MultiChurch: Exploring the Future of Multisite

by Brad House, Gregg Allison

Overview

Is it time for your church to go multisite? How do you know if it's the right solution for your congregation?

Multi Church brings clarity to the multisite movement and assembles the lessons it has learned over the past 15 years. Combining insights from multisite church pastor Brad House and Christian theology professor Gregg Allison, this book will help anyone interested in multiplying gospel-centered churches to effectively evaluate and develop the best multisite model for their own church context.

In Multi Church, you will:

• Explore the opportunities presented by the various forms of multi-site church.
• Identify areas of concern while addressing criticisms against multisite models.
• Understand how multisite is not only a biblically sound ecclesiological model, but also a model that provides a compelling solution to contemporary reductionism in the church.

This theological, philosophical, and practical guide traces the history of the multisite movement and assembles the lessons—the good, the bad, and the ugly—learned over the past two decades.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310530534
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	09/12/2017
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.66(d)

About the Author

Brad House is the Executive Pastor of Ministry at Sojourn Community Church, a large multisite church with four locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Southern Indiana. Brad oversees the multisite campuses and their pastors and is Chairman of the Board for Sojourn Network, a church planting network of over thirty churches. He is the author of Community: Taking Your Small Group Off Life Support.

Gregg Allison (Ph D) is Professor of Christian Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky where he teaches systematic theology. Previously he served on Cru staff at the University of Notre Dame and overseas in Italy and the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. He is a pastor of Sojourn Community Church, and is the theological strategist for Sojourn Network, a church planting network of about thirty churches. He is the author of Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine; Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church; and Roman Catholic Theology and Practice: An Evangelical Assessment.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Multichurch Section 1: Understanding Multi Church Chapter 1: History of Multichurch Chapter 2: Multichurch under Investigation Chapter 3: Foundations of Multichurch Chapter 4: Models of Multichurch Section 2: Vision for Multi Church Chapter 5: Multichurch as a New Wine Skin Chapter 6: Multimember Section 3: Practice of Multi Church Chapter 7: Multichurch Organization Chapter 8: Multichurch Ministry Chapter 9: Multichurch Leadership Development Chapter 10: Multichurch Polity Chapter 11: Multichurch Finances Section 4: Transition to Multi Church Chapter 12: Conclusions and Next Steps: Implementing Multichurch

Editorial Reviews

Dr. Gregg Allison and Brad House have both helped shape my approach to ministry in unique ways. As the supervisor for my doctoral degree, Gregg pressed my theology of the church into consistent practice, and Brad taught me how to lead smaller communities in the context of a large, rapidly growing church. In Multi Church, you will see the authors' respective complementary perspectives, as well as their distinctive theological and pastoral gifts on display. Multi Church provides an excellent framework for continued discussion around the multisite church model, while maintaining a consistent doctrinal grounding in the discipline of ecclesiology. Finally, the book strikes a sound balance between helpful encouragement and honest critique of the ever-growing and changing landscape of church practice. I am convinced any leader in a multisite church will benefit from this book!

DR. TODD ENGSTROM

This is the book every pastor and elder team should read—whether they are currently leading or thinking about starting a multisite church. It’s grounded in Scripture and highly practical. I am thrilled Brad and Gregg wrote this book. It’s a gift to Jesus’s Church.

ELLIOT GRUDEM

If you're doing multisite or plan to in the future—stop now and read Multi Church! Allison and House will save you thousands of dollars, and hours in multisite pain and dumb tax. In the process, they give a remedy to the multisite movement's greatest need—a theologically grounded and implication-rich response to multisite's most challenging questions. If you want to move past adding sites and venues to multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches, read Multi Church and apply.

BRIAN FRYE

Frankly, I’ve been chilling on multi-site models. But Allison and House have reignited the topic in ways that are prescient and defrosting to one’s iced-over imagination. Multi Church bears weight too, knowing that the audience must find simplicity in the theological and ecclesiological complexities. Yet, Allison and House are at their best navigating between ambiguity and clarity, polity and missiology; and then gently escorting us to a perch from which we can glimpse “multichurch.” If you are struggling with multisite models, polity perplexities, or how to take practical steps forward, get this book!

DAVE HARVEY

Gregg Allison and Brad House add valuable data and insight to the nascent research and critique of item multisite movement. It's an increasingly significant part of the local church landscape, and it's not going away anytime soon. Whether you are currently leading a multisite church, considering launching one, or attending one, this book will help you better understand the opportunities and challenges that come with a multisite ministry.

LARRY OSBORNE

Gregg Allison and Brad House have written a thoughtful and helpful book for those who are seriously considering the future of multisite, which they call Multi Church. As a pastor of a multisite church that has transitioned into a family of churches, I can say that what they have written here will be extremely helpful for those interested in wrestling with the theological and practical considerations involved in leading multiple congregations toward church health.

HARVEY TURNER

Now in its third decade, the multisite movement began as a radical idea to solve church facility restrictions and has now become a mainstream strategy for all kinds of churches. The authors of Multi Church: Exploring the Future of Multisite have served this movement well by describing its evolution, naming its distinct expressions, addressing its criticisms, and charting a course forward for a movement that is not slowing down and is continually morphing. Written by a seasoned multisite practitioner and a hands-on theologian, House and Allison address the multiple challenges of a multisite church and provide an invaluable roadmap for church leaders wherever they are on their multisite journey. This is a must-read book for multisite church leaders!

JIM TOMBERLIN

Dr. Gregg Allison and Brad House have both helped shape my approach to ministry in unique ways. As the supervisor for my doctoral degree, Gregg pressed my theology of the church into consistent practice, and Brad taught me how to lead smaller communities in the context of a large, rapidly growing church. In MultiChurch, you will see the authors' respective complementary perspectives, as well as their distinctive theological and pastoral gifts on display. MultiChurch provides an excellent framework for continued discussion around the multisite church model, while maintaining a consistent doctrinal grounding in the discipline of ecclesiology. Finally, the book strikes a sound balance between helpful encouragement and honest critique of the ever-growing and changing landscape of church practice. I am convinced any leader in a multisite church will benefit from this book!--DR. TODD ENGSTROM, executive pastor of ministry strategies, The Austin Stone Community Church

Frankly, I've been chilling on multi-site models. But Allison and House have reignited the topic in ways that are prescient and defrosting to one's iced-over imagination. MultiChurch bears weight too, knowing that the audience must find simplicity in the theological and ecclesiological complexities. Yet, Allison and House are at their best navigating between ambiguity and clarity, polity and missiology; and then gently escorting us to a perch from which we can glimpse "multichurch." If you are struggling with multisite models, polity perplexities, or how to take practical steps forward, get this book!--DAVE HARVEY, executive director of Sojourn Network, teaching pastor at Summit Church in Naples, founder AmICalled.com, and author of When Sinners Say I Do; & Letting Go: Rugged Love for Wayward Souls (@RevDaveHarvey)

Gregg Allison and Brad House add valuable data and insight to the nascent research and critique of item multisite movement. It's an increasingly significant part of the local church landscape, and it's not going away anytime soon. Whether you are currently leading a multisite church, considering launching one, or attending one, this book will help you better understand the opportunities and challenges that come with a multisite ministry.--LARRY OSBORNE, pastor and author, North Coast Church, Vista, CA

Gregg Allison and Brad House have written a thoughtful and helpful book for those who are seriously considering the future of multisite, which they call MultiChurch. As a pastor of a multisite church that has transitioned into a family of churches, I can say that what they have written here will be extremely helpful for those interested in wrestling with the theological and practical considerations involved in leading multiple congregations toward church health.--HARVEY TURNER, founding pastor of Living Stones Churches, lead pastor of Living Stones Reno, Acts 29 US West Leadership Team

If you're doing multisite or plan to in the future---stop now and read MultiChurch! Allison and House will save you thousands of dollars, and hours in multisite pain and dumb tax. In the process, they give a remedy to the multisite movement's greatest need---a theologically grounded and implication-rich response to multisite's most challenging questions. If you want to move past adding sites and venues to multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches, read MultiChurch and apply.--BRIAN FRYE, national collegiate strategist, North American Mission Board

Now in its third decade, the multisite movement began as a radical idea to solve church facility restrictions and has now become a mainstream strategy for all kinds of churches. The authors of MultiChurch: Exploring the Future of Multisite have served this movement well by describing its evolution, naming its distinct expressions, addressing its criticisms, and charting a course forward for a movement that is not slowing down and is continually morphing. Written by a seasoned multisite practitioner and a hands-on theologian, House and Allison address the multiple challenges of a multisite church and provide an invaluable roadmap for church leaders wherever they are on their multisite journey. This is a must-read book for multisite church leaders!--JIM TOMBERLIN, pastor, author, multisite pioneer, and consultant; founder, MultiSite Solutions

This is the book every pastor and elder team should read---whether they are currently leading or thinking about starting a multisite church. It's grounded in Scripture and highly practical. I am thrilled Brad and Gregg wrote this book. It's a gift to Jesus's Church.--ELLIOT GRUDEM, founder and president, Leaders Collective

From the Publisher