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  • Jennifer Preyss •
  • Originally published July 6, 2012 at midnight, updated July 6, 2012 at 11 p.m.

  • LARGEST CHURCHES IN AMERICA

  • Lakewood Church, Houston, the Rev. Joel Osteen, attendance: 43,500

    Second Baptist Church, Houston, the Rev. Ed Young, attendance: 23,659

    North Point Community Church, Alpharetta, Ga., the Rev. Andy Stanley, attendance: 22,557

    Willow Creek Community Church, Barrington, Ill., the Rev. ...

  • SHOW ALL »

    • LARGEST CHURCHES IN AMERICA

    Lakewood Church, Houston, the Rev. Joel Osteen, attendance: 43,500

    Second Baptist Church, Houston, the Rev. Ed Young, attendance: 23,659

    North Point Community Church, Alpharetta, Ga., the Rev. Andy Stanley, attendance: 22,557

    Willow Creek Community Church, Barrington, Ill., the Rev. Bill Hybels, attendance: 22,500

    Lifechurch.TV, Edmund, Okla., the Rev. Craig Groesche, attendance: 20,823

    SOURCE: Sermoncentral.com

There was a time church attendance was paramount for Sylvia Garza.

Taking part in fellowship with family, attending Bible studies and church functions with friends were once part of her weekly schedule.

But that was before the divorce.

Garza, a Victoria native, dissolved her marriage five years ago when she learned her husband was gay. And in the process, she eventually dissolved her relationship with the church.

"Victoria is still a small enough town that people know everyone's business. Not necessarily in a bad way. But when you go through a divorce, or something like that, it makes it kind of hard to go" to church, Garza, 43, said. "I was going through a lot of anger and bitterness at the time, and I was dealing with that. So, I just quit going."

As she sorted through the split, and struggled through an emotional recovery, Garza said in time she was able to rediscover her relationship with the Lord.

But it wasn't through attending a local church congregation - it was via Joel Osteen, evangelizing on TV.

"I went from glancing at it periodically, to where I would leave it on, to where I would sit down and watch it," Garza said, discussing Osteen's Houston-based Lakewood Church, which broadcasts weekly to about 7 million viewers in more than 100 nations.

"I believe you can watch TV and worship in your own way, in private, and it be just as effective as if you were sitting in a pew."

Watching Osteen on TV for the past few years has allowed Garza to consider going back to a local church and become active in her faith community again. She hasn't decided on when she'll return, but even the fact that she's considering going back to church is significant, she said.

"If I want to be perfectly honest, I was angry with God. This was not how it was supposed to be," she said, mentioning the hardship of the divorce. "But for me, Joel has been the biggest positive in my life. If I were to envision being able to talk to him, he seems to be the most approachable. I've been invited to attend, but I haven't been yet."

Many reasons exist for the popularity of televangelists in a technologically-savvy era, which has grown exponentially since television launched in the 1930s. Church on TV offers a convenient and private option for those who travel, or work on Sundays, those who recently moved to a new city and want to explore a new congregation, or for those who are unable to attend for health reasons.

Dottie Williams is one such example.

The Victoria resident and Renegade Church member has been a longtime viewer of televangelists because of chronic health problems. Despite decades of physical ailments that can keep her away from Sunday services, sometimes for months at a time, the 66-year-old makes valiant efforts to attend services whenever possible.

Williams has undergone six back surgeries since the 1980s, caused by injuries from a 1950s car accident that also killed her mother.

In 1983, when Williams had her first back surgery, she began watching televangelists more regularly.

"After I got married, and back in the early 70s, we learned about Jerry Falwell, and we were strong followers of his ... He was a great influence in my life. After the surgery, I didn't miss Jerry Falwell. It just worked out that way because I was confined to home at that time ... There was a long time that I wasn't able to go to church, consistently sometimes, where I couldn't go for months."

Williams said that through the years she also became an avid watcher of super-evangelists Billy Graham; Charles Stanley, of Atlanta; Ed Young, of Houston; and Adrian Rogers, of Memphis. And when she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, she spent many Sundays watching her favorite pastors on cable.

"I take notes. I pray. A lot of times I sing along, and I get my Bible out and follow along with the message, and make notes in the margin with their name out to the side," Williams said.

With many local and national pastors engaging in Internet podcasts, live streams, and other forms of televangelism, Garza said the future of the church in 50 years will likely resemble the model she currently follows.

"There could be holograms, 3D images - I could see that. There will probably be more of the at-home stuff for church," she said. "The human connection will come from small groups, and fellowship at barbecues and other church functions."

One reason televangelism continues to grow in popularity may also be correlated with an overall decline in Christian church attendance.

A 2009 Pew Research study shows that 71 percent of Americans believe in God with absolute certainty, yet about half of Americans attend church services at least once a week.

In Texas, 77 percent of residents said they believe in God with absolute certainty, yet only 47 percent attend services at least once a week.

A 2009 Barna Group study shows there has been a 22 percent decline in the past decade for adults who have children under 18 years old who are living at home attending mainline churches.

Meanwhile, more people are using Christian media outlets than are attending church.

A Barna Group study shows 45 percent of adults watch church on television at least once a month, with about 7 percent watching daily.

"Our studies continue to show that people are using the Christian media to provide elements of ministry that are not adequately provided to them by their local church," the study explained. "For some people, these media complement their church experience. For others, a combination of these media forms a significant portion of their faith experience."

Williams said regular church viewing on TV will never be a good substitute for being a member of an actual congregation since Christians need the accountability of fellow members and pastor authority.

"That's not an option for Christians. The Bible clearly says don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together with brethren." Williams said, referencing the Bible's King James Version of Hebrews 10:25. "I would never stay at home to watch it if I had the option. I just could not be as active in it as I would have liked to be."

Neither Williams, nor Garza believes watching church on TV, or simply attending weekly services defines a person's relationship with God, or determines their salvation.

"Your relationship with God and Jesus, that's between you and him and nobody else. It doesn't matter if you're part of one of these megachurches, or if you're sitting in your bathrobe watching in your bedroom. It's all personal," Garza said.



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