Time to Multi-Site?

Multi-site church ministry is quickly reshaping American Christianity in powerful ways. Churches of all theological bent- everything from contemporary to traditional churches- are considering multi-site as the next phase in ministry growth. As your own local church grows, you may be wondering if expanding into multi-site locations is the right move to make. Here are five questions to ponder before making the leap from single-site to multi-site:

1. Why are you considering multi-site?

If the move to multi-site is simply because “everyone is doing it,” that’s not a good enough reason. Expanding into multi-site needs to line up with the unique vision God has given your leadership and pastoral team. If multiple factors are pointing towards greater ministry opportunities through multi-site, then Godspeed!

2. What’s your average weekend attendance?

We highly recommend churches only consider multi-site if their average weekend attendance is over 1,000. This gives you a financial base that can readily support the vision and mission of the church while also supporting the financial needs of a new multi-site campus location.

3. How will you keep a “one church, many locations” feel of multi-site ministry?

Several multi-site churches rely on video-streaming technology for weekend messages to have a consistent worship experience across all campuses. Other multi-sites have a one-week tape-delay broadcast of their weekend messages for the same purpose. There are a variety of ways different multi-site churches use technology and planning to create a singular mindset across all campuses. How will your church do the same?

4. How will you staff both your new multi-site and home base campuses?

A new campus means new people who need pastoral and ministerial care. This includes increased demand on children’s ministry and weekend worship service for volunteers and staff. Do you hire ahead of your prayerful growth, or do you revise your current staff and volunteer structure to accommodate multiple locations?

5. What facility options are you considering for multi-site ministry?

Multi-site churches across the U.S. use a variety of venues to host their multi-site campuses. Movie theaters, college amphitheaters, hotel conference rooms, comedy clubs, and school auditoriums are just a few of the different venues multi-site churches are using each week. The cost of renting a facility is often as expensive as simply purchasing one. Instead of running the risk of steeplejacking, as Thom Schultz warns readers, you may consider purchasing an existing facility and revising it to fit your basic needs as a new multi-site location.

If you’re considering a multi-site expansion facility, our Development Advisors team is here to serve you. Development Advisors works with local churches to create strategic facility expansion plans, including multi-site facility expansion. We are a full-service commercial real estate development organization committed to serving churches. This vision aligns with our principals’ personal values as followers of Jesus Christ. Our Development Advisors team is here to serve you and answer any questions you may have when it comes to both single-site and multisite church facility expansion.

Development Advisors provides a variety of services, including strategic planning, financial feasibility, site or building selection, capital campaign direction , financing (as owner’s representative), project team selection, project and construction management (also as owner’s representative), FF&E and AVL procurement specialists, and relocation coordination, as needed.

Churches Reclaim Declining Urban Church Facilities

The multi-site church model, one church meeting in multiple locations, is quickly changing the landscape of American Christianity. Many urban church facilities have fallen into disrepair or even abandonment due to diminishing congregations or population shift to other areas. Thankfully, the revitalization of urban demographic communities is allowing multi-site churches a unique chance to reclaim urban church facilities for new campus locations.

Denver Community Church (DCC) is a multi-site church with two campus locations: Uptown at 16th and Pearl Street, and Washington Park at Mississippi Avenue11th and Washington Street. Denver Community Church started as a single-site church and expanded into its newer Uptown location in the old Temple Emanuel synagogue building. Temple Emanuel was built in 1899 and listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1987. (Source) DCC purchased the building in 2013 to launch its Uptown campus.

This is a beautiful example of a multi-site church using an already established urban church facility to continue building into the Kingdom. There are several other examples across the U.S. of multi-site churches purchasing or assuming urban church facilities as new campuses. Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, Illinois is another church that’s working to reclaim urban church facilities. Although Harvest Bible Chapel is not considered a multi-site church, it does plant several churches each year across the world. Harvest Bible Chapel new church plants across the Chicago area are using existing church facilities as launch points for new plants.

Before you consider a brand-new facility in an urban community, it’s worth a look at existing facilities to see which can be reclaimed for your next new campus. There’s a sacred atmosphere and charm to older church facilities with stained glass and vaulted ceilings. What better way to preserve a church building’s rich tradition of worship than to repurpose it for the Church of tomorrow.

It can take significant time and finances to revitalize an outdated urban church facility. Development Advisors works with local churches to create strategic facility expansion plans, including multi-site facility expansion. We are a full-service commercial real estate development organization committed to serving churches. This vision aligns with our principals’ personal values as followers of Jesus Christ. Our Development Advisors team is here to serve you and answer any questions you may have when it comes to both single-site and multisite church facility expansion.

Development Advisors provides a variety of services, including strategic planning, financial feasibility, site or building selection, capital campaign direction , financing (as owner’s representative), project team selection, project and construction management (also as owner’s representative), FF&E and AVL procurement specialists, and relocation coordination, as needed.