Lazy People Don’t Need Vision to be Lazy
Churches who decide to go multi-site often do so by adding campuses in nearby cities. Sometimes, churches will promote these new locations to their attendees as a convenience: “Now you can get to church in half the time!” Those same churches are somewhat surprised when the evangelism temperature for reaching the lost doesn’t seem to be the same at the new locations.
When that happens, it’s a good idea to step back and look at the vision that was cast for the new approach. If you focus on the fact that it’s easier now to get to church, you’ll attract people who want attending church to be easy.
But let’s face it, lazy people don’t usually need more instructions on being lazy 
In fact, people who are lazy are pretty good at finding more ways to be lazy.
When launching a new location, convenience isn’t the most effective vision to cast. Instead, how about…
“This is a part of our community that we’re really excited about reaching.”
“You get to be on the ground floor of something big.”
Can you share some great examples of casting vision for new locations?
Visit 
Thank you Craig. Your post reminds me of a Defining Moments CD from Willow a couple of years ago. They start satellites to reach more people. Accommodating the lazy is not an option! Our discussion in starting satellites has always dealt with reaching more people, not making it convenient for the people we already have.
Blessings,
Dave
Well worded Bobby!
Agreed. Sometimes I forget that there is no way to make - picking up your cross and following christ - any easier. Its a hard trail to walk. Why do I try to sugar coat it for my followers? Pride? Insecurities? Laziness on my part? Tired of the uphill climb it requires? Im not a leader of a multisite church - yet read this from a different angle. Thanks Bobby
This is what Happens…”When your get up and go has gone up and went.” LOL! People have become lazyin the US because we have created it to be the norm…That is why we are…”
“The fattest country in the world is the United States, with 30.6% of Americans being obese. Two thirds of Americans are also considered overweight. This national crisis can even be seen in American pets, with 25% of our pooches and cats being classified as overweight. There are currently 13,000 McDonald’s Restaurants and 11,000 Burger King Restaurants. These statistics could give anyone a heart attack.” (AP)
Great stuff Bobby! This past year we moved to a two campus format…both of our services are live…after the first service at location “A”, we hop in the car and race to location “B”. We’ll do this until we’re forced to do multiple services. With all this effort we’re making, the last thing I want to do is coax people with a “lazy approach” to church - this is a great reminder of keep the purpose of what we’re doing in front of us at all times! Thanks.
That was an awesome post Craig! Well said, and keep um comin! Thats Texan for “keep them coming” for those that don’t speak it
ROCKHarbor Church in Costa Mesa, CA has a new vision called “2+1″ that involves launching 2 new campuses (that have the same ROCKHarbor feel and central leadership) and 1 church plant (completely autonomous to become whatever God makes the DNA of that church) every year from now on. They’ve presented all of these as a “get in on something BIG God is up to” just like you described Craig.
Reminds me of a parable, where the master gave the servants talents, or bags of money. And the one servant instead of trying to increase it he played it safe and buried it…. What did the master say to that servant???
Billy Graham came to town a while back he was speaking live at our largest and newest arena. He filled both of our downtown arena’s. Was there anyone who opposed allowing the overflow crowds to be ministered to by simulcast at the second arena? What argument could you give to support turning the overflow away?
What will we do when and if God blesses our church with growth by the thousands, or tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands in a short amount of time?
God may be calling us to lead a few, or even hundreds. But what if when God speaks of hundreds, he intends for it to be hundreds of locations, not people? Let us humbly submit ourselves to the Lord, and request his guidance daily, resist the enemy when he places obstacles. Let us stay focused and not settle for what the world sets as the standard, but let God set the standards using our faith to move the mountains.
What if the parable read instead of bags of money, or talents, that the Master gave us a portion of the church to take care of while he was away? Which of the servants will he say that we are? Will we play it safe so that we return the church to him exactly as it was when we received it? I hope that is not the case. Let’s do everything we can to grow the church into something that he will praise us for and invite us to be joyful together with him.
Sorry so long…
how about.
we love god. we try to love others. come do life with us.
A wise person once said: “Whatever you win a person over with, you win them to” …
I think he/she meant that our example is what people will follow…
I believe that whatever a person is driven to do, or by … that’s their God…
We can be people driven, missional driven, consumer driven, deconstruction driven, emergent driven, post consumer driven, fundamental driven, orthodoxy driven etc…
Whatever we are driven by, is doing the driving …
God driven… hmmm…
It is important to say two things… What this new site is and what it is not…
We are saying…”This is your opportunity to be out in front…on the ground floor of something God is doing.”
“This is an opportunity to develop a new army of leaders..”
“This is a call to reach people who are far from God in a new area.”
“This is NOT a way for you to get a church that you have always dreamed about.”
“This is NOT about convienence or style, it is about reaching people for Christ.”
Good stuff Craig…Thanks
We are kicking off two new services this year. A new evening in a different location and another morning church in Tuggeranong in Canberra. It has been interesting to see the difference in peoples talk. Largely it is has really good as people are keen to reach people where they are at.