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Over the past few years several churches in the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church have chosen to go multi-site.  Meaning, offering worship services and other ministries in more than one location.  Why would a church that is highly successful in making disciples in one location attempt to duplicate their ministries in another location?  Is this just a passing fad or is it something more?

Grace United Methodist Church has been looking into multi-site for several years.  In 2000, we helped launch Hope UMC in Lone Jack Missouri.  In 2010, we helped launch Renaissance UMC in Kansas City.  We ourselves are a church plant from 1990.  It is in the very DNA of Grace church to plant churches.

After passing on some interesting opportunities, we jumped at the chance to launch a second campus in El Dorado Springs Missouri.  Yes, it’s an hour and half from our Lee’s Summit Campus.  El Dorado Springs is a “small” town and the UMC had closed in 2014.  At the time of our leap, we had not identified a campus pastor.

The model we employed was to begin with worship, then move toward missions and discipleship.  In the midst of all of this, we’ve learned some valuable lessons and a few take-aways from the journey.  One of which required significant upfront work and a shift in focus at our Lee’s Summit Campus.  So here they are:

Learning #5 (Renovations)

It takes more effort than can be imagined to renovate a church property.  With our two campuses so far away (1.5 hours), we relied  on some church leaders to help, which was a huge blessing.  But, we had to hire out much of the larger work because of distance.  It did not slow us down much, but it was unexpected, in that the normal contractors we use at our Lee’s Summit campus were unavailable to offer the same services.  We worked with new folks, on a schedule we were unaccustomed to, but all in all, it was an interesting experience.

Learning #4 (Stay Connected)

Thank God for mobile phones and technology.  We could not have launched a church at such a quick pace without the amazing resources of technology.  Whether it’s dropbox, email or Final Cut, we are able to stay deeply connected between the two sites.  And weekly, if not daily conversations with the onsite staff can provide great spiritual support and encouragement.  Celebrate EVERY victory together.  And through some amazing work of the Spirit, we were blessed with an AMAZING Campus Pastor!

Learning #3 (Duplication Works!)

Grace church leadership and pastors have consulted in over 10 congregations and mentored/coached numerous pastors.  We’ve experienced the negative side of structure and poorly led leaders.  Being a healthy and vital congregation has helped us duplicate much of what we have done these past ten years in another location.  Our daily practices and routines translate well and have allowed us to be ready to launch.

Learning #2 (Video Venue)

I was not sold on a video sermon in another location.  In 2012 we began live streaming our worship services.  This was a radical change for us, especially our pastors.  We went from talking to folks in a small room, to reaching anyone who would listen.  The shift was a good one.  And as the livestream grew, we saw the blessing of folks all over the world joining us in worship.

In can take up to 20 hours to write one sermon.  So, if you take the pressure off a multi site pastor, they can focus on discipleship, missions and evangelism.  What a huge blessing for a gathered congregation.  Instead of stretching pastors in every direction, each pastor can focus on their context.  In a world of distractions, time matters more than ever.  We’ve given our Campus Pastor time to connect with people.

Learning #1 (Culture Matters)

A fruitful, healthy and joyful culture of “church” can be exported.  When the focus is on being a light in the darkness, loving God and neighbor, it makes room for new people.  If we focus on shame, judgement and guilt, that can be exported too, but will eventually fail.  We choose to focus on the love of God, not the sin of sinners.

That simple focus allows us to reach new people for Jesus Christ.  We are able to stand out in a community and show people what we  care about and who we love.  It is transformation and sometimes a bit shocking that we focus so much on the needs of others, instead of the needs of a church building.

Final Thoughts

If your church is thinking about branching out into a new community with multi-site, may God richly bless you.  It is not for the faint of heart.  It will stress you and the church leadership out.  But, you can nearly immediately see the fruit of your labors.  If you are willing to risk big, then go for it.

And for those congregations that might be considering closing and giving up, call us.  It doesn’t matter where you are, we want to talk.  Due to technology, distance is no longer a barrier.  If you would like to join the multi-site revolution with us, contact us today.

Grace United Methodist Church, Lee’s Summit Campus
2400 SE US 50 Hwy, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64086
816-246-5764
[email protected]
www.grace4all.org

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Summer Camp significantly changed for Grace Church this summer. We’ve camped at Galilee forever.  Since 1991 (the year Grace came into existence) we have led, counseled and camped at Galilee.  This past year, due to decisions from the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church Camp Board, Trustees, Mission Council and the Annual Conference, Galilee was no longer an option.

Some counselors and campers skipped camp at CMU with us because they were busy, working or still upset about Galilee closing. But a few brave souls (91) chose to do something new.  We jumped way outside the camping box in Missouri and tried “camping” at CMU.

It’s difficult to put into words the feelings of loss and confusion during this time of transition.  We could have focused on the experiences or things that CMU did not have compared to Galilee.  What was normal to us at Galilee was completely foreign and just different at CMU.

But, we chose to focus on God, the children and youth.  We left our baggage at the door and jumped into something completely new and exciting.  And to put it simply, CMU is an extraordinary place to host and lead a summer camp!

We used the same schedule we’ve used for 10 years.  Only a few adjustments were needed to fit the site.  New Scriptures, daily themes and activities were changed or updated, but the Spirit was still with us.  I’ve led and counseled at camps for nearly 20 years.  This was one of best weeks of camp I’ve ever experienced.

From the facilities to the staff, CMU did an amazing job.  Their high level of professionalism blew us away!  And facilities were in awesome shape.  Even when we identified areas of concern, they were taken care of within the hour.  We had access to nearly everything we needed, and are already making plans for next year.

And for those concerned with safety, that was addressed immediately.  Did you know that CMU has “blue” campus phones?  They are security phones that students and campers could pick up/take off the hook and security guards would be there shortly.  We also noticed at least two security guards on duty every night.  Galilee certainly never had security.  All in all, we were very safe on the campus.

Worship was led by our Sr. High Leadership camp, with some help from a few others.  Again, the Spirit was the same, we just happened to be in a different place.  It felt odd at first, but after a few days, CMU became familiar.  CMU became camp to us.  And once we dropped our preconceived notions about “camping”, we found ourselves in a near perfect setting to experience God in a brand new way.

All of us loved CMU.  We loved Galilee as well.  If given a choice, 99.9 % of campers and counselors prefer CMU.  The excitement and passion we left with carried back into our churches and we are praying that we can double the number of campers next year at CMU.  We’ve experienced the largest week of camping at Galilee ever (247).  It may take a few years, but we believe we can reach more children and youth at CMU than Galilee.

God is good!  God is with us!  And we at Grace are excited about the future of camping in the Missouri Conference.  Prayers for Jo-Ota as they continue to put together an amazing and ambitious plan.  And prayers for our other three sites.  May they end up in the hands of those who might continue our faith-filled outreach to the world.

A word of personal thanks to Jeff Baker, Scott Burdin and Tina Twenter.

A word of personal thanks to the staff at CMU, specifically Brad Dixon, Mark, Connie and the entire Cafeteria staff!

Finally, thank you to Stephanie Smith and Courtney Boedeker for your faithfulness in directing our Sr. High and Elementary Camps.  And thank you to all the counselors who gave up a week with your families to serve God at camp.  Thank you!!!

God in peace and go with God.

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I recently heard someone say, “We can no longer agree to disagree”.  Does this mean that we now have to become disagreeable to each other?  I’m not sure.  Or are we just not going to talk about the issue we disagree on?  For the sake of relationship, something must be decided or worked out, correct?

Personal opinions dressed up with facts, figures and polls does not mean someone is “more right” that someone else.  It just means that people know how to use numbers to their advantage.  And watching the current political scene, anyone can dress up numbers.  In an age where the truth is relative to the language used and those hearing, it’s tough to find a place of agreement.

I would like to say that John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, had a phase that applies to moments of stark disagreement, but as far as I know, he did not.  If he did though, it would probably look something like this:

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity.”

I might say it this way:

In essentials, clarity, in non-essentials, charity.

I often feel like an essentialist, focusing on a few things and leaving the rest up to those with stronger opinions or louder voices.  The current political views in this country seem to be split 40/60 or 55/45 or whatever other configuration pollsters can put together.  I assume (and hope) the church would reflect the same diverse views, instead of standing in a silo away from that of those far from Jesus, yet embedded in the culture.

I truly believe we can value diversity, provide a place at the table for all and still have civil, well mannered and lively conversation.  Sadly, as my friend stated, there are some who are ready to be disagreeable.  They might take shelter under the banner of justice, righteousness or whichever moniker people might choose today.  That does not devalue the view, but sadly, relationships can be harmed.

Strident divisive discourse does little for the Body of Christ.  I often turn to Ephesians for advice on how to proceed in unsure waters.

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”  Ephesians 4:11-13

None of us are perfect.  We are still striving for unity.  We are still building.  Whether at home, work or school, remember to value the relationship over opinions.  It’s better to be in right relationship than to be right.  And just because you disagree with someone, no matter how dearly you hold those views, does not mean you need to be disagreeable.  Try listening first and you might find more in common with others than originally perceived.

Think of the last time you had a disagreement with someone.  Friend?  Spouse?  Family?  How was the relationships damaged or repaired?  It’s tough to put aside differences, especially when there are hard dividing lines between each other.  Don’t be so quick to judge those with different views than you.  Conversation matters.  It’s up to each and every one of us to choose what we truly care about, and hopefully, we can make a healthy and holy decision.

There is no way I could continue to serve at Grace without some mercy and love showered upon me by the massive amount of Tiger fans.  Your candor is deeply appreciated, as is your silence during football season.  We can agree to disagree, because we both think we are right!  As long it does not move to assumptions of righteousness, then we are all good.

So, I choose to value the relationship.  I value conversation.  I value the language shared.  All are invited to the table, none should ever be turned away.  That does not mean we are perfect, on the contrary, it means we are not.  As a busy season readies, seek wisdom and counsel in the God who shines unconditional love on the righteous and unrighteous.

Go in peace and go with God.

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I am not a cynic or a pessimist.  My faith in Jesus Christ gives me abundant hope, even in the face of what are insurmountable odds.  Are we called to be bold, courageous and faithful?  Or do we give up and give in to fear when we are uncertain about the future?  Fear is a funny thing.  It can drive us to change everything we believe.  It can cause us to abandon our principles and choose the easy and safe path, so we think.  Whether it be the church or a family, fear can seem like a mountain, keeping us from making bold, faith filled decisions.  We end up taking the easy way out.

The implications of such decisions are truly sad.  We give up trying to be faithful and end up making the situation worse.  Even trying to just pause and wait things out can be a bad decision as well.  So then, of bold or fear, which do we choose?

There is no third option, because choosing to stay the same is a choice of fear.  At least trying to go for it offers some consolation, even if we fail.  Giving into fear means we truly gave up.  We let fear win.  When fear wins, we are paralyzed to try new things, to offer ourselves to new opportunities and the world finds out that we gave up.  Not that we care what the world thinks, but who follows those who peddle fear?

Friends, we are called to be bold.  We are warned by the early church to stay away from safe and timid decisions.  2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”  Fear should not guide us.  The Holy Spirit should be our guide.  Do not let worry and fear keep you from faithfulness.

In Tribes, Seth Godin explains three areas of fear we all carry with us.  They are:

1- Fear of failure

2- Fear of criticism

3- Fear of pain

They have us in their grip, if we let them.  Remember, Steve Jobs was fired from the company he built.  People were constantly criticizing Winston Churchill.  And friends, pain is temporary.  It does not last forever.  Wounds heal, only the scars remain.

So, stop playing it safe.  Stop living in fear.  Be bold in your faith.  Be a light in the darkness for those suffer.  We are only here for a little while, so let’s make it count!

Go in peace and go with God.