MondayMorningInsight.com > Can You Imagine Doing This?!

Living Hope isn't just running forward, it's charging full tilt.

Starting on Easter Sunday, Living Hope will turn to technology for help in delivering its message beyond Brush Prairie to four movie theaters and a second church building it purchased in Orchards. Each location will host two Sunday services including a digital video of Bishop's message for adults and a live puppet show for children in which the characters will lip-sync a pre-recorded script.

Can you imagine? Adding TEN services all at once; and going from 1 location to 5 locations in just one week? Oh my...

The five-fold expansion is just the latest effort in an outreach program that's considered to be among the most ambitious of its kind.

Bishop's pop-culture-infused sermons already are available on the Internet through podcasts and streaming video. On weekends, he draws about 3,400 regulars to six services. The taped sermons delivered to five new locations starting on Easter Sunday will expand the church's physical reach from Hazel Dell to east Vancouver.

"I've been to 260 megachurches this year," said John Vaughan, who runs a Missouri-based church research and consulting business. "I don't know of any other church that would try anything this bold."

I think I'm with John on this one... 'bold' is a kind word.

I guess when you're a church of 3,400 and your auditorium seats 600, you have to take drastic measures!

What do you think? I know some still don't like the multi-site approach; but what would you do if you were the pastor of this local church? You certainly wouldn't turn people away? Wouldn't your first response be to allow as many people to get in on what God is doing at your church? Extreme? Yes! Absolutely! (and Exciting!)

Todd

This post has been viewed 119 times so far.

TRACKBACKS: (0) There are 12 Comments:

Posted by pjlr

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at 11:42 AM

“I know some still don’t like the multi-site approach; . . .”

While that may be true, it is obvious that many are buying into it. I can only wonder what it would be like to pastor a church that seems unafraid to try bold things for God.

God bless em!
Posted by

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at 12:01 PM

May God bless them and may it fly!
Posted by

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at 12:21 PM

Luther used the newest technology of his day - the printing press. The early church was “multi-site” in that multiple groups met in homes. The more things change...the more they seem to be the same.
Posted by

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at 12:30 PM

6 sites!

Too bold, I’d try one at a time. I’m afraid he’s gonna burn a few folks out here.
Posted by

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at 1:14 PM

I wish them the best of luck with their endeavor. I wouldn’t want to try it that big all at once, but if they’ve got the people wanting to hear the message they’ve got to find a way to get it to them.

I find the logistics, planning and everything that goes into planting our very small church to be almost exhausting. I can’t imagine trying to coordinate 10 services at once.
Posted by

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at 1:14 PM

“Can You Imagine Doing This?!”

Nope.
Posted by Luke

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at 5:03 PM

I would never turn people away...but where is the emphasis on church planting? Why not spend that money on a new church, one that might look a little different then the mother church? Stats show that Church Plants out pace conversions then established churches.
Posted by

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at 8:23 PM

Luke writes [Stats show that Church Plants out pace conversions then established churches.]

Luke, I generally agree with your thought that church plants are a great way to bring people to Christ. One church planting expert (nationally known) who I know is insistent that it is the most effective manner of evangelism we have.

But… there is some compelling evidence I’ve seen lately that shows that the “church planting movement” is losing steam and that a lot of church plants are failing. For this reason I think it’s a good idea to at least consider the benefits of multi-site.
Posted by Bernie Dehler of FreeGoodNews.com

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at 11:51 PM

Tood says:
“I know some still don’t like the multi-site approach; but what would you do if you were the pastor of this local church?”

Why is his church so large? Believe me, it’s the result of plans. If he wanted to try the alternative, planting churches, he wouldn’t have this problem. So my answer is, if I was the Pastor, I would never have this problem. The more converts we get, the more churches that are planted, and more corresponding peer leaders.

...Bernie
Posted by

Thursday, March 30, 2006 at 6:56 AM

Bernie,

That is admirable, and I hope if you ever pastor a church (which I hope you do) that you are able to make that model work better than many (not all) who have tried recently. And then I want to read your book. (No sarcasm intended… I am a HUGE fan of rightly done church plants and I think you are the kind of guy who can lead that kind of culture.) I still think (and I am a recent “convert” to this) that multi-site has its place, but real thought-out carefully done church planting… that’s the goods…
Posted by

Thursday, March 30, 2006 at 8:05 AM

I will be praying for them…

I believe we should re-worded as:

“Can you imagine NOT Doing This?”

If you never try, you’ll never know if it would belly flop or fly, so what is there to lose, give’ er a try…

What if the Wright Brothers never tried building planes and making them fly.. Why we wouldn’t have the air transportation we have today.

Drive on, Drive on.....
Posted by notebooker

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at 5:51 AM

I can imagine yeah!

Page 1 of 1 pages

Post Your Comments:

I'm a chronic workaholic, love to connect leaders with other leaders, and would consider myself somewhat of a 'maven'. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you'll like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step.