Church growth trends reveal a fascinating evolution in ministry. Approximately 50 years ago, many congregations in the United States began adopting the “multi-model” approach. This initial phase focused primarily on offering multiple worship services on Sunday mornings. At the time, the shift was controversial, often met with concerns that the change would disrupt tradition or hinder the ability of members to know one another within the church.
As those initial controversies subsided, the multisite model began gaining significant momentum about two decades ago. Similar objections surfaced, yet the model continued to reshape the ecclesiastical landscape. Having served as a pastor and early adopter of this model in 1995, I experienced firsthand the unique leadership challenges involved in guiding a congregation to establish its first satellite location.
Today, the multi-model has become a standard strategy for reaching diverse communities. By analyzing the history of these transitions, leaders can better navigate the complexities of modern expansion. Understanding the shift from multiple services to multiple locations is essential for any church looking to increase its impact and maintain healthy congregational growth in a changing cultural climate.
The multi-venue model is not new, but it is gaining momentum. I define multi-venue as worship gatherings at the same site beyond the Sunday morning services or beyond the same worship center or sanctuary. For example, a church may start a service for college students on Tuesday evening. Or it may have a Korean service meeting in another part of the church facilities concurrent with an English-speaking service.
Though the model is not new, there seems to be a perfect storm accelerating the growth of the multi-venue approach. Here are six components moving the model forward.
1. Multiplication is a proven model. The New Testament is clear about multiplication. The purpose of Paul’s missionary journeys was to take the gospel and to start, or multiply, churches. We have seen the efficacy of the multiplication model in groups, Sunday school classes, ministries, church plants and new church sites.
2. Church leaders realize more than ever how underutilized their church facilities are. As a consequence, these leaders are looking at opportunities to start new services, for example, in times and places they did not consider in earlier years. I worked with one church that welcomed a Chinese congregation on Sunday afternoons and utilized its fellowship hall for a more contemporary service concurrent with other services on Sunday morning.
3. Many churches do not have facilities. They often have to pay for expensive lease space. Or they have to move from school to school as they grow, or as the schools decide the church can no longer rent their facilities on Sunday. These churches would love to be in a place with a greater sense of security and permanence. They are often finding the perfect solution by sharing a facility with another church.
4. Non-Sunday worship services will increase in number. Many church leaders are taking the leap and leading their congregations to offer at least one service other than Sunday morning. This move allows the church to reach more people without building or buying expensive facilities.
5. Multi-venue is a great way to reach ethnic and language groups. These congregations are able to share facilities instead of the expensive path of owning or leasing multiple facilities.
6. There will continue to be challenges for many churches that want to expand their facilities. Those challenges may come as a result of having insufficient acreage to build upon. Or they may be the result of a municipality or other approval authority denying a church permission to build. I have been involved in several legal consultations where the latter took place. Multi-venue services become a solution to this challenge as well.
For certain, multi-venue services are not new. They have been around for quite a while. But, for the reasons noted in this article, we will see a rapid expansion of this approach in the years ahead.
This article originally appeared on ChurchAnswers.com and is reposted here by permission.