We are headed to the Pacific Northwest today to hang out with John Bishop at Living Hope Church. On two different occasions, John and the team at Living Hope have launched five or more campuses on one weekend. Crazy? Maybe … but hear from John some fresh insight on the impact it had on Living Hope … and a sneak preview of developing vision.
What was the best thing that happened each of the times that you launched more than two campuses at once?
The best thing that happened by far was a unified mission that had sustainable momentum for the better part of a year. The second thing we see is that in a large church people can have a tendency to get comfortable, and in getting comfortable they stop serving. When we launch campuses, we can ask people to step out of their chair, and out of the comfort of this place to go serve. The third thing is that it has been an evangelistic invitational machine each and every time.
The biggest challenge was, has been, and still is, to have adequate systems In place to support campuses, to encourage campus pastors, to stay unified as “one church” in multiple locations with unity.
Is there something unique about the DNA of Living Hope that made it work?
Living hope is a highly invitational church. I really believe we are a dangerous church. We have multiple stories of people who come to Living Hope and instinctively invite their friends. That’s what makes living hope the place that it is. I very rarely have to ask people to invite their friends – they naturally do it every week.
What is new in your multi-site ministry since we last talked?
Having done multi site for over 3 years I just know it works. BIG VISION - I’m making a goal to see 100 new campuses start globally in the next 5 years. In a climate where people shrink back I believe is the time to step up the most so that’s what we are doing. Also, since we talked, I have had opportunity for the first time to visit our New Zealand campus. To travel almost 9000 miles to spend time with leaders, volunteers and to speak to the church was so valuable. To our knowledge it is the only campus in the country that is not just called Living Hope but uses videos 80 -90% of the time. Not only does multi site work, it’s working for us in a different culture, in a different country. As I flew home, I just kept thinking to myself ‘ONLY GOD could make this happen.’ The third thing is “Bigger Vision” As one church that meets in multiple locations and countries, I trusted God that there would be a point where collectively there would be something bigger than any one campus to unify us in mission and in purpose. We are excited to be doing our first global crusade, November 2009 in India. We are anticipating 30-50,000 people per day, and the exciting thing is campus pastors from each country will join me on this crusade.
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