Todd,
I think it is awesome that you are helping shed some light on Multi-site ministry.  As an associate pastor at a Multi-site ministry, our church has 3 campuses, I have found it to be an absolutely awesome experience.  I have been at this campus since it’s conception and public launch with about 30 people.  Today 21/2 years later we are having over 650 in weekend atendance at our campus.  The most amazing thing is that in 21/2 years we have never had a service that we did not see 3 or 4 sometimes a dozen or more people come to Christ. 
We function from a “one church, with many campuses” philosphy.  We have a bidirectional feed that makes things interactive between campuses when needed.  But that aside, it allows us to have a “real” influence into the communities where our campuses are located.  The “why” behind what we do is simply to be able to influence our entire city and the surrounding communities for God.  We have found that in order to truly accomplish our mission, we needed to be in those communities in a real way.  Having multiple campuses gives us that opportunity.
Keep sharing on this topic, I think as Body of Christ we need to evaluate our plans often.  Are we accomplishing what we say we have set our hands to the plow to d?  If not, maybe we just need to adjust our plans a bit.  The mission never changes, but often as we go, our plans must change.  Change is a good thing.

Once again, the positives are specific and first-hand, but the only criticisms seem to be non-specific and hypothetical.

If there is a specific multi-site church, or leadership of a specific multi-site, that warrants criticism, then let’s hear it in its context. If you have no first-hand knowledge of specific faults, what is the constructive value (that’s what we’re looking for, isn’t it?) of suppositional negatives?

If the multi-site model/methodology itself is unbiblical - contrary to the wishes of God’s Spirit - then wouldn’t it be a case of the multi-site model constituting “a house divided against itself [that] cannot stand” - as Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees when he was accused of casting out demons by Beelzebub?

So far, EVERY first-hand experience described here has been positive, God-honoring, Christ-adoring, kingdom-building, life-restoring.

The evidence presented here clearly indicates that multi-site churches are “robbing Satan’s housel.” (Matt. 12:29) And that is a praise-worthy thing.

I find it difficult to see why there is any real criticiszm about the planting of ministries.  Not every church is equipped to do it however those that are God Bless them.  Those who are not God Bless them as well.  I believe we all just need to thank God for how he uses us all to accomplish the full work of the kingdom.  Our church was very traditional up until about 8 years ago when God began to shift and re-create the church.  We are now about a year from planting another church and are looking forward to the challenge and the results that shall manifest from this endeavor.  Please pray for M.H.C as we do what God has instructed us all to d, spread the gospel

Tony

“--The egocentric mega-church multi-site pastor (I’ve yet to meet one);”

Perhaps you’re not looking hard enough.  Or maybe I don’t know the real definition of ecocentric.

Does this qualify:
1. Insistant on 6 or 7 remote churches, K-6 school this 2006 year, middle school within a couple years and high school a couple more.  Youth ranch, bible college and 5000 seat santuary. (public knowledge) - all the while not releasing the numbers on the 2.5 million challenge pledge for this year (and never releasing the prior years 3 million challenge pledge) for the current 77k sq. ft. building.  (or he has to re-fi the loans, not public knowledge)
2. All leadership at these churches (direct quote from pastor) ‘must get in line with me’
3. Salary unknown by almost anyone, I know it to be in the six figures (the second set of them).  His son (22 yrs old) is also in six figures as is his son-in-law. (known from my access in the IT system there)
4. He says jump and you say how high, even at 2am or 3am after having worked 70 hours that week and it being your “day” off or you’re fired. (direct quote of a current pastor and seen in action during a late fellowship night with two pastors from the church myself)
5. Not releasing giving data unless person signs agreements, is already a tither and meets with Senior pastor directly. (from current staff member)
6. Spouces of male employees are treated as free employees some compensated for 10 or 20 hours of the 30 to 60 they work. (public evidence, one even complained to me - unprompted - about always being tired and never seeing her husband or dad seeing their children)
7. Pushes for radio, tv, international exposure (just got a ‘deal’ to have our broadcast translated in Arabic and broadcast on cyprus and a new asian deal) - none of this is even mentioned to the flock until after the ink is dry and the first broadcast is set to happen. (public knowledge after the fact)
8. Lunches from Pastor usually correspond to the money taps in the congregation (the business members who contribute a lot) (he talks about this frequently, perhaps he also meets with the rank and file, but if he does, I don’t know about it and I know WAY more then I want to).
9. True hands/feet work just recently got started (i.e. money leaving the church without any ‘return’ to the church in regards to people coming into the church) due to one pastor (who is paid squat and gets barely any public support from the senior pastor)
10. Mentions from his pulpit that other churches don’t like his plans to move into ‘their area’ and cause him trouble. (public knowledge)
11. High turnover rate in staff and laypersons. (we’ve doubled in size - we should have more workers, but we have less, in raw numbers, then before) - observation.
12. People are asked to leave if they disagree with the pastor. (know two people directly who this impacted, know of one upper level pastor who split the church over this and another who they prayed would leave so senior pastor’s daughter could run the music minstry)

If you’re thinking, am I still there - yes, we made committments to the flock to minister to them with our term being until the end of this school year.  At such time, we’ll be evaluating is we’re just hyper sensative or we need to leave.

Bernie,
Yes I have.  My dad, whom I respect and he is my spiritual hero, advised me to be careful and use only scripture.  One of the exiting church members commented that it would be fruitless as they’d witnessed the impact of critical comments to the pastor and then the comments from the pastor about the person.  Other people in unrelated comments to this mention that pastor doesn’t tolerate any negative comments (i.e. critical).  From the pulpit, pastor makes comments like “I learned not to be critical of anyone who I’m not doing more then” and “I get people kicking me in the back all the time, I’ve learned to ignore them as they are just petty/jealous/misguided/from satan/etc”

So in regards to Matt 18:15+, I’d be asked to leave, at best, I would be kicked out of all ministry work I do as would my wife.  This would harm her seriously (I was raised Christian, departed for 15 years and returned when I started going to this church, she never went to church prior to this and was baptised here).

My first responsibility is to myself, then my family, then my church.  I really don’t know how to do this and do it not to get it off my chest, but rather to allow the Holy Spirit to work through me to effect a change in his heart so that he changes his ways.  I know all things are possible through God - I’m short on faith that anything will change him.

PS - the church revenue is under all of the listed entries, the pay is above more then half the people.