Multi-site frequently asked questions | Christ Community Church

Multi-site frequently asked questions

The vision is cast and the launch is scheduled.

CCC's history is rich with examples of missional innovation. From tent meetings to multiple worship venues, the mission is unchanging: make disciples in response to the Great Commission.

In early 2007, the Elders identified a clear sense of God's call to REACH THE CITY through a site expansion strategy with one vision, one staff, one board, one budget.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Multi-Site Strategy

Why are we pursuing this vision to establish another location?
Part of the vision of CCC is to reach the lost for Christ in our city. The multi-site strategy allows us to use the resources of a large church and implement them into a smaller church. By using the multi-site strategy, churches are able to reach more people than they could reach if they were just one location.
What does multi-site mean and are other churches doing this?
Becoming a multi-site church means that Christ Community Church will be one church, with multiple locations. Other locations will still be Christ Community Church in every way utilizing the same staff, same elder board and the same budget. This strategy is currently used by many churches across the country. Ten years ago, there were fewer than 100 churches that were considered multi-site. Today, there is an estimated 2000 churches using this strategy.
How is Multi-Site different than just planting a church?
A church plant is a church that is supported initially by the main church through its resources for a set period of time with the vision that the plant will eventually become financially self-supporting with its own staff, own vision and own values. A multi-site church shares staff, resources and has the same "DNA" as the original site. People who attend Christ Community Church at any of its locations will be considered a part of Christ Community Church, and there will be no immediate plans for that site to one day become a church independent of CCC. Ideally, someone should be able to attend CCC at any of its locations and feel like he or she is at the same church.
Will we still call the new site Christ Community Church?
Yes. The current location will be called CCC - Old Mill Campus. Future sites will be named similarly based on their location. ( CCC - Papillion, CCC - Bellevue, etc.) We want to avoid the Old Mill Campus being referred to at the "main campus." This denotes importance, and we want each site to be valued the same no matter where you attend. Each site will strive to have the same level of excellence and resources that are available at the Old Mill location.
Who will be the Pastor?
Mark Ashton will continue to be the Lead Pastor of Christ Community Church, providing vision and direction for all locations. Each multi-site location will have its own Campus Pastor. Steve Walters will be the "face with the place" at the first multi-site campus, and he will provide shepherding and leadership oversight for that location. The Campus Pastor will be accountable to the CCC Elder Board and to the Lead Pastor.
Who will be delivering the message at the new location?
We are currently looking at creative ways to accomplish this. One method will be to record the message on Sunday at the Old Mill location, and then show that video the following week at the other campuses. Therefore, the surrounding locations will be one week behind in the message series. Other options would include a rotating teaching team or a live video feed, both of which are utilized at other multi-site churches across the country.
Where will this Multi-Site location be?
We are still in the process of listening to God to determine the best location. Our first multi-site will most likely be along the Highway 370 corridor in Sarpy County. Ultimately, the vision is that CCC will have multiple locations across the Omaha area.
Will we be building a church for the new location to meet in?
No. We are currently looking at locations that already exist that we can rent space in. Schools, community centers and theatres are all viable options.
How will we staff this new site?
There are certain key staff roles that will be added to care for the new location. Steve Walters will be the Campus Pastor for the first multi-site. There will be some additional responsibilities for the current staff, and there will be additional staff as needed to support this new campus. One of the greatest advantages of a multi-site approach is that it allows you to effectively leverage the expertise of your current staff and leadership. While additional staff will need to be hired, we will not need to duplicate the staff we have currently.
Will attenders from the Old Mill location be asked to attend this new site?
It is our hope that attenders from CCC will want to serve at the new location if it is geographically closer to them. Once the location is determined, we will be forming a launch team of attenders who wish to be missional and leave the Old Mill location to serve at the new location.
Can someone go back and forth from one campus to another?
We know that in the beginning there will be some back and forth between the two campuses. But we would encourage everyone to become regular attenders at one location. This will allow you to be involved in serving and facilitate deeper relationships. Consistent participation at one location is also important for children to develop positive peer relationships.
What about the weekend services at the new location? What will they be like?
We will be having the same message and same service at each location. Even if the message is shown as a video, the music and creative elements will continue to be live and they will be similar or the same as those occurring at the Old Mill location.
Will we still have New Community Groups, Journey Groups, Children's and Students' programming and new attender classes at the new location?
Priority will be given to Children's and Student weekend programming because they are needed to effectively attract new attenders with families. New Community groups and classes will exist as long as space permits.
How will we finance this new site and how much will it cost?
The Christian and Missionary Alliance has already pledged $100,000 towards the establishment of a multi-site location for CCC. Additional money will be budgeted and will come from the contributions of the attenders at CCC. As for the overall cost, the actual figures are only estimates at this point. Factors such as facility costs are still unknown, and therefore an exact figure can not be determined at this point.
How can we check our motivations to make sure that this vision is God-driven?
We should never stop asking ourselves this question. The decision to pursue this vision has been discussed and prayed over for many months by the elders and staff at CCC and they will continue to do so. Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Through persistent prayer we will continue to be God-driven and will only move forward if we feel God leading us in that direction.
How can I get involved?
Watch the program for further communication regarding Multi-site and the development of a launch team for the new site. Opportunities to get involved will be offered in the coming months. For information, contact Steve Walters / stevew@cccomaha.org / 330.3360 x305.