I don't like big churches because most pastors as big churches tend to dumb down their emphasis on bible teachings and, instead, rely on the "make you feel good" type of sermon.
They do this, understandably, to keep the congregation from becoming sided on certain controversial biblical issues.
Joel Osteen comes to mind, of course. Here is what he said in a Larry King Live interview once:
(Forewarning: I'm stealing this from an article that I read in 2005, which sums up my feelings about mega-church preachers.)
KING: What if you're Jewish or Muslim, and you don't accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to heaven. I don't know ...
KING: If you believe that you have to believe in Christ? They're wrong, aren't they?
OSTEEN: Well, I don't know if I believe they're wrong. I believe here's what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God will judge a person's heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don't know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don't know. I've seen their sincerity. So I don't know. I know for me, and
what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.
That is the problem with Osteen and like-minded preachers at mega-churches, IMO. They, in an effort to remain neutral to many denominations or biblical issues, have dumbed down their message.
How could Osteen, a preacher of so many thousands, say he "doesn't know" if those that are Jewish or Muslim are wrong?
I'm not going to ever discriminate someone for their faith as I wouldn't want someone doing that to me, but to claim to be a man of God and one that wants to preach his message of salvation through Christ, he sure sounds like he has no clue of what he believes.
I'm not saying Osteen is a bad man. I believe he does preach hope and change, but he's far more of a motivational speaker than a preacher.