I've been a campus pastor previously, and I'm preparing to be a campus pastor again.
You may think I'm thinking, "I've got this." Nope. I pray and think all the time about the learning curve that I'm about to embark upon. I have a brand new church's DNA to learn, embrace and share. I have a new vision and values to learn, embrace and champion.
I've always said that multisite churches come in all shapes and sizes. One size doesn't fit all. I heard someone describe multisite to someone the other day as "You watch a teaching pastor on a video screen." Yes, that's true for half of all multisite churches. The other half has live teaching.
Some multisite churches take a cookie-cutter approach. You can't tell one campus from another. They are modeled after the original campus and all look and feel alike. Some multisite churches have freedom at their campuses to have a different feel and vibe. Some campuses have totally different names (like North Point, Browns Bridge, Buckhead Church, etc.).
Some churches take a regional approach. Some churches plant in urban settings. Some churches launch in rural areas. Some churches are in multiple states, some just cover one large region. Again, multisite comes in all shapes and sizes.
Sometimes the campus pastor is very visible on a Sunday and during the service (I was on stage three times a week at my last church: Welcome, response, closing/benediction). At Transformation Church, the campus pastor does the closing or benediction at the end and is seen only once. So how do you lead a campus and cast vision and implement change with just being seen one time a week on stage? (That's a discussion for another blog post.)
When I was last a campus pastor, I wrote about what I did each week. You can read about it here. I expect most, if not all, of those things to be the same with my new position. It's mainly the system, vision, DNA, values and culture that are the biggest challenges to learn and embody. So, pray for me as I start this new role in a month.
How do you see multisite churches as different from others? What has your experience been?
Greg Atkinson is an author, speaker, consultant and the editor of Christian Media Magazine. Greg has started businesses including the worship resource website WorshipHouse Media, a social-media marketing company, and his own consulting firm.
For the original article, visit gregatkinson.com.
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