“Of the USA’s 100 largest churches, 67% now have two or more sites” – From this morning’s USA Today
As the church expands, the multi-site phenomenon appears to be here to stay. While some thought it would come and go, it seems to be going, and going big guns. After reflecting on this, I wonder if we shouldn’t have expected the trend. It’s not a new thing.
Usually, when a business or organization has expands rapidly, the prevailing question is, “How will we maintain quality control over the product or experience that we are offering?” Many times, the answer is to maintain tight control and branding over the essential ingredients to their business plan. Go to any Starbucks, and you will see this at work. Same menu, same lighting, same experience.
History has a way of repeating itself.
Of the USA’s 100 largest churches, 67% now have two or more sites
Centuries ago, when the Catholic Church was experiencing rapid expansion, quality control was an issue. The solution? Liturgy dominated the service, sermons were short, and the church used a common media everyone would recognize, regardless of location – the Marian Missal.
Later, the Anglicans used the Book of Common Prayer to offer the same quality control in its services as they expanded.
Now, the evangelical church is experiencing rapid growth, particularly among larger congregations. Quality control is a huge issue, particularly when half of worship services are usually given over to one person’s sermon or spoken message.
So doesn’t it make sense that today’s church would find a way to offer good sermons with quality control? Great preaching is a rare find. Why not find a way to replicate it when it comes along?
Is preaching on a screen good enough? Is multi site the new Book Of Common Prayer? Should the church expand differently? Let’s talk.
Multi-site is just a merge of church planting and launching a new service. It started as a space issue- and have grown to a trend. But unlike other trends (music, media, web) it can only stretch down so far to “help” smaller churches. I am sure there are some small multi-site churches- but churches needing to change and grow do not go this route. Churches that are full and then full again are. We are looking at multi-site in our town of 11,000 (a real 11,000 not a suburb- RURAL IOWA!). I will be interested in what it looks like in 10 years for the movement as a whole.
Multi-site is an affordable way to grow your church without growing your buildings, and reach people that may be 10-15 miles away from the “Mother Ship.”
I agree that it could be like a book of prayers. The great thing about video multi-sites is that you don’t HAVE to attend the video venue. If the live person speaks to you in a real way, then attend at that location. I think it’s a mistake to think that everyone should just get with the program and love multi-site; because it’s just not true.
For some it’s fantastic, for others it’s not.
interesting parallel!
Thanks Anne. While I’m not a Catholic, Episcopal, or in a multi site (right now), it’s interesting to see history repeat itself without notice. Blessings on you this Christmas.
Options are good, aren’t they? Thanks for the comment Jonathan!
I’ll be interested to see how it goes. Keep me posted.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by WilliamVanderbloemen, Andrew Pray. Andrew Pray said: RT @wvanderbloemen: Repost: Is Multi Site an Old Idea? http://bit.ly/5FjsZ7 /// Great thoughts. [...]
Let’s face it: multi site really isn’t a new idea. (“…nothing new under the sun…”) You brought a fresh perspective to it for me using the Catholic Church and Book of Common Prayer examples, but your mention of Starbucks was what resonated with me. Mutli site could be described as franchising for churches; churches just aren’t using such crass terms as “franchise.”
Great thoughts William. You are right in that it is not a new idea and that history is repeating itself. In fact, I think that this is a great thing to repeat. The only difference today is the creation of new technology (i.e. video teaching). And anything new will always be met with criticism. The only thing that matters is that more and more people hear the gospel and this is a great strategy for that end. Of course, it is not for everyone cause not everyone can do it well. I wonder how long it will take though for the church to adapt as a whole and embrace it? If history does repeat itself (i.e. the printed Bible) then it will be a while.
Good point William. And probably much like the flap from some quarters today about the “power grab” of mega-church expansion through video venues, there were no doubt “purists” in the early Catholic and Anglican movements who cried foul over easy-to-replicate liturgical forms. There really isn’t anything new under the sun. Jesus said that the poor will always be among us. Apparently, so will the guardians of the status quo…
Muli-site is one of many options to “do church” that works for many by leveraging technology and limited resources. It’s not new as you posted, but I can even site examples in the evangelical world. First Christian Church in Charlottesville, VA launched a second campus in the 1950s and their slogan was “one church, two locations”. Over time an unfotunate split occured and they became separate churches but it was a successful model even back then.
I would be in agreement with Mark Batterson’s assessment in his new book “Primal”. He’s convinced that there are many more ways to “do church” that haven’t even been “discovered” yet. Multisite is a growing trend that I don’t think will be going away anytime soon. However leaders of multisites should be careful not to create their own “mini-denominations” based on their own prescribed ways of doing things that later (maybe after their death) become canonized into a “new denomination”.
I agree, William, it seems like this is a new twist on an old model. Mission Sunday Schools launched y a congregation in an another part of the city is another form of this. The control part is interesting point and I wonder how the Holy Spirit fits in. I attended Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC about a month ago. It was by far the most controlled worship experience I have ever had. The best comparison for me was attending a taping of a TV show at Rockefeller Center. The sermon was good. Music was pretty good. But they are exploding, apparently changing lives and making an impact for the Kingdom. I learned a lot but the strict control left me feeling a little manipulated by man rather than led by the Spirit.
We are considering going mutli-site here but with a couple of stuggling neighbor churches who cannot afford pastors. Any thoughts there?
William,
Interesting observation. Book of Common Prayer and some of the other examples you cite have provided ways to control and systematize through the years. Though there are some mutli-site models that adopt more of a “everything looks exactly the same franchise approach,” many more exhibit diverse expressions tied together only by common vision, mission and values. Multi-site is an idea that people take wherever they want … and they do! The question I am asked most is, “What is the most effective multi-site model?” My answer is always – “the one that takes into account who you are as a church and who God is calling you to become.”
Great insights Greg – and you would have the bird’s eye view of it all. And what a fantastic, forward looking question.
Isn’t it cool to see how God is using this model to help spread the movement!
Eric, I’ve looked into that a couple of times, and have talked to pastors and staffs who have, namely LifeChurch and Second Baptist. IF, and only if, the church you’re working with wants it, it looks like a model that has worked in the past. Let’s talk about it.
First Christian in Charlottesville – awesome example! What was their denominational affiliation? I’d love to know, and to hear more.
well said my friend.
Good thoughts from a good heart. You think like a missional Sr. Pastor. I like it!
Thanks Chris. That’s the best of the holy and the corporate. And most of the effective muliti-sites I work with are churches that get both of those in proper order, balance, and effectiveness. Well said!
First Christian Church in Charlottesville, VA is a non-denominational independent Christian Church that is part of the “Restoration Movement” of churches made up of around 5,500 Christian Churches / Churches of Christ around the country. First Christian Church was started in 1836, and my dad was the minister there from 1988-2006. The second campus that was started in the 1950s and later split off is now known as Cherry Avenue Christian Church.
i believe it is not a question of control, but of quality… i mean, what exactly are we replicating? 100 copies of what wasn’t working is 100x worse, not 100x better.
if we can see multi-site as an opportunity to achieve the “go” part of the great commission then we are onto something worthy of replicating.
the issue is that too many of us are caught in a dichotomy: we both want authentic community and we fear it – it is a reflection of the entire story of God – we beg for Him to show up until He does, and then we complain about what that presence requires of us….
guess we are all bi-polar Christians.