Join us this Sunday! In-Person 9:00am & 10:45am, Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Join us this Sunday! In-Person 9:00am & 10:45am, Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Join us at the next Sunday worship service:
In-Person
9:00am & 10:45am,
Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Do We Need More Campuses?

“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord. “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities.“  Isaiah 54:1-3  

On Sunday, I told the congregation that we plan on opening two additional campuses in 2016. The obvious question is why, and how does this fit into our vision. 

The quick answer is that we want to make Heaven more crowded and one of the best ways to do that is to put vibrant small campuses where people live. Northstar is one church in multiple locations. We want everyone to know the only way, the truth, and the life found in Jesus is at a location near them. That is the overriding answer, but let me give you more detail.

A satellite campus offers the chance to begin with a solid vision and stable leadership in place. It offers the chance to begin with the core ministries in place. The satellites are driven by both vision and capacity issues. There is still space in our locations but as we have learned in the past when you are 75 perecent full you are full. But above capacity issues, we believe satellite campuses better fulfill the great commission by extending Northstar Church into other areas in our region. From a statistical standpoint, each additional location will help us become a more evangelistic church.

But I want to pause and ensure that you understand something. If you retain nothing else from this devotional, please retain this. Additional campuses are not about becoming a big or mega church. It is not about numbers or statistics. It is not an ego thing or a desire to have something new and shiny. Each additional campus is not primarily for us. It is about reaching others with the gospel. It is about potentially reaching another part of our city or region with the gospel. The payoff, if you will, is seeing Christ transform lives and playing a part in it.

That doesn’t mean there are not some strategic benefits, however. It is more cost effective than building a bigger sanctuary. It overcomes geographic barriers of people getting to church.  It provides more opportunities for people to get engaged to name a few. 

As more information becomes available on when and where we will plant these new campus locations, we will communicate the information to you.  In the interim, please be in prayer that we will make good decisions and fulfill the purpose God has for us.

Please pray that:

  1. Pray that each of us will have a heart for the lost.
  2. Pray that the church leadership will have discernment in seeking God’s direction.
  3. Pray that we will put our new campuses in the right locations.
  4. Pray that lives will be transformed. 

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