Multi-Site Churches Re-Visited
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Wed, April 13, 2005
- Viewed 252
- (4) comments so far
With video recording and editing equipment, stage lighting, LCD projectors and 17-foot projection screens, a live sermon can be recorded and packaged for simultaneous viewing. In the case of Fellowship Church, the Saturday night message by Young, which is delivered live in the main sanctuary on the Grapevine campus, is recorded and then viewed on the following Sunday morning by the congregations at the two other venues. The Sunday morning services in the main sanctuary, however, are always live.
"It's a neat thing," says Curtis Cruson, media pastor at Fellowship Church. "We have three screens at the new locations. The center screen is used to show Ed's full-body shot, while the side screens are for close up shots."
At the satellite locations, each worship service is complete with a host pastor and live music. Videos and graphics are played on the screens before the sermon starts to set the tone of the message. When it's time to hear the sermon, Ed Young doesn't walk up on stage; instead he makes a life-size appearance on the screen. And the audience hardly minds the difference. In fact, the difference is not too distinguishable at all. Cruson says the projection screen creates the illusion that Young is on the stage in person. He says people forget they are watching a video because the picture is projected crystal-clear and Young avoids using verbal time stamps like "this evening." It also helps that Young encourages the audience to participate by asking them questions and inviting them to raise their hands, adds Cruson.
Fellowship Church is one of thousands of churches across the country using a multi-site approach to worship. Results from the 2003 Leadership Network's survey of 1,000 multi-site churches showed that "evangelistic outreach" is the dominant motivator for employing a multi-site or multi-venue approach (http://www.leadnet.org/multisitechurchesResources.asp).
The survey also revealed that 90 percent of the churches that responded launched their first multiple site or venue between 1997 and 2003.
Leading the way
North Coast Church, Vista, CA, is one of the first churches that began broadcasting to multiple venues in 1998. Today, those who call North Coast Church their home church (and there are about 5,500 of them) can choose from 18 worship times to see Pastor Larry Osborne and hear his weekly sermon. Of those 18 services, only three offer live teaching from Osborne.
Dave Garcia, projects manager at North Coast Church, says church members can choose a worship service according to their worship style and the schedule that's most convenient for them. And because there are several worship services to choose from, Garcia says the venues are often less crowded. He says usually none of the services holds more than 400 individuals.
"Pastors and worship leaders love it big, but most people like it small," says Garcia, referring to the worship service. But while each service has its own music style and personality (It's casual and laidback in the "Video Cafe"; and loud and charismatic in the "Edge"), Garcia explains that what ties all the services together is the consistent quality teaching.
Churches that want to expand to a multi-site and multi-venue model are not left without good resources from which they can learn how a video venue works. North Coast, for example, regularly holds workshops and conferences. It also offers a Video Venue Starter Kit, which contains three DVDs that show the steps and strategies a church can take to implement on-site and off-site video worship venues. Garcia shares a few tips for pastors: Stand in well-lit areas. Wear colors like blue, green, even black. Avoid wearing anything that has tight or small patterns that will be hard for the camera to pick up.
Selecting your off-site church
Dave Garcia of North Coast Church says the start-up costs to launch a video venue are considerably less compared to purchasing a piece of land and building a new auditorium. Of the 18 different venues at North Coast, two are located in nearby middle schools. Garcia says approximately $80,000 are accounted for equipment and technical room adjustments at the middle schools.
Use of an off-site premise in a school is a popular choice among multi-site churches as evidenced by the 2003 survey of U.S. churches by Leadership Network. The survey showed that 55 percent of multi-site churches meet in schools. The survey also reported that 19 percent of the respondents said they adapted the video venue service to solve the problem of overcrowding. Community Presbyterian Church in Danville, CA, reported that it had started a video cafe. In 2002 because of space issue. Once the first venue filled, the church started a second video cafe in 2003.
Garcia says that once people try out one of the many services that North Coast offers, their feedback is usually positive. "I have never heard anybody say that they just can't watch a video," says Garcia.
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rev-ed on Wed, April 13, 2005
I have always thought that multi-site churches would eventually take the place of the old circuit-riding system by using a good teaching pastor (which many small churches either do not have or cannot afford) to fill the pulpit while allowing layity to handle the rest of the responsibilities.
I do like the idea of offering enough services to seat 5500 people about 400 at a time. More service opportunities for worship leaders and musicians also (if you’re really blessed with too many of those folks!)
However, the pessimist in me sees the rise of the franchise church. One to three teaching pastors per denomination. . . the power vested in so few hands and the temptations which would go along with it, not to mention the effects of bad doctrine being taught at one “church”. Then again, maybe I shouldn’t read so much George Orwell. . . http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/wink.gif
Troy George on Fri, April 15, 2005
Multi-sites are great to reach more people with the sermons, but few mega churches are willing to allow multiple pastors to teach instead of using images of one “super teacher.” There are simply a lot of pastors looking for the opportunity to teach and few large churches willing to let them. The Holy Spirit may work through videos each week, but a real live person can be used every week to speak to a group. Although Ed Young speaks to a group well, a real pastor/teacher/preacher can communicate with more than his voice and an image shown in 3D on a stage. I say that God can speak through a number of good teacher/preachers who are ready to step in and do it live.
bernie dehler on Fri, April 15, 2005
Hi Troy-
I think some mega ministers (not mentioning names, they know who they are) actually do think that they are super. They think their greatness is because of themselves (they don’t really understand how their staff puts and keeps them there). (Sure, they give God the credit.) The world has their superstars, like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bill Gates, etc., so they figure Christianity can also have their “star performers.”
I remember Tammy Faye Bakker on PTL, thinking she was a great singer selling numerous albums. She earned it, right? However, the only reason anyone knew her was because of the PTL platform, which was built by donors who wanted to advance the Kingdom of God.
Reminds me, how else can you explain Dr. Hagee on TV accepting almost $1 million in compensation (from just one of his ministries, not including his pay as Pastor of his church). If he was paid something reasonable, like the average of his peers ($150K), he could employ 5 other leaders at that same salary and really do 5 times more for the Kingdom of God. Surely his Board of Directors knows what they are doing… but look into it, and you see the Board contains mostly family (his wife and son, plus 1 other person)…
I don’t know Ed Young. We’ll never know his salary, either, because he’s not required to report it. Some Ministers take great advantage of this, like Benny Hinn, who’s reportable admitted to a salary between $500K-$1 million.
Some will say I’m just jealous. Yup… just like our Lord Jesus, when He kicked-over the tables in the Temple…
To leave on a positive note, there are great role-models, like Focus on the Family and Coral Ridge Ministries, that are doing an awesome job, and not getting corrupted by the millions of dollars they are able to take in… true role-models of Christian corporate excellence, from what I’ve researched…
...Bernie
http://freegoodnews.blogspot.com
J. R. Miller on Sat, April 16, 2005
Preaching is more than the conveyance of a message, it is the power of a man to speak to the heart of the people he has been called to serve.
If your goal is to become popular and get your face in front of a lot of folks, then this is a good option. If your goal is to minister and connect on a personal level, this is a very poor option.
If your goal is to preach “at” people, this is great. If your goal is to preach and connect with people, then this is a bad option.
I guess it all just depends on what you value most. If you love preaching, more than people, this is a great way to minister. (I know I know… that last part sounds really harsh and may be unfair, but I can’t help but think it is true.)
The arguement seems to be “Hey, God is using this method to touch people, so it must be a good idea.” Hmmm… if that is your perspective, you may need to read this blog. Two posts are important: “Lesson From an Ass” & “Marilyn Manson is Doing God’s Work!” are the two comments that really apply to this article.
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