This month my partner, Wade Burnett, and I wrapped up the second of three gatherings with the Radical Multisite Learning Community. Consisting of 16 cutting-edge multisite churches, it was convened through a partnership with MultiSite Solutions and Todd Wilson at Exponential. These churches represent some of the most successful multisite churches in the country averaging over 8,000 in weekend attendance across as many as 22 locations. All of them have a holy discontent to go beyond multisite success in making more and better disciples. They want to radically multisite.
The multisite model opened the door to the reality that churches can reach and make more disciples by not being limited to one location. Now in the third decade of this movement, we are asking ourselves how to make more disciples better, faster, cheaper and further.
Here’s what we are learning so far. . .
- Though the seeds of multiplication reside in the multisite concept, it has not been demonstrated in most multisite churches.
- Multisite churches have succeeded in adding campuses, but very few in multiplying campuses.
- The heart of the radical multisite conversation revolves around the differences between addition, reproduction and multiplication.
- Adding is not reproducing and reproducing is not multiplication, but multiplication will not happen without addition and reproduction.
- Reproduction is happening with multisite churches and some multisite churches are multiplying campuses to the third generation.
- Multiplication is inherent in all living things including the local church, but it needs to be rediscovered, unlocked, activated and released.
We have one more gathering of the Radical Multisite Learning Community this spring. We will be focusing on how to create a multiplication culture and the drivers that will release the inherent multiplication DNA in the multisite church model. Stay tuned. . .
To learn more about what MultiSite Solutions and Exponential are uncovering through the Radical Multisite Learning Community, join Jim Tomberlin at the Radical Multisite pre-conference at Exponential West!
