Launching a Campus from Scratch (# 1)

As I continue to research multi-site churches, here are a few insights I gained from sitting in a session with Mike Brown down at the Unleash conference. Mike launched the Florence, SC site back in January. These are part of my unedited notes from that session:

Launching a Campus from Scratch

Mike Brown – Florence Campus Pastor

Florence campus Launched January 11, 2009
Currently Averaging 330 people over nine weeks

Message: They are running a week delay with video (no live feed yet)
They are using one screen, not 3D or HD
Launch more like a church plant then the Greenville Site Launch
Learning that if more than 50 miles from main site – like a church plant
They launched with a Campus Pastor, Director of Children’s Ministry, Worship Leader and Ministry Coordinator (Coordinates volunteers)

How did they plan/prepare for launch?

1) Prayer (God laid a passion to reach the city of Florence on the heart of some of the staff of NewSpring and out of hearts of prayer God opened up the door to start a campus in Florence)

2) Planning/Preparation

Study the city (what area looking to reach?)

Create a timeline

Need to cast vision in the city before launch

Membership (Get a core group ready to go with you)

Preview (Offer some preliminary services to give people a taste for what will do)

Budget (Must have one - realistic idea of what expenses/income will be)

Structure (How will you establish the site with finances, staffing, technology, marketing)

HEARD IT AGAIN: Multi-site changes everything!!!