Ed Stetzer: Multisite Done Right

Multisite appears to be the new big thing.

Multisite churches have been regarded as the cure for all of the church’s ills, the most evil plague on the body of Christ, and everything in between. Opinions of multisite churches run rampant, but facts are often ignored in evaluating what has undoubtedly become the new normal for large and growing churches—and even for some small churches.

The number of multisite churches is growing rapidly. In the 1950s, there were just a few. In 2012, there were more than 5,000 different churches with two or more geographic campuses. Sixty-two of the 100 fastest-growing churches in America last year were multisite.

We recognize the names of several multisite ministries, including such Restoration Movement churches as Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho, which has eight sites and is the 71st-largest church in the country. Shepherd of the Hills in Porter Ranch, California, is growing with five sites, while other churches across the country have seen growth after adding a second site.

The most recent research on multisite churches indicates they defy a large number of the stereotypes with which they are associated. The facts are clear. Multisite churches:

• reach more people than single-site churches
• tend to spread healthy churches to more diverse communities
• have a greater percentage of volunteers in service than single-site churches
• baptize more people than single-site churches
• tend to activate people into ministry more than single-site churches

Because we are more concerned with the spiritual health of a church than the numerical success, we should continue to evaluate multisite churches. Are there problematic issues inherent to multisite? What is the most common methodology today, and is there a new approach that can better address some of the more troubling tendencies? Keep reaching