Black Mega-Churches in the Internet Age: Exploring Theological Teachings and Social Outreach Efforts

摘要

The research on Black mega-churches has been limited at best. To date, little is known about theological teachings of Black mega-churches. Other primary characteristics of Black mega-churches are even less understood, e.g., how these institutions promote their theological teachings online. Consequently, in this study, Black mega-church websites constitute a data source for examining links between theological teachings and community needs. Specifically, this qualitative study of Internet-mediated research examines the websites of 12 Black mega-churches via content analyses of sermons and information regarding various outreach programs found on their web pages. Results indicate four broad theological themes: honoring the Holy Spirit, heavenly minded, Biblical principles, and social legacy. The findings reveal that these themes were related to the social outreach efforts of the 12 Black mega-churches. Research implications for future studies of Black mega-churches are discussed.