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Forbes reported ten years ago that “Churches across America--like shopping malls, houses, corporations, hospitals, schools and just about everything else--have erupted in size in the last few decades. The number of megachurches in the U.S. has leaped to more than 1,300 today--from just 50 in 1970” (America’s Biggest Megachurches, Jesse Bogan, June 26, 2009, forbes.com). A megachurch is defined as having at least 2,000 in average weekend attendance (Church Sizes, usachurches.org).

Many of these megachurches have morphed into multi-site conglomerations. For example, here in Whatcom County, Washington, Christ the King Community Church has six campuses scattered throughout the county.

Typically, these multi-campus churches (multiple congregations) are organized with an overarching oversight that binds them together. (For example, one such megachurch has senior and executive pastors, campus pastors and development directors.) They adhere to common doctrines, participate in the same ministries, etc. But, they offer and arrange their own worship services and other activities specific to each site. As some say, a megachurch is “one church in many locations.”

Organizationally, these “one church in many locations” megachurches have the clear earmark of being mini-denominations (while claiming undenominational status). Their multi-congregation organization is little more than a quasi-diocese.

We know of one church in the New Testament that had thousands of members. The Jerusalem church began with about 3,000 souls, and grew well beyond 5,000 men (Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 5:14). It certainly was not arranged like the present-day mega-churches. (Does that matter? Absolutely, if we intend to follow Bible patterns for the church, 2 Tim. 1:13; Col. 3:17; 1 Cor. 4:17.)

We never read of the Jerusalem church having multiple campuses. The church gathered at a place suitable to accommodate its size, and was overseen by one eldership (Acts 5:12; 15:6, 22-23).

The universal church of Christ is the body of all the saved without reference to time, place and location (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22-23; Heb. 12:23). It is composed of Christians, not churches (Acts 2:47). When the Scriptures speak of a church in a given place it is a local church of Christ (1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1). In the Bible, local churches are structured with bishops and deacons (Phil. 1:1). Elders are shepherds of one flock, not multiple flocks (Acts 14:23; 1 Pet. 5:2).

Where is a church made up of churches in the New Testament? It is not there. Where is the multi-campus church in the New Testament? It is not there. Does the New Testament tell of multi-campus churches being overseen by one eldership (group of pastors)? No, it does not. Spawned by human wisdom, “one church in many locations” is a corruption of the New Testament pattern of local church government.

Multi-campus churches are developing an ecclesiastical hierarchy similar to the apostate model that eventually grew into the Roman Catholic Church. They endorse an organizational departure from the New Testament pattern of independent, local congregations – “churches of Christ” (Rom. 16:16). 

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