Multi-Site Groups part 2

You can read part 1 here.

One of the most difficult questions with groups and multi-site is – how do you structure a groups system that works on several campuses with different personalities? Although each of our campuses share a common DNA, there are innate differences that come with geographical distance. For instance: our Nashville campus is primarily young, single adults; while our Bellevue campus (10 miles away) is made up of mostly young families. We want people to have a similar experience at every campus, but groups have to reflect the community. I believe that flexibility is a key to helping that happen.

Keys To Flexibility

• Train globally, coach locally. We keep our leader’s training consistent across our campuses by doing most of it online, but each campus has it’s own Director and coaches that care for their leaders.
• Have groups that reflect the community. If the campus has a ton of young adults, it probably doesn’t make sense to have 30 older adult groups because that’s what the other campuses have.
• Allow input from the campus directors. I oversee groups for Cross Point as a whole, but I am not on the ground every week at every campus. I have to listen to the local staff and volunteers as we plan for the future.
• Be willing to blow it up and try something new. Not every idea is right for every season. You have to hold your system loosely enough to change as the church changes. Growth and multi-site WILL bring changes. We have scrapped several things that were working to try something that might more effective in the new reality.
• Evaluate everything. Don’t just assume that something is still working. Chances are that if it is more than 2 years old, it probably isn’t.

Anything that you would add?