Multi-site churches are growing, spreading across cultures, and redefining the concept of gathered worship, for better and for worse. From high-tech to low-frills, unanswered questions and unproven strategies of NextGen churches have yet to slow the mania | Mark Bergin
SEATTLE— On sleepy Fairhaven Avenue in rural Burlington, Wash., more than an hour north of Seattle's bustle, several dozen casually dressed local residents trickle inside a storefront church on a recent Sunday morning. Some parishioners pick up drinks from the coffee bar and linger in the foyer. Others make their way to a small sanctuary in the building's rear.
John Aguilar, a longtime minister who joined the congregation in January, finds a seat near the front and makes final preparations for the sermon he will deliver in place of vacationing pastor Dave Browning. When he takes the stage, Aguilar, 45, props his notes on a music stand, perches himself on a stool, and engages the crowd in a half-hour message on the value of community.
Sermons in the sun
A California megachurch hopes to give away building funds and hold services outdoors | Mark Bergin
Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Calif., has a problem not unlike many fast-growing evangelical bodies: It is running out of room.
The 4,000-person suburban congregation hopes to construct a new facility soon on 138 acres of private land just west of the city limits. But building plans for the proposed 3,000-seat sanctuary defy church conventions. The blueprints include no foyer space or coffee bars, no windows or doors, and no walls or roof. Cornerstone intends to hold services outside.
The idea of constructing a massive outdoor amphitheater in lieu of a more traditional brick-and-mortar structure developed out of church leadership meetings on financial stewardship. Lead pastor Francis Chan, a resolute advocate for simplicity and generosity, has instilled the virtue of frugality into his congregation and staff. Chan has downsized into a 1,000-square-foot home for his family of six in the interest of devoting more personal resources to caring for the poor.
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COVER STORY ARTICLE |
Escalating opposition
