SEBTS theologian John Hammett has recently published an article entitled, “What Makes a Multi-Site Church One Church?” You can access the full article online at the Great Commission Research Journal. Here is an outline of his argument:
Historically speaking, the “oneness” of the church initially referred to the connection to certain bishops. Unity was visible—you were either part of the tangible Catholic Church or you were not. The Reformation recast this and tied oneness to the gospel instead. For the Reformers, unity was invisible—you are a part of the universal church if you believe in the gospel.
Over time, denominations and associations sprouted up, occupying a middle ground between “local church” and “universal church.” In many ways, multi-site churches function in ways similar to denominations. This is particularly the case if they never gather altogether or if they are spread over several states—a growing trend for many multi-site churches.
Is multi-site biblical? In the sense of having a clear biblical precedent, no. But that does not invalidate the practice. Many current church practices are not found in the book of Acts. Opponents of multi-site claim that it undermines church unity. The New Testament word for church—ekklesia—means “assembly,” so the heart of local church, opponents argue, should be assembling.
The New Testament evidence is not quite so simple, however. Paul used the singular word ‘ekklesia’ to refer to churches in one city (such as Corinth), but used the plural when talking about churches in a large region (like Galatia). We know that the church in Corinth met in several houses, so it was—in a sense—multi-site. But Paul didn’t see the many congregations in Galatia the same way.
What this shows is that multi-site can be biblical, but only insofar as it is citywide. It must be possible for the whole church to gather together. Many churches, of course, are going multi-site for bad reasons, but many are doing it for the right reasons and in the right way. It is a better option than turning people away, and is a wise move when a speaker is exceptionally gifted.
