More and more family ministry leaders are having to figure out how to facilitate ministry on multiple locations as more and more of the churches we serve are embracing a multi-site strategy. We launched our second campus over a year ago now and it has been a learning process week after week. After a year I strongly believe that this will not be our last campus addition because it has allowed us to engage a local community instead of asking the communities in our city to come to one location. The fact that it’s working is pushing our family ministry team to find ways be be effective at both our locations. Growth has pushed us to figure this out and figure it out fast. It has been messy at times but we have committed to being flexible and having fun as we learn how to make this work on multiple locations. Here are 4 ideas that have helped us be more effective as we have lived in the multi-site model the past 1 1/2 years. Check these out and feel free to jump in a let me know some lessons you have learned…
- Duplicate the environment and constantly cast vision // Give your new campus the best tools possible and duplicate the environments. Make sure that when a parent walks into any campus they see they same branding and quality. Set your new campus up with the tools you wish you had when you launched your first location. You have a strategy so make sure and put it into motion at every campus. You also have a new leaders that will need to hear the vision repeated over and over. Why is just as important as what on your new campus.
- Invest in the volunteer base and help solve problems // Launching a new campus demands high impact volunteers. You will need to make sure and invest in those leaders. New locations also bring new problems. Let your volunteers know you care about their success by helping solve their problems. Helping solve problems communicates we care and for a new campus that is so important.
- Be present and add staff ASAP // Your family ministry staff has to be present on the campus in order to build relationships but you also have to work to find your point leader for that campus quickly. If your campus grows you need to add family ministry staff as soon as you can. Adding a staff member who can focus will help the campus become more effective on a week to week basis. All our family ministry staff spends time on both sites. Bring present helps us put everything into the proper context.
- Embrace uniqueness and innovate // A new campus will form a new culture and you need to be ready to embrace the uniqueness. A new campus also gives you a chance to innovate in a smaller setting and try some new things out. Allow your new campus to dream and think outside the box. Go ahead, try something new on your second or third campus.