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    South Florida:  MultiSite Churches Popping Up Everywhere…

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    3.  Even if you're not a big fan, I think it's important for you to learn as much as what you can about multi-sites.  From what I can see, the multi-site movement is not a 'fad'.  Many churches are using multiple sites to reach more people; and maybe it's an approach that you will need to strongly consider in your area.  And even if you don't, there will be churches in your local community who adopt a multi-site plan; so it's good for you to at least keep up on what's happening.

    Today's post, for example, is part one of a detailed article that looks at the multi-site movement in South Florida.  This appeared recently in the Sun-Sentinal. (Later this week, we'll look at part 2).

    Again, the purpose for sharing this article is not to hear from everyone who is opposed to multi-sites.  We've already had a lively debate about the philosphy here in other posts.  The purpose of the article is informational.  If there are certain parts of the article that you either disagree with or would like to discuss or ask opinion on, please do... just do so respectfully.  OK... with that said, let's move on to the article:

    With an instant congregation of 700, Christ Fellowship seemed big when it sprang into existence in Wellington last August. Since then, though, it's more than doubled -- to about 1,500 a week.

    Each weekend, its worshipers fill the Polo Park Middle School with music, sermons and hi-tech gear. By Sunday night they're gone -- fanned out into several communities -- where they lead Bible studies in individual homes.

    The Wellington congregation is a satellite branch of Christ Fellowship of Palm Beach Gardens, whose own Sunday attendance often tops 8,000. Together, they make the church the third largest in the state.

    Christ Fellowship merges two trends in American religion: the multifunction megachurch and the multi-campus satellite church system.

    Founder and Senior Pastor Tom Mullins plays up the advantages in the satellite arrangement.

    "The tradition has been to make each church independent, letting them sink or swim," says Mullins, 59. "Our model is to support each other, stay focused in purpose and mission, yet allow different campuses to have unique expressions."

    This year, the nondenominational evangelical church also added a third site: a youth-oriented series of services at CityPlace in West Palm Beach.

    In the past 35 years, the number of American churches with more than 2,000 each weekend has grown from 10 to more than 1,000, Church Growth Today reports -- some using the satellite church model.

    Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale -- at 18,000-plus per week, the second largest church in Florida -- is planning to start a satellite campus in Boca Raton within six to eight weeks. It will be the first of four branch campuses, says Pastor Bob Coy.

    "Our primary objective is to give a people sense of community," Coy says. "A lot of people like big churches; a lot of them don't. We want to look for innovative ways to meet their needs."

    In Miami-Dade and Broward counties, New Testament Baptist Church, while not a megachurch, has done well thus far with two sites. Its main campus is in Miami Lakes, and a second complex was added in Southwest Ranches in Broward. Its ministers report an average total Sunday attendance of 1,300.

    "It's been a great opportunity to emulate what the church was doing in Miami-Dade," says the Rev. Bernie Diaz, an associate pastor at the Miami Lakes site. "The synergy benefits both campuses."

    Not every satellite experiment works. In 1988, the now-defunct West Lauderdale Baptist Church started a second site in North Lauderdale, then ran into money problems. The church decided to close the satellite and merge the congregations. But satellite pastor Rev. Douglas Bowne refused.

    "I said we'd stay, even if we had to rent a place," Bowne said. "The elders were either wrong when they sent me, or they were wrong in closing the church."

    The elders finally relented and let the North Lauderdale members keep the building if they took over the payments. Now called the Word of His Grace Fellowship, the church draws about 125 each weekend -- and has founded 10 other churches, all of them independent.

    Although some churches have long had a satellite campus or two -- churches in Texas and Ontario have had them for more than a century -- the trend has lately mushroomed. And not just in the United States.

    In Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and South Korea, the method is used routinely, says John Vaughan, editor of Church Growth Today and director of the Megachurch Research Center in Bolivar, Mo. Between satellites and daughter churches, the immense Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul has spawned more than 100 congregations for its 800,000 members.

    Any thoughts?  I thought it was interesting that this isn't just a 'US' thing.

    Todd

    I’ve taken much affliction for my support of the ‘multi-site’ church movement here at the blog.  When something appears in the news (particularly the secular media), I want to share it with you.  Here are the purposes: 1.  It lets you know what’s going on in this new area/philosophy/model of church outreach; and 2.  It allows you to hear from the people actually doing multi-sites…

    Comments

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    1. Kent on Mon, July 25, 2005

      Having watched a MultiSite church up close I have nothing but the greatest respect for them. They have been able to reach more people for Christ without the emmense cost of a huge facility. In our area of Naperville the land costs alone would be prohibitive for almost size congregation. And having several “smaller” congregations allows for greater sense of community. They have maintained a high degree of quality and identity inspite of the 5 sites they have in the area. Those who are in leadership are truly men and women of God. The only question I ask is how does it translate to the smaller congregation when they strech a facility that holds 300 people? Can that model work in that situation as well? I look at adding to our building and it just does not make sense. But looking at another site does, especially if you can place in a strip mall near a new housing development. But I applaud the MultiSite movement and those who making it work

    2. Roger Ball on Tue, July 26, 2005

      While our church is not yet- multi-site, I have a vision toward that goal. We have been honored to work with a multi-site church in our community called The Crossings. We recently helped them launch their third site in a location where a previous traditional SBC Church had finally closed their doors after dwindling to about 15 people. Everyone said, “you just can’t rech people there—- it’s been tried.” The Crossings launched at Easter in that same location and immediately was running around 80 in attendance. It is growing steadily. They have also just finished the fourth launch of a satellite, this one in a Biker’s Bar in Fort Pierce, Florida.

      Each congregation is unique and is based upon the needs assessment done in that neighbvorhood or location. The church seeks first to meet the needs of the people there—and second to hold worship services.


      As a Pastor I am thrilled to help anyone reach out, even if I have to give them property at our place to do so.

       

    3. Glen on Wed, July 27, 2005

      The multichurch site reminds me of what’s written at the end of Romans.  There Paul great several people- many he also adds such things as “...also greet the church that is in their house.”  If I recall church history correctly, the early church used this multisite system as well.  All those house churches made up the group that Paul wrote to- Romans, Ephesians, etc.

      I haven’t seen the arguments against such a structure, but frankly I can’t think of a negative.  Christ centered, and sharing a common identity as a church expands.  What can be wrong with that?  It sure beats the way so many churches have spread (at least here in the south) over the last 40 years- By getting mad and splitting!!!


      Todd, thanks for this site!

       

    4. Wally Marshall on Wed, July 27, 2005

      Todd, thanks for keeping us updated on a viriety of topics. I am so excited about the growth of multi-site churches throughout the body of Christ. Keep it up.

    5. decrease dwayne on Thu, March 30, 2006

      multi site I believe is Biblical… yet not for everyone.  For us it works great in the urban context that as my Pastor was told when he was younger… chews up pastors and spits them out.  Our pastoral staff enjoys the family atmosphere of strong relationships as most were raised up from within. http://www.newlifechicago.org Decrease dwayne

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