Multi Site Church Expansion

We deal with a lot of vibrant, growing churches in our business, and they’re certainly not all alike. But one thing we know for sure: Many churches are choosing a similar way to expand these days.

Multisite expansion is an increasing trend among the nation’s fastest growing churches. Several of our clients in Colorado have chosen this direction.

In fact, most of the churches on Outreach Magazine’s 2013 list of the 100 fastest growing are multisite. Of the 100 largest churches in the country, only 12 have single campuses. The “fastest growing” list reflects a closer split, with 42 churches reporting a single campus.

“Some once believed this move to grow via multiple campuses was a temporary trend, but it appears to be a trend that’s here to stay,” said LifeWay researcher Ed Stetzer in an analysisof the results.

“While it was once the domain of only the largest churches, we now see smaller churches deploying the same methodology. What’s interesting to me is the number of churches that utilize a multisite methodology and are also committed to church planting.”

Multiple campuses offer benefits that other approaches such as adding a service, building an addition or renovating existing space may not. They may provide increased programming flexibility and allow churches to serve wider populations and demographics. They may allow church leadership to avoid zoning challenges and the conflict that sometimes accompanies those.

Of course, multiple sites may also mean more of certain logistical challenges, and often require hiring more staff or working existing staff harder. And churches seeking a second campus must find an acceptable space to buy or rent, or find an affordable lot on which to build.

Church planting may be another viable option, as well as expanding onsite or adding another service. So how to choose?

A church must decide for itself, based on a number of considerations such as vision and direction, budget, programming goals, location, congregation demographics and the real estate market whether going multisite is a wise move.

When it comes to expansion decisions, churches may want to consider their roles in their communities. Would a multisite approach detract from or refocus the programs or services the church offers? Do local businesses rely on church traffic? Would adding another service clog traffic too much? Would trying to expand onsite create goodwill or conflict with the surrounding community? What costs, zoning regulations and other restrictions come with each option?

These are just some of the questions that the leadership of a church poised to expand should probably ask, and each situation is different. But if this is you, feel free to contact us. We’ve had lots of experience in this arena, and we’ll help you explore relevant issues and determine the best way forward for your unique church story.