Multi-site church
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
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.[1] Commonly, though, the sermon will be broadcast via satellite from the primary location, though some churches use on-site ministers to deliver the sermon, but generally it is the same sermon presented to all congregants at all locations.[2][3]
History
The first church to become multi-site was Highland Park the Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1942.[4][5] In 1990, there were 10 multisite churches the United States. In 2014, there were 8,000 multisite churches.[6] Some multi-site churches have also established campuses in prisons.[7] 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.[8]
Controversies
American Professor Eddie Gibbs on Church Growth at Fuller Theological Seminary, criticized the model of the video sermon broadcast in these 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.[9]
See also
References
- ^ Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, Warren Bird, A Multi-Site Church Roadtrip: Exploring the New Normal, Zondervan, USA, 2009, p. 109
- ^ Jeff Strickler, Chain churches, startribune.com, USA, February 8, 2008
- ^ Quentin J. Schultze, Robert Herbert Woods Jr., Understanding Evangelical Media: The Changing Face of Christian Communication, InterVarsity Press, USA, 2009, p. 164
- ^ Lisa B. Deaderick, BRIEF HISTORY OF MULTISITE CHURCHES, dailypress.com, USA, December 23, 2006
- ^ Eddie Gibbs, ChurchMorph: How Megatrends Are Reshaping Christian Communities, Baker Academic, USA, 2009, p. 169
- ^ Jessica Martinez, Multisite Church Movement Grows to 8,000 Sites; Study Shows Success Comes with Reaching More New Believers, christianpost.com, USA, March 06, 2014
- ^ Daniel Silliman, The Latest Multisite Campus: Prison, christianitytoday.com, USA, October 22, 2019
- ^ Maria Baer, US Megachurches Are Getting Bigger and Thinking Smaller, christianitytoday.com, USA, November 19, 2020
- ^ Bob Smietana, Rebecca Barnes, High-Tech Circuit Riders, christianitytoday.com, USA, August 31, 2005