By Steve Caton
No one in the church knows the power of technology better than a multisite pastor. Technology is instrumental in these churches. It has to work — not just for Sunday worship services, but also for the rest of the week.
The development of livestreaming and the prevalence of reliable high-speed Internet connections have allowed satellite campuses to participate in a shared worship experience, no matter the location. But, the complexity of multisite church goes well beyond the worship experience; it can be tricky to keep track of who attends which campus and communicate relevant information about involvement and events based on that information.
Even beyond all that, multisite pastors have the unique responsibility of ensuring the campuses all share a common “DNA,” even as they allow space for the unique personality of each campus to develop.
Uniquely “you”
Each campus must be able to develop its own personality, but also remain anchored in the entire church. This requires customizable views to see what’s happening at a specific campus, as well as at the entire church.
Creating custom reports can allow multisite churches to track and manage their finances, attendance, groups and check-in — all separately. Along with these, the ability to manage your volunteers and target communications builds a framework that creates consistency while allowing each campus’s individuality to shine through.
Technology to equip disciples
The tools needed for effective church operations are very important. Even so, the central call of the church isn’t to run a well-oiled organization — it’s to make disciples.
Whether you’re a single campus of a few people or a multisite campus with locations all over the globe, your primary objective is to equip disciples.
Technology is increasingly playing a role in this work. Today, you can develop reports that indicate the direction each campus is moving in key areas of ministry. This gives church leaders the ability to make decisions and develop effective disciple-making based on solid information, rather than on just what they think or feel. Not only does it provide a macro-level view of your church as a whole, it provides a micro-level view into your church members’ lives. This is a critical tool for your campus pastors as they shepherd their campuses to growing in their relationships with the Lord.
Technology for smart growth
If you’re considering going multisite, you need access to the right information to have confidence in your timing and plan. The difference between success and failure could be the ability to identify the financial triggers that need to be in place before you expand. (Learn more about these triggers on our website)
If your church is already multisite, you have the potential to expand into different areas in your community. But, how do you know where to go? Where should you open up your next campus?
Your church management software can play a crucial role in helping your church determine the future direction of your ministry by providing you with useful data about where a new campus
might thrive.
Creating an effective multisite church requires more than just technology to pull off a multi-location worship service on Sunday. It requires the ability to manage people well, gather good information, and make the most of the newest tools.
Steve Caton is part of the leadership team at Church Community Builder. He leverages a unique background in technology, fundraising and church leadership to help local churches decentralize their processes and equip their people to be disciple-makers.
