Questions to Navigate the Future of Church Plants and Multisite Churches

We don’t know what the church is going to look like when this is all said and done, but we do know that it will be different. Here are some things to consider when looking to the future of church plants and multisite churches.

CHURCH OUTSIDE THE FOUR WALLS

The church was never supposed to be limited within a building. The COVID-19 reality has pushed churches to expand their reach outside of their church buildings and into the community and homes that surround them. By doing this and thinking wisely through this season, you can prepare yourself to be more effective on the other side of the virus. Consider:

1. How will you do church online for kids?
2. How will you run groups online?
3. How will you reach out and connect with people?

In a world that was moving in a way of technology, this situation is forcing churches to find an answer for meeting people in a technology culture. By doing this now, you will be more prepared to reach culture than you were before. Most likely, people will attend churches online now. Even in multisite situations, your online attendance will likely be higher in the future.

A NEW LOCATION

Many people are becoming comfortable with attending church online and meeting with their group online. This has the potential to change people’s willingness to come to a physical church building. This could lead to less sites and to more, smaller in-home gatherings. Most people thought church online was a backup plan to not being able to go to church, but it could become the plan for going to church.

MEETING KIDS’ NEEDS

COVID-19 has put parents in a position of no longer being able to outsource the spiritual discipleship of their children to the church. Church leaders should intentionally help families in this area by providing them with videos, questions, and guides to disciple their kids at home. They should also overcommunicate to families how important it is for parents to begin discipling their kids.

ONLINE CHURCH PLANTING?

The church online platform could potentially be a platform for launching future church plants. These pastors could launch online with marketing and social media. Physical locations could be launched later, potentially somewhere that people only meet in person once a month. The online location could become the primary location for these upcoming church plants.

Adapted from the New Churches Q&A Podcast Episode 480: COVID-19 and the Future of Church Planting and Multisite (with Josh Gagnon). Click here to listen to more to church planting, multisite, and multiplication tips.

This article originally appeared on NewChurches.com and is reposted here by permission.

NewChurches.com
NewChurches.comhttp://newchurches.com

NewChurches.com wants to help you build a strong foundation by connecting you with top experts in the field of church planting and multisite ministry, and by regularly providing you with the resources, information and community you need to thrive.