I was quoted recently in a Christianity Today article on Multisite Video Venue churches.
A couple of clarifications- as Evergreen is technically a "multisite" church, I have no issue with that in itself. It's more the idea of the teaching ministry of the community being largely delegated to a video screen that really gets me. It's one thing when to show a video of an earlier service's message from someone still actuvely engaged there locally, it's another when it's a video from someone across town. But now the trend is towards large churches franchising themselves out of state- effectively giving over a key piece of local community leadership/teaching/eldering to videos (and yes, even holograms) of someone hundreds or even thousands of miles away.
CT wanted my take on Mars Hill Seattle planting a video venue here in town, so I gave it to them. Of course, articles like this lack nuance and extended explanations, so let me clarify a couple of things.
I'm fine with Mars Hill having a presence in PDX. Though we disagree (to say the least) on the role of women in church leadership (I'm pro, Mars Hill is con), I think we agree on the issues of the Jesus and the Gospel, and that gives us some vital common ground.
Second, my statement about Mars Hill coming in making church planters feel like mom and pop stores facing WalMart was really about the Acts 29 churches (Mars Hill's network) already started here. If I were one of those planters working to establish a new church here in PDX, I'm not sure I'd appreciate the move- maybe they don't mind, but I know how I'd feel.
At any rate read the article and let me know what you think.
(Also, here are the rest of my posts on this subject, if you are interested. And in case anyone cares, Tim Smith, the pastor sent here to start Mars Hill PDX are trying to arrange a time to get together and talk.)
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