I agree with this whole topic that God is using multisite churches to spread the word, but we need to be careful. I used to attend a North Point Campus just to hear Andy preach. A friend asked me one day what would happen if Andy passed away. Sarcastically I told him that its North Point. They think of everything right. So my thought was that somewhere in the North Point world they are pre-recording Andy's sermons years in advance just in case it happens. WIth all joking aside, I feel called to plant a church and I wish more churches would raise up great leaders. There are only a few Andy Stanley's but God is ready to make more. If we would spend time training rather than broadcasting, we might make more great leaders. I love what North Point is doing but, people still need a pastor they can see and touch. Thanks for all you are doing Ed.

What you said about churches of 50 being able to have the same problem is so true. In fact, of the tons of churches I know people from, the large the church the MORE missional the people are. It's totally against the empty, often unsupported claim that large (or multisite) = shallow.

You mentioned North Point, and I know some people from there, some where were unchurched, and they're the most missional Christians I know.

Anybody who knows multisite knows that it does not inhibit leadership, it REQUIRES it even more in order to succeed.

As a pastor in a United Church of Christ church in a primarily working-class city, I am in a much different place, theologically and culturally, than North Point Community Church, that has been mentioned.

However, after attending my first service there this Sunday and attending their Drive conference this week, I have to admit that I, at least, sipped the Kool Aid.

Yes, there is an element of consumerism. However, in a wealthy suburb of a large city, they are reaching out to consumers immersed in a culture of slick malls and restaurants and marketing campaigns. They are speaking their language. They intentionally draw people into community. Now whether that results in an individual and corporate sense of mission, in other words going back out to influence the world (as they state their desire in their mission statement), I don't know.

In much of what was said during question and answer sessions at the conference, it seems to me that they are struggling with creating "more Andy Stanleys" as well as more venues. They want to use Stanley while they have him, while raising up other young communicators, a process Stanley himself is very active in. For example, for each of three weeks this summer, there will be a different speaker at each campus preaching from a passage in Proverbs. Those nine are working together with Andy to develop those sermons.

I think Andy and the leadership at North Point are honest enough to deal with some of these issues even before they are raised by critics.

As a pastor in a United Church of Christ church in a primarily working-class city, I am in a much different place, theologically and culturally, than North Point Community Church, that has been mentioned.

However, after attending my first service there this Sunday and attending their Drive conference this week, I have to admit that I, at least, sipped the Kool Aid.

Yes, there is an element of consumerism. However, in a wealthy suburb of a large city, they are reaching out to consumers immersed in a culture of slick malls and restaurants and marketing campaigns. They are speaking their language. They intentionally draw people into community. Now whether that results in an individual and corporate sense of mission, in other words going back out to influence the world (as they state their desire in their mission statement), I don't know.

In much of what was said during question and answer sessions at the conference, it seems to me that they are struggling with creating "more Andy Stanleys" as well as more venues. They want to use Stanley while they have him, while raising up other young communicators, a process Stanley himself is very active in. For example, for each of three weeks this summer, there will be a different speaker at each campus preaching from a passage in Proverbs. Those nine are working together with Andy to develop those sermons.

I think Andy and the leadership at North Point are honest enough to deal with some of these issues even before they are raised by critics.

Can you say, "... setting up movie theaters to project the graven image of rock star celebrity pastors across the United States..." any faster?! :)

DJ,

I am a yankee. That is how we talk. ;-)

Ed

I went to a great multi-site church in Philadelphia while I lived there for 6 months. There was no video feed, and each congregation had it's own teaching pastor. The lead pastor made his rounds to the different congregations and we heard him about every 3-4 weeks. I went to the service that fit my schedule the best and was closest to my apartment. Does this fit in with the multi-site definition? This church also wasn't worried about having it's own building, and we met in a very old church that wasn't being used in the afternoons and evenings. I also went to a single site church in GA for a while that had this great idea of having 3 lead pastors. . .Seems like so long ago! Hope all is well Ed, I live near DC now and finally own my own Chick-fil-A. I bet your kids are getting big. Let me know if you're ever nearby, I'd love to come hear you speak again.