Consulting, Coaching & Chatter

I was invited to check out the newest book by Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, and Warren Bird A Multi-Site Church Road Trip (look for its review in Net Results in the March-April 2010 issue). After reading the book, I proffered a question to the authors. The question and the answer is posted below. The authors of the book will be following the comments, so if you have thoughts or additional questions, don’t hesitate to post and we’ll see what kind of a conversation we can get going with them.

Question:

With all the hype, success stories, and publicity given to multi-site churches, for many congregations struggling to survive, the multi-site option may seem to be an enticing enterprise (dare we say “program”?).   With this in mind, what would you say are the foundational/key/bottom-line traits that a church/congregation must have/exhibit before it seriously entertains the idea of planning or implementing a multi-site option?

Reply:

Bottom line – if a church is struggling to survive, multi-site is not for them.  It rarely has successfully catalyzed growth in a dead or dying congregation. In fact, we are not aware of any churches where this has been the case.  It can be an effective tool for sustaining growth but not for creating growth.  The foundational questions for a church to ask before making a decision to go multi-site include:

1. Is your church healthy?  Is it growing?  Are members excited about bringing their family and friends?  If you’re unhealthy, why export your disease?

2. Is there a driving impetus behind your desire to go multi-site?  All the leaders we have interfaced with over the last 7 years chose to open additional sites because they saw no better options for fulfilling God’s purpose and direction for their church.

3. Are key leaders behind the decision?  Going multi-site is not easy and therefore it is vital for key leaders to be unified and excited about moving forward with an additional campus(es).  Employing multi-site as an “end-around strategy” is doomed for failure.

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For further dialog, see more Q&A at the authors’ blog www.multisiteroadtrip.com or contact them via Twitter: @geoffsurratt, @gregligon or @warrenbird. To order Multi-Site Church Roadtrip, click here http://bit.ly/7pmFZQ, and to order Multi-Site Church Revolution, click here http://bit.ly/5q5AaD.

… I didn’t know where else to put this, here’s a short video of the light, sound, and decoration’s display at our home this Christmas. Perhaps sometime I’ll figure out how to marry the music that’s playing in the front yard (with many thanks to our tolerant neighbors) to some sort of sound quality. But for now, you’ll get the idea.

Outside, we have 11 dancing trees, 7 blow-ups, 8 old-fashioned blow-mold figures, 10 lighted candy canes, 15 penguins lining the driveway, 2 manger scenes, and about 2500 LED lights outlining the house, windows, yard, and bushes.

Inside, we have 18 decorated Christmas trees (many decorated to themes) and every room has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland – with lots of thanks to the family for helping and especially Kris (my wife) who takes a week off from her denominational job every year following Thanksgiving so she can decorate.

Open house is Dec 12 from 11-2, so if you’re in the Columbia, Missouri area, please drop by and tour the house, eat some of the Christmas cookies the children are busy baking and decorating, and drink some Christmas punch. 308 West Blvd. N., Columbia, MO 65203.


Click to Watch!