How to Make Networking Work: Multiple Church Events

Networking multi-church events is a major challenge.  Though I've only been a part of a few, most of them have been (thankfully) pretty smooth.  Here's a few pointers that should lend some chance of success to your next multi-church (or multi-group) event:


1.) Be Purposeful - You have to answer the question of purpose in a couple of areas: 

• "What's the frequency of my engaging with other churches - for a perpetual 'networking' concept (week after week or month after month), or for a periodic concept (a few times a year for major events/services)?"
• "What's the target audience/target purpose for my engaging with other churches - for outreach/evangelism, or for edification of those already in relationship with Christ?"

2.) Stay consistent - This means working with the same leaders, focusing on the same geographic target locations and (typically) the same points in the calendar year.  Your format should also be consistent, though that doesn't necessarily mean predictable.


3.) Plan ahead and Communicate Clearly - If you can't get on the same page in enough time to properly advertise the event or service, you probably shouldn't do it.  With teens/students (my primary audience), this is especially important, because you're not only dependent on the students knowing, but also the parents.


4.) Focus on Commonality - The multi-church events that I've been able to be a part of coordinating have been with groups that share the common ground of the Cross, but also have very different specific doctrinal differences.  The main idea, though, is to come back to the common ground - Christ.  A few examples of what this might look like:

• Worship - Many churches have varying styles of worship (traditional, contemporary, expressive, reserved, etc.) and this is a big area for conflict to arise.  The important part, however, is to agree on the format, respecting others' viewpoints and honoring the One whom we worship.
• Service- or Event-style - This is a big one in Youth Ministry.  There are many youth ministries (like mine) that hold a service with worship, preaching and altar time on a weekly basis.  There are other youth ministries that arrange their services around food, fellowship and fun with a message dropped in somewhere in the middle.  And, there are youth ministries that are everywhere in between.  The leaders of the multi-church event need to agree on the format, and plan accordingly.  For my experience, this usually involves a lot of variety throughout the spectrum I mentioned.  This approach is often best determined based on the question of target audience - what will be most effective in reaching your audience and accomplishing your goal(s).

These are just a few thoughts from a brief experience with multi-church events.  Ultimately, each multi-church group has to find the rhythm and approach that works best for them, their purposes and their audience.