Comments on: The Collateral Damage of Video-Venues: A Challenge To All Video Venue Multi-Site Church Leaders – DO A SURVEY! http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-collateral-damage-of-video-venues-a-challenge-to-all-video-venue-multi-site-church-leaders-%e2%80%93-do-a-survey/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:28:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jenette Perper http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-collateral-damage-of-video-venues-a-challenge-to-all-video-venue-multi-site-church-leaders-%e2%80%93-do-a-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-134380 Jenette Perper Wed, 08 Jun 2011 02:27:11 +0000 http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/?p=734#comment-134380 Hi! I know this is kind of off-topic however I had to ask. Does running a well-established website such as yours take a lot of work? I am completely new to running a blog however I do write in my diary everyday. I'd like to start a blog so I can share my own experience and thoughts online. Please let me know if you have any kind of suggestions or tips for brand new aspiring blog owners. Appreciate it! Hi! I know this is kind of off-topic however I had to ask. Does running a well-established website such as yours take a lot of work? I am completely new to running a blog however I do write in my diary everyday. I’d like to start a blog so I can share my own experience and thoughts online. Please let me know if you have any kind of suggestions or tips for brand new aspiring blog owners. Appreciate it!

]]> By: barryjacobdiamond http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-collateral-damage-of-video-venues-a-challenge-to-all-video-venue-multi-site-church-leaders-%e2%80%93-do-a-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-28266 barryjacobdiamond Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:11:16 +0000 http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/?p=734#comment-28266 Hi David, I found your blog when one of the students in the class I teach at Fuller, "Leading a Missional Church,' posted your website for an assignment. Glad to know that you are raising similar questions about the video venue. I have strongly believed that these video campuses have skimmed off the rest of the body of Christ when they have their grand opening. Typically, church shoppers are usually the ones that show up looking for the next new and hip thing. This has certainly been the case in Las Vegas where I now lead a missional community. As you probably know, many times these video venues begin with a large number attracted to them but over a period of six months to a year have sharply decreased. Sadly, the bottom line is that we see churches competing for the same crowd - 'the found,' instead of impacting the lost community around it. I appreciate your blog and your perspective. Grace, Barry Diamond <a href="http://barryjdiamond.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">http://barryjdiamond.wordpress.com/</a> Hi David,
I found your blog when one of the students in the class I teach at Fuller, "Leading a Missional Church,' posted your website for an assignment. Glad to know that you are raising similar questions about the video venue. I have strongly believed that these video campuses have skimmed off the rest of the body of Christ when they have their grand opening. Typically, church shoppers are usually the ones that show up looking for the next new and hip thing. This has certainly been the case in Las Vegas where I now lead a missional community. As you probably know, many times these video venues begin with a large number attracted to them but over a period of six months to a year have sharply decreased. Sadly, the bottom line is that we see churches competing for the same crowd – 'the found,' instead of impacting the lost community around it.
I appreciate your blog and your perspective.
Grace,
Barry Diamond http://barryjdiamond.wordpress.com/

]]> By: So You Don’t Want to Grow? « handsandfeet http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-collateral-damage-of-video-venues-a-challenge-to-all-video-venue-multi-site-church-leaders-%e2%80%93-do-a-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-16726 So You Don’t Want to Grow? « handsandfeet Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:32:38 +0000 http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/?p=734#comment-16726 [...] churches are actually growing that much, if by growth we mean lost people being found. David Fitch relates some experiences where the new hip church sactually cripple other established gatherings by taking [...] [...] churches are actually growing that much, if by growth we mean lost people being found. David Fitch relates some experiences where the new hip church sactually cripple other established gatherings by taking [...]

]]> By: K. Rex Butts http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-collateral-damage-of-video-venues-a-challenge-to-all-video-venue-multi-site-church-leaders-%e2%80%93-do-a-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-14551 K. Rex Butts Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:22:41 +0000 http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/?p=734#comment-14551 I am glad to know that others are raising questions about the video-venue churches. My own denominational herritage (Churches of Christ, A Capella) have recently had a couple of churches (both in the Bible-belt which is our strongest geographical area in terms of numbers) begin video venues. I wonder why, if they believe that X community needs a church because local churches are not making a kingdom impact, they don't just plant another autonomous church (and that is especially crucial in a tradition that has historically championed local church autonomy). However, in a culture driven by consumerism, I wonder if the church leaders are being driven by kingdom values or the values of growing bigger, going coorporate, becoming the latest "church" fad among Christendom. I know those are only speculations but they come from the same recess in my heart that heard a few fellow seminarians who shunned the idea of serving with a smaller church in favor the large church that is well recognized in the Christendom radar. In the end, there seem to be many values (good and bad) that might grow a church in terms of numbers. However, some (perhaps many) of these values do harm to the bigger picture of what we're to be about. The proof is in the pudding. We live in a culture where, despite the numbers of people who profess to be Christian, the witness of the gospel is becoming the salt that lost its saltiness. So it seems that we cannot continue on asking the same old questions that lead us to solving the problem of how to increase numbers, tithes, etc... We must ask what needs to be done so that the church will bear authentic witness to the good news of the Kingdom of God...and the right answer to that question must begin with the resolve to allow our own agendas and self to be crucified on the cross of Jesus. Thank you for this post and all of your kingdom work. Grace and peace, Rex I am glad to know that others are raising questions about the video-venue churches. My own denominational herritage (Churches of Christ, A Capella) have recently had a couple of churches (both in the Bible-belt which is our strongest geographical area in terms of numbers) begin video venues. I wonder why, if they believe that X community needs a church because local churches are not making a kingdom impact, they don’t just plant another autonomous church (and that is especially crucial in a tradition that has historically championed local church autonomy). However, in a culture driven by consumerism, I wonder if the church leaders are being driven by kingdom values or the values of growing bigger, going coorporate, becoming the latest “church” fad among Christendom. I know those are only speculations but they come from the same recess in my heart that heard a few fellow seminarians who shunned the idea of serving with a smaller church in favor the large church that is well recognized in the Christendom radar.

In the end, there seem to be many values (good and bad) that might grow a church in terms of numbers. However, some (perhaps many) of these values do harm to the bigger picture of what we’re to be about. The proof is in the pudding. We live in a culture where, despite the numbers of people who profess to be Christian, the witness of the gospel is becoming the salt that lost its saltiness. So it seems that we cannot continue on asking the same old questions that lead us to solving the problem of how to increase numbers, tithes, etc… We must ask what needs to be done so that the church will bear authentic witness to the good news of the Kingdom of God…and the right answer to that question must begin with the resolve to allow our own agendas and self to be crucified on the cross of Jesus.

Thank you for this post and all of your kingdom work.

Grace and peace,

Rex

]]> By: David Fitch http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-collateral-damage-of-video-venues-a-challenge-to-all-video-venue-multi-site-church-leaders-%e2%80%93-do-a-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-14469 David Fitch Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:37:01 +0000 http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/?p=734#comment-14469 Matt, I'm quite serious, yet skeptical that such venue church mega-church efforts will conduct such surveys. I could tell stories of many 'successful' mega church efforts that always shrink back in the last minute from such surveys. The results would undermine the 'ideology.' Again, I have no beef that there are many people educated in Christendom Christianity that need to be called into a more personal commitment (via mega churches), or that certain 'older' churches should die because they have become "dug in" with a 'church culture' that needs to die. I just think we ought to have our eyes opne as to what is really going on in our church efforts, and not hype up something that is not actually happening. Matt,
I’m quite serious, yet skeptical that such venue church mega-church efforts will conduct such surveys. I could tell stories of many ‘successful’ mega church efforts that always shrink back in the last minute from such surveys. The results would undermine the ‘ideology.’ Again, I have no beef that there are many people educated in Christendom Christianity that need to be called into a more personal commitment (via mega churches), or that certain ‘older’ churches should die because they have become “dug in” with a ‘church culture’ that needs to die. I just think we ought to have our eyes opne as to what is really going on in our church efforts, and not hype up something that is not actually happening.

]]> By: matt johnson http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-collateral-damage-of-video-venues-a-challenge-to-all-video-venue-multi-site-church-leaders-%e2%80%93-do-a-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-14263 matt johnson Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:23:25 +0000 http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/?p=734#comment-14263 Hey Dave, I'm wondering just what kind of questions would go on this survey. By implication I might come up with: Did you come to this church from a congregation of 350 or less? Were you attracted to the possibility of anonymity at this church? Have you been a regular attend of another congregation within the last 10 years? Is that the sort of stuff you're envisioning? And is this more of a symbolic statement, or are you really hoping mega-churches take you up on this challenge? Hey Dave,
I’m wondering just what kind of questions would go on this survey. By implication I might come up with:
Did you come to this church from a congregation of 350 or less?
Were you attracted to the possibility of anonymity at this church?
Have you been a regular attend of another congregation within the last 10 years?

Is that the sort of stuff you’re envisioning? And is this more of a symbolic statement, or are you really hoping mega-churches take you up on this challenge?

]]> By: Joy http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-collateral-damage-of-video-venues-a-challenge-to-all-video-venue-multi-site-church-leaders-%e2%80%93-do-a-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-14239 Joy Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:48:28 +0000 http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/?p=734#comment-14239 I am not a church planter or pastor...BUT...I really appreciated your blog here on video venue churches. I attended a video venue church in Mesa AZ that was planted by one of the most if not the most well respected video venue churches from the heart of the Bible Belt, OKC. I left a Mega church that I had been deeply committed to for 23 years to give this type of church a try. It made sense for me initially as the church plant in our area tended to attract a very ecclectic and even marginalized kind of demographic...something I wanted to be more closely connected to...but it also attracted a lot of people who were on their way out of the door of the I.C. and were willing to give 'church' one last try. This particular video venue church never really made it here in the desert. It sorely misunderstood the culture and while it had a very modern and contemporary feel...it certainly wasn't missional or at all new in it's ministry focus especially after being up and running for about a year. It hit a peak attendance of roughly 400 people before rather quickly unraveling; that is not the case with the parent church and it's dozen or so campuses in Oklahoma and other more southern states. I left the church before it dissolved...and in fact chose to leave the institutional church completely... A couple of churches native to our area are trying the video venue thing and it appears to be 'working' for them. I suppose it does take all kinds of methods to reach different people...but...I just can't stomach most of what goes on on the 'inside' myself...Thankfully there are other options outside of the traditional model for the fringe like me! I now host Emerging cohort ( Emerging Desert ) in my home weekly...which is just what I guess I was looking for all along and it is going very very well. I am not a church planter or pastor…BUT…I really appreciated your blog here on video venue churches. I attended a video venue church in Mesa AZ that was planted by one of the most if not the most well respected video venue churches from the heart of the Bible Belt, OKC.
I left a Mega church that I had been deeply committed to for 23 years to give this type of church a try. It made sense for me initially as the church plant in our area tended to attract a very ecclectic and even marginalized kind of demographic…something I wanted to be more closely connected to…but it also attracted a lot of people who were on their way out of the door of the I.C. and were willing to give ‘church’ one last try.
This particular video venue church never really made it here in the desert. It sorely misunderstood the culture and while it had a very modern and contemporary feel…it certainly wasn’t missional or at all new in it’s ministry focus especially after being up and running for about a year. It hit a peak attendance of roughly 400 people before rather quickly unraveling; that is not the case with the parent church and it’s dozen or so campuses in Oklahoma and other more southern states.
I left the church before it dissolved…and in fact chose to leave the institutional church completely…
A couple of churches native to our area are trying the video venue thing and it appears to be ‘working’ for them. I suppose it does take all kinds of methods to reach different people…but…I just can’t stomach most of what goes on on the ‘inside’ myself…Thankfully there are other options outside of the traditional model for the fringe like me!
I now host Emerging cohort ( Emerging Desert ) in my home weekly…which is just what I guess I was looking for all along and it is going very very well.

]]> By: Ross Morrell http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/the-collateral-damage-of-video-venues-a-challenge-to-all-video-venue-multi-site-church-leaders-%e2%80%93-do-a-survey/comment-page-1/#comment-14232 Ross Morrell Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:24:28 +0000 http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/?p=734#comment-14232 Gidday, A friend of mine recently returned from a trip to Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar. He was visiting a church planting friend in Myanmar who reported that a common problem [or is it just an event rather than a problem] is a planted church will change denomination when a better sponsor comes along. I just wondered if the good intentions of slick marketing extends a little further in the world than multi-venue churchs in north america. I enjoyed your thoughts. Gidday,
A friend of mine recently returned from a trip to Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar. He was visiting a church planting friend in Myanmar who reported that a common problem [or is it just an event rather than a problem] is a planted church will change denomination when a better sponsor comes along. I just wondered if the good intentions of slick marketing extends a little further in the world than multi-venue churchs in north america.
I enjoyed your thoughts.

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