Multiplying by Multi-Site

• Series: Church Planting
• by: Doug Swagerty 09/11/06
• Series: Church Planting

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What Is a Multi-Site Church?

• A Single Church
• With Multiple Worship Services
• In Multiple Locations

Types of Multi-Site Churches

Different Models

• Same Campus, Multi-Venue
• Regional Multi-Site
• Extended Multi-Site
• Multi-Congregational & Multi-Site
• Live Speakers vs. Video Venues

Similarities in the Models:

• Oversight by One Board
• Live Worship
• Shared Resources

What’s the Attraction?

• A Creative Way to Manage Growth
• A Strategy for Reaching a Different Community
• A Cost-Effective Means to Maximize a Church Planter’s Gifts and Vision

San Diego Case Study

Harbor Presbyterian Church

Harbor’s Values & Vision

• Gospel-Centered
• Missional
• City-Positive
• Multi-Ethnic
• Multi-Cultural
• Multi-Congregational
• Multi-Site
• Ministry Mercies
• Changed Lives

San Diego Context

• Population: 1.3 Million
• Second Largest City in California
• Seventh Largest City in the United States
• Under-Churched:
  • USA Average: 12 churches/10,000 people
  • San Diego: 3 churches/10,000 people
• San Diego/Tijuana Border Crossing the World’s Busiest

Six Sites in Six Years 

• Downtown: 2000
• La Jolla/UTC: 2001
• Carmel Valley: 2003
• Chula Vista: 2004
• Uptown: 2004
• Mira Mesa: 2005

The Harbor Structure:  Multi-Congregational & Multi-Site

• Harbor is a “vine” (church) with several “peapods” (congregations), each with two or three “peas” (sites).
• Each church planter/pastor starts a peapod that is connected to the vine.
• The vine (one church) has oversight with one board, one corporation, one membership roll, and centralized accounting functions.

Multi-Site Advantages: Centralized Administration

One:

• Corporation
• Session
• Membership Roll
• Employer ID #
• Bank Account
• Insurance Carrier

Central Services

• Finances
• Bulletins
• Leases
• Insurances
• Taxes
• Personnel Issues

Multi-Site Advantages: De-Centralized Ministry

• Training of Small Group Leaders
• Training of Ministry Team Leaders
• Ministry Structure (Different Emphases)
• Separate Congregational/Site Budgets

Multi-Site Advantages: Centralized Leadership

One Session:

• Guardian of Vision
• Legal/Ecclesiastical Requirements
• Elders Do Not Represent Sites
• Officer Training Centralized

Multi-Site Advantages: Ongoing Training & Renewal

Pastor/Church Planter Meetings:

• Meet Each Month
• Morning: Alliance Church Planters
  • Training Topics
  • Sharing, Prayer & Personal Gospel Renewal
• Afternoon: Harbor Pastors
  • Financial Reports
  • Sermon Schedules
  • Joint Projects
  • Special Services
  • Ministry Support

Multi-Site Advantages: Ministry Retreats

Semi-Annual Pastor Retreats:

• Personal Sharing
• Sermon Planning
• Long-Range Planning
• Ministry Discussions

Multi-Site Advantages: Value of Team Ministry

• Support for Spouses
• Internship Training
• Ongoing Mentoring

Multi-Site Advantages: Centralized Ministry

• “Big Church Ministries, Small Church Feel”
• Wide Variety of Mercy Ministries
• Regular Joint Services
  • Good Friday
  • Christmas Eve
  • Vision Nights
• Church Planting Fund (10% of Offerings)

Summary of Multi-Site Benefits

• Unified vision and values.
• Big church ministries, small church feel
• Opportunity for growth in more than one community.
• Enables pastors/church planters to do the main thing instead of changing priorities.
• Unleashes gifts in the body.
• Shared costs, new/increased giving units.
• Allows for different worship styles.
• Trains and supports church planters and spouses.