topic, well researched, and engagingly written. I highly recommend it." -- Kevin D. Dougherty, Associate Professor of Sociology Baylor University "This pivotal book provides groundbreaking anaylsis of the motivating social behaviors within megachurches and will certainly ignite conversation among religion scholars." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review About the Author James K. Wellman Jr. is Professor and Chair of the Comparative Religion Program in the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. Wellman's publications include an award-winning book, The Gold Coast Church and the Ghetto: Christ and Culture in Mainline Protestantism and Evangelical vs. Liberal: The Clash of Christian Cultures in the Pacific Northwest; edited volumes: Belief and Bloodshed: Reli
