Out of one, many

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.