McChurch

I told you. I told you. I TOLD YOU.

When Ed Young (from Fellowship Church in Grapevine, TX who launched a video venue... in Miami), Andy Stanley and others started opening "campuses" THOUSANDS of miles away from their churches and simply piping in the sermon via video, I said:

"This is
1. Everything wrong with video venues collected in one neat package.
2. The logical conclusion to where video venues take us- large churches franchising in every big "market" in the states. It's coming- mark my words. And it is a net-negative for the Church as a whole for many, many reasons."

Check this out:

"Church plants," "sister churches," and "satellite congregations" may be a thing of the past. In 2008, the language of missiology is changing, so look for "church franchises" in your town.

Eddie Johnson, the lead pastor of Cumberland Church, espouses the franchising concept when it comes to the relationship between his church in Nashville, Tennessee, and North Point Community Church in metro Atlanta. On his blog, he states, "Just like a Chick-fil-A, my church is a 'franchise,' and I proudly serve as the local owner/operator."

According to Johnson, his job is to "establish a local, autonomous church that has the same beliefs, values, mission, and strategy as North Point." He completed a three-month internship at North Point and continues to receive training and support. He claims to rarely deviate from the "training manual."

"Just like that Chick-fil-A owner/operator," he says, "I'm here in Nashville to open up our franchise and run it right. I believe in my company and what they are trying to 'sell.'"

The pastor says people who are already familiar with the North Point "brand" will find a local congregation with the same fit. For those who have relocated from Atlanta, they'll get a taste of home and know what to expect in their new church."

Read the rest here (link fixed)

And for the reasons, both philosophical and methodological as to why I think this is bad, bad, bad, check my series on Video Venues...

"This is
1. Everything wrong with video venues collected in one neat package.
2. The logical conclusion to where video venues take us- large churches franchising in every big "market" in the states. It's coming- mark my words. And it is a net-negative for the Church as a whole for many, many reasons."

Check this out:

"Church plants," "sister churches," and "satellite congregations" may be a thing of the past. In 2008, the language of missiology is changing, so look for "church franchises" in your town.

Eddie Johnson, the lead pastor of Cumberland Church, espouses the franchising concept when it comes to the relationship between his church in Nashville, Tennessee, and North Point Community Church in metro Atlanta. On his blog, he states, "Just like a Chick-fil-A, my church is a 'franchise,' and I proudly serve as the local owner/operator."

According to Johnson, his job is to "establish a local, autonomous church that has the same beliefs, values, mission, and strategy as North Point." He completed a three-month internship at North Point and continues to receive training and support. He claims to rarely deviate from the "training manual."

"Just like that Chick-fil-A owner/operator," he says, "I'm here in Nashville to open up our franchise and run it right. I believe in my company and what they are trying to 'sell.'"

The pastor says people who are already familiar with the North Point "brand" will find a local congregation with the same fit. For those who have relocated from Atlanta, they'll get a taste of home and know what to expect in their new church."