Multi-Site: What We Are Learning

We've been a multi-site church for over 4 years now and it has been an exciting and challenging approach to reproduce congregations in other NW Georgia communities. I am a huge believer in church planting and the reproduction of healthy congregations. The simple mathematical fact is the current number of churches cannot keep up with the growth of the population and lostness of the U.S.
While there is a great effort to plant churches in our major cities and their suburbs, smaller towns are frequently not targeted by church planters. Some statistics show that smaller towns are nearly as unchurched as major cities. Additionally, small towns face serious "Gospel obstacles" such as legalism, traditionalism, ritualism, and "easy believe-ism" that potentially deceives people away from their real need of a saving relationship with Christ. Because our mission is to help reach and disciple people for Christ from here to the ends of the earth, we envision multiple sites being an ongoing part of our strategy and efforts to bring glory to Christ by fulfilling the Great Commission.
Here are some lessons we've learned along the way both from experience and from other churches:

We start sites as a mission of the church but expect sites to transition to being ON mission. New sites start with lots of support from other campuses as part of the church's overall strategy for missions. Over time the site transitions to an army for the Gospel in its specific community.

The goal is not to multiple preaching points or worship centers but a vibrant congregation of Christ-followers who form a "bridge" to connect others to life in Christ. In other words, it is not just about convenience and hearing the same sermon or experiencing worship; it is about being the church in a community.

Stay where you are; serve where you live; be Christ in your own community. The simple fact is most unchurched people will attend a church service close to where they live. The simple fact is the longer we drive to go to church, the less likely it is than an unchurched person will come with you. Christians are more effective worshipping and serving where they live.

Video teaching is not an issue, unless that is all there is. A church is so much more than the sermon and the preacher, but if a multiple site (or any church for that matter) is only ministering through the sermon and preacher, then the impact will be limited and less effective.

Christians must be challenged and led to think beyond their preference, convenience, and comfort. Multiplying sites and churches is not easy but it is worth it and it is necessary (see 1st paragraph). Christ commanded us to "ripple out" from where He sovereignly places us (Acts 1:8; Acts 17:26). This is an issue of leadership and vision that comes from Christ Himself.

Worship is the fuel and the goal. As we worship Jesus, our hearts begin to break for people who do not know Him. True worship fuels us to "go", to sacrifice, and to point others to Christ (see Isaiah 6:1-8). The goal: His glory through more worshippers. The more who worship Him, the more glory He receives ... and His glory is our ultimate mission!