Multi-Site: Context, Collaboration, and Pushback
In the world of multi-site churches, the pendulum often swings between campus autonomy and central control. I think that swing can be a good and healthy thing, and isn’t something to be avoided.
That’s where context comes in. What works at the broadcast campus may not work exactly the same at another campus. What works in a portable setting may not always jive in a permanent facility. Just because it hits the spot in an urban context doesn’t mean it’ll take roots in a rural one.
That’s where collaboration comes in. It’s foolish for a central ministry to assume they always know what works at a campus level. Likewise, it’s foolish for a campus to believe they have a full picture of everything across the board at all locations.
(I was in a meeting not long ago that involved leaders from both central ministries and local campuses. At one point, we split up into various groups to discuss a few questions. When we came back together to share our answers, the unanimous “right answer” was this idea of collaboration. Campus leadership knew it was important. Central leadership knew it was important. And what we all agreed on is that we could collaborate so much better.)
But that’s where pushback comes in. And pushback is what those of us in central leadership should expect – yea verily, encourage – from our campus counterparts. If it’s true that central leadership doesn’t always know what works and what doesn’t at a campus level, then it has to be true that the campus staff is honest and open about those things that just won’t work.
We tell our Guest Services Directors often that if they don’t think it’s going to work, the best time to tell us is now. We can often support them zigging when others are zagging, but we can’t support if we don’t know. We can’t help to come up with a solution if we don’t realize there’s a problem.
Context is our friend. Collaboration is a necessity. And pushback isn’t something to be frightened of.
