Sometimes it's affirming to hear that other missional leaders are asking the same questions...and coming to the same conclusions. It's encouraging to see that God is moving ministries of all backgrounds, shapes and sizes to embrace Jesus' mission to reach the world.
I was certainly encouraged as I worked my way through "The Multi-Site Church Road Trip". As the authors shared their insights gleaned from the personal experiences in 14 multi-site churches, I found myself resonating with much of what they said. The broad look at all of these unique ministries reasserted to me the depth and breadth of the Christian Church. I look forward to the day when my church denomination will be able to contribute to a work like this!
The book was very practical, and yet never prescribed one model over the other. I appreciated the general introductions to these dynamic ministries, and yet, never felt pressured to adopt any one particular practice. In a day when individual uniqueness and clarity in the church are gaining momentum, I am grateful for authors/ speakers/ practitioners who share examples without prescription. As I read through the observations from the authors, there was one theme that consistently rose to the top: missional churches who are embracing the multi-site vision are forever in a grand experiment. This is our story too.
Here are my top 10 thoughts that I gained from reading this book:
1) Multi-site is motivated by Christ's Mission! Multi-site is a 2,000 year approach to address the challenge of reaching people and making disciples. pg. 18
2) Most multi-site churches are trading the Starbucks model (franchising) for a tour through "Legoland". Multi-site churches are "able to showcase a tremendous variety of sizes and designs, but it is still evident that everything is built from the same building blocks." pg. 29
3) If you decide to embrace multi-site you will need to decide whether you will be a church with additional sites, or one church of multiple sites. Chapter 3
4) Healthy multi-sites have developed their DNA over time. That DNA can become the engine for expansion. But the DNA must be reproducible. pg. 48
5) "Location is a means to an end." pg. 72 Multi-site flies in the face of the "irrational belief that people are in community because they show up at the same physical space each week." pg. 48
6) Make sure your model is motivated by mission, and not by growth! "Your heart cannot be, 'We want to put up another campus.' Instead your heart has to be, 'We want to reach that community.' You need to be okay with the idea that the community is worth serving even if you never open the doors to a campus there.'" pg. 79
7) Some are embracing multi-site to enter into communities where existing churches are leaving. "What would it say to the community if you moved into a neighborhood that other churches were leaving and decided to make a difference?" pg. 83
8) Embrace technology! "'What new technologies on the horizon could we harness for kingdom use within current fund limitations?'" pg. 113
9) Be willing to adapt and embrace change! "Adding sites/ locations will mean changing the way you are organized." pg. 116
10) Leadership! Leadership! Leadership! Multi-site can actually allow for more people to use their gifts. The 5-fold gifts (APEPT/ Ephesians 4:11) are seen more clearly. Intentional development and articulation of your "Leadership Greenhouse" is mandatory for replication. "Good leadership is always the key to healthy, growing churches. That need multiplies and increases in multi-site churches. Effective multi-site churches have an established culture and well-developed strategies for reproducing and growing biblical leaders." pg. 188
We have embraced the multi-site vision for one reason: it is the best way we can reach out to our neighbors, and friends and love them in the name of Jesus. We pray as this happens more and more frequently throughout our mission field that God's name would be glorified and that disciples will be made! "We must not forget that it's essential for churches to embrace a vision for replication and multiplication, fueled by the confidence that more people will come to know Christ as we bring the church to them in a way that they understand." pg. 218
If you are considering multi-site or are already multi-site, take the road trip!
