Why should church be any different? God has a history of taking the inventions of man and using them to expand his Kingdom. Why shouldn’t technology and the Internet be any different? Enter multi-site church. Churches are now capable of reaching many more people than before by planting smaller campuses in certain areas of a city, or even the country for that matter! This allows for smaller, more inter-connected church communities that are all a part of one, larger church family.
Expanding Beyond.
At this point, connectivity is something of which we’re all fully aware. It seems we’re connected to everyone almost constantly by way of the Internet and social media sites. It can sometimes feel overwhelming, but it also is kind of incredible. We can connect with people all over the world, at any time of day, with a device that fits in our pocket.
When done well, video can bring people together to encounter the same church experience, whether they are in separate cities or even if they are watching services from their cell phone or laptop. Many multi-site churches have different methods of delivering the sermon for the week, but consistency is critical to make sure the message that the pastor is trying to convey is the same, no matter which campus you choose to attend. Streaming and broadcasting sermons between campuses is a great way to make sure that, although the pastor might not physically be present at one campus, the Spirit they help usher in can be experienced no matter where people are gathered.
May Your Connection Be Your Guide.
When it comes to multi-site churches, many people ask the question, “what’s the most important aspect?” Our answer is simple: connection. A desire for connectivity drives successful multi-site churches. Connectivity between church members, between church campuses, and most importantly, connection to God. One of the most significant ways to accomplish this is by way of video.
Another approach to church culture is to allow the specific geographical region you’re in shape the experience your congregation has every week. A church in a city environment is going to have a different approach to culture than a church in a suburban or rural setting will. But that doesn’t mean those campuses are incapable coexisting as a larger, cohesive, single church family. It just means things like music styles, physical environment, and potentially aesthetic design might be different from campus to campus. Just because each campus is designed to cater more to the people living in that specific geographical region, it doesn’t mean a multi-site church won’t thrive. We see the multi-site churches who succeed are the ones whose local staff members work to facilitate a culture of connection on a local level.
A Culture of Unique Cultures.
When people talk about a specific “church culture,” what exactly does that mean? Chances are it means about a hundred different things, and they are all valid definitions. For many congregations, the culture is shaped by the experience you have when you attend any given church. Which is why many churches try to recreate the same experience at every campus, no matter where you’re attending. This lies in the belief that the unique culture is crafted by the music, sermons, environment, and people that made the very first campus experience so desirable to the people attending it.
But it doesn’t just end there. A church is a living, breathing organism that grows and molds into whatever shape God is making it. We design your system as future-proof as possible with the idea of expandability in mind from the get-go. We keep in mind that, whether this is your first additional campus or your 30th, there is a very real possibility that God will call you to expand to more cities with more campuses as the years go on. Beyond that, we’re always a phone call away to help with any questions or issues that might come up along the way. No matter what, we’ve got you covered.
We’ve Got Your Back, No Matter Where.
When adopting the multi-site model, a big concern we’ve seen is, “how can you provide support if there is more than one location?” Once again, connectivity. One of the most important things to remember is that if you’re connected between church campuses, we’re connected to you. Remote support is standard at this point, and we make sure to cover all of our bases. Connecting to your system from anywhere there is access to the Internet allows us to plug into your system, at any campus, from anywhere in the world.