MegaChurch, Multisite, and Starbucks

I was reading a great post from Ed Stetzer entitled Trends in Big Church Buildings.  The discussion revolved around how the increasing number of mega churches is not directly reflecting an increase in larger sanctuaries.  In fact, there may actually be a trend toward smaller facilities.  This of course is a direct reflection of the trend towards multisite.  The multisite model has taken fire among churches across America and around the world.  The fastest growing and largest churches in America are increasingly mutlisite churches.

In my work with churches and Pastors, it became very evident to me that the easiest place to find or meet with many young Pastors was Starbucks.  Not only was it a convenient place to meet but many Pastors of young, growing churches used Starbucks as their office.  Here they were, in the community, building relationships, and using each opportunity to invite the people they met to their local church.

The Pastors of the previous generation may have used the local cafe, Denny's or The Kettle Restaurant to meet with people.  If you think about it you could fit several Starbucks into a Denny's and there is no way Denny's is near the draw that Starbucks is to today's generation.  I draw this comparison to say this: the large mega church of yesterday operated in a world that drove people to a building.  The trend in the church and multisite today is to send people out into their local community to reach people and plug them into a local expression of the church.  The mega church can replicate the DNA of their church with a strong mission and vision across a city and region by launching campuses in new communities.

As I work with mega churches searching for multisite campuses they are not seeking 1,500 seat sanctuaries. 400-600 seats is an ideal size and the multisite can replicate that service multiple times on a weekend.  These facilities, cost less to buy, build, and operate.  These spaces can be used in multiple ways and give the church options while reducing costs.

What Ed discovered and spelled out in this article is that the mega church is growing a movement, using multisite as the vehicle, to SEND the church into local communities to develop highly effective, missional campuses that are catalytic in moving the church to accomplish the Great Commission, in their Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/september/trends-in-big-church-buildings.html