multi-site church
{{Short description|Church with multiple locations}}
A multi-site church is a specific church congregation which holds services at multiple geographical locations, either within a specific metropolitan area or, increasingly, several such areas.
Characteristic
A multisite church is a local church that has other campuses in various locations within the same city or in different cities.Jeff Strickler,
[https://www.startribune.com/twin-cities-churches-spinning-off-satellite-locations/15438921/ Chain churches], startribune.com, USA, February 8, 2008 Within the multi-site approach, both the primary location (usually the one with the largest physical attendance) and the offsite locations will commonly have their own music worship and announcements pertaining to that congregation.Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, Warren Bird, A Multi-Site Church Roadtrip: Exploring the New Normal, Zondervan, USA, 2009, p. 109 The sermon is mostly given by an on-site pastor, while in some churches it is broadcast via video from the main location. Jim Tomberlin, [https://churchexecutive.com/archives/multisite-strategies Multisite strategies — ensuring consistency], churchexecutive.com, August 1, 2014 The different campuses share physical and financial resources.Jeff Strickler,
[https://www.startribune.com/twin-cities-churches-spinning-off-satellite-locations/15438921/ Chain churches], startribune.com, USA, February 8, 2008
History
The first church to become multi-site was Highland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1942.Lisa B. Deaderick,
[https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-20061223-2006-12-23-0612230014-story.html BRIEF HISTORY OF MULTISITE CHURCHES], dailypress.com, USA, December 23, 2006Eddie Gibbs, ChurchMorph: How Megatrends Are Reshaping Christian Communities, Baker Academic, USA, 2009, p. 169 In 1990, there were 10 multisite churches the United States. In 2014, there were 8,000 multisite churches. Jessica Martinez, [https://www.christianpost.com/news/multisite-church-movement-grows-to-8000-sites-study-shows-success-comes-with-reaching-more-new-believers.html Multisite Church Movement Grows to 8,000 Sites; Study Shows Success Comes with Reaching More New Believers], christianpost.com, USA, March 06, 2014 According to a 2015 Leadership Network study, 37% of multi-site church campuses were autonomous churches that merged with another church. Kyle Rohane, Kevin Miller, [https://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2019/december-web-exclusives/new-math-of-church-mergers.html The New Math of Church Mergers], christianitytoday.com, USA, December 2, 2019 Some multi-site churches have also established campuses in prisons.Daniel Silliman,
[https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/november/multisite-church-prison-ministry-crossroads-gateway.html The Latest Multisite Campus: Prison], christianitytoday.com, USA, October 22, 2019 A study by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, and Leadership Network published in 2020 found that 70% of American megachurches had a multi-site network.Maria Baer, [https://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2020/november-web-exclusives/us-megachurches-multisite-small-group-hartford.html US Megachurches Are Getting Bigger and Thinking Smaller], christianitytoday.com, USA, November 19, 2020
Criticism
American Professor Eddie Gibbs on Church Growth at Fuller Theological Seminary, criticized the model of the video sermon broadcast in some multi-site churches for the lack of relationship between the pastor teacher and the faithful at each site, which would lead to messages less adapted to the reality of each campus.Bob Smietana, Rebecca Barnes, [https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/september/24.60.html High-Tech Circuit Riders], christianitytoday.com, USA, August 31, 2005