ElizabEth baptist ChurCh Dr. Craig l. OlivEr, sr. EBC Mission Statement: To lovingly lead the lost into a relationship with Jesus Christ and to develop mature believers. Welcome to Elizabeth Baptist Church, where we believe God wants the best for us: physically, spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. If you are looking for more out of life, want to grow deeper in your faith, or just want to make friends and be an integral part of a community of believers, EBC is a great place to make it happen! atlanta Fairburn smyrna DOuglasvillE COnyErs www.elizabethbaptist.org MULTI-SITE VISION
welcome to ElizabEth baptist ChurCh This is an exciting time in the life of Elizabeth baptist Church. as our congregation continues to grow and our corporate vision unfolds, we are eternally grateful to god for expanding our borders to include five locations and 11 weekly services. as stated in our church vision statement, churches are intentionally started to reach those who have a better chance of being served through contemporary fellowships. we envision Elizabeth baptist Church becoming one of the south s leading ministries for life changing transformation around the world; providing excellence in culturally relevant bible-centered preaching and teaching, while conveying god s love through the means of innovative and impactful ministries. we pray that as our church continues to grow you will partner with us in prayer and with your presence. we are witnessing our vision become a reality and i hope that these following pages will provide you with a better understanding of the multi-site concept. in Christ, Dr. Craig l. Oliver, sr. Collaborative Preaching Team Beginning in 2008, Elizabeth Baptist Church expanded its borders to include our second site EBC: Fairburn. Since then we ve been blessed to include three additional sites, EBC: Smyrna (2009), EBC: Douglasville (2011) and EBC: Conyers (2014). This multi-site model not only expanded our physical reach but allowed us to host nine worship services every weekend. To meet the needs of the growing congregation, Dr. Craig L. Oliver, Sr. created the Collaborative Preaching Team. This team is a group of called, competent, and committed individuals who work together to craft a transformative message that will nourish the spiritual lives of our members. Led by our senior pastor, Dr. Craig L. Oliver, Sr., the preaching team is comprised of ministers of EBC. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Collaborative Preaching Team meets throughout the week to rightly divide the Word of God and collectively develop sermons that will be delivered to members at all locations. The team s desire is to provide all sites access to the same message and ensure that we aren t just a church with many sites but a cohesive body in vision, mission, and purpose. EBC: Atlanta Alternate Parking: The Promenade located at 3915 Cascade Road can be used any day during worship services and/or special events. We also have parking available at West Park on Sunday only from 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. West Park is located at 5495 Cascade Road. EBC: Douglasville Shuttle Parking: West Douglasville Park and Ride located on Douglas Blvd. If you are coming from church parking lot turn left on bright star road then turn left Douglasville Blvd. and the shuttle parking entrance is at the Stewart Parkway Light. (across from rainwater car wash) EBC: Conyers Shuttle Parking: Shuttle service is now available from the Lowes parking lot located at 1901 GA Highway 138 SE. Signs will be posed to identify the areas where EBC parking will be available.
WHO ARE THE PLAYERS? MULTI-SITE PERSONNEL One of the key elements in establishing a multichurch is staffing. The initial staff will be bare bone (skeletal) and will include the following: 1. Campus leader (Face with the Place) 2. Worship Leader, Band, and Ensemble 3. Technical Support Director (Audio/Visual) 4. Facilities and Maintenance Personnel 5. Off-duty Officer 6. Children Ministry Leader 7. Teen Ministry Leader 8. Discipleship Leader 9. Ministry & Fellowship Leader Calling all Volunteers Unpaid Staff 01. Protocol team 02. Small group coordinator 03. Assimilation team 04. Stage hands/production team 05. Launch team 06. Hospitality Team 07. Doorkeepers Team 08. Nurses 09. Deacons 10. Ministers 11. Volunteers
THE DEFINITION OF A MULTI-SITE CHURCH main Entry: multi- Function: combining form Etymology: latin 1: The core idea of a multi-site is one church (meaning one staff, board, budget, and vision) meeting in various locations yet sharing the same brand identity and DNA. MULTI-SITES AND GROWTH WHAT PROMPTS A CHURCH TO BECOME MULTI-SITE? 1. It s part of church vision from beginning This is how we do ministry. Or 2. The decision is made or stumbled into due to: a. Overcrowding people and parking. b. Desire to reach new area or target demographic. Reaching a New People in A New Place ; establishing an evangelical presence. c. Opportunities that match mission and vision. Bill Easum and Dave Travis observe that the genius of multi-site is not that it grows a church, but it keeps it growing. In their new book, Beyond the Box: Innovative Churches that Work, they comment, The key to understanding the multi-site movement is to remember that fulfilling the Great Commission drives these congregations, not a growth strategy. Multi-site is a means toward an end, not an end goal in itself. Many churches do generate growth through multi-site, but just as importantly, multi-site keeps them from capping the growth they re experiencing. The mega-church proves that a church can draw from an entire region rather than just its neighborhood if it becomes a trusted place. The problem is that people will drive only so far, and buildings can grow only so big. More recently, many churches are finding a way beyond those limitations: multiple sites. We clearly see now that we are not limited to a particular community, region, or building size. According to the Leadership Network s survey, the most-cited trigger reason for launching multiple campuses or venues is lack-of-space issues. These range from lack of seats or parking spots to zoning/building restrictions on future growth. The second most-often cited trigger reason is a vision to impact through more instead of bigger.
MISSION CONGRUENCY The Mission of Elizabeth Baptist Church is to lovingly lead lost individuals into a relationship with Jesus Christ and to develop mature believers. ADVANTAGES OF MULTI-SITE CHURCH Increases options of locations. Assists in reaching friends, family, and future prospective members who wouldn t travel a great distance to church. Increases the total number of seats available. More financially feasible than building a new worship facility. Overcomes structural limitation of facilities, i.e. parking and pews. VISION CONGRUENCY We see a day when there are over 10,000 members actively involved in worship services weekly. Thousands of volunteers are equipped and serving in ministries of discipleship, evangelism, worship, service, and community fellowship. We see a day when churches are intentionally started to reach those who have a better chance of being served through new contemporary fellowships. Mobilizes volunteers through an added variety of ministry opportunities. Accelerates the climate for diversity, creativity, and innovation in ministry. Helps a congregation see how it s part of a larger Kingdom mission. Models and trains people for church planting elsewhere. Brings together the best aspects of larger church and smaller church.
THE PHILOSOPHY I. The Multi-Service Philosophy Historically, EBC has offered the option of multiple services. Initially, our Sunday morning services were at 7:30 and 11:00 a.m. in only one location EBC: Atlanta. In 2005, we introduced a third Sunday morning worship service. In the spring of 2007, we added the Saturday Night Live service. In order to accommodate our continued growth, we introduced additional sites and services at EBC: Fairburn (2008), EBC: Smyrna (2009), EBC: Douglasville (2011) and EBC: Conyers (2014). All of these services and sites were introduced to address our consistent and rapid growth and to fulfill the corporate vision of EBC. As a result we have become a multi-site church with nine weekly worship opportunities, including both Deeper in the Word services at EBC: Atlanta and EBC: Douglasville. THE MULTI-SITE CONCEPT THREE GENERAL APPROACHES 1. On-site premise. Additional venue such as, a live service with video sermon in church gym or simulcast in another designated area. (i.e. www.lifechurch.tv) 2. A sponsored church. Whether in the same community or halfway around the world, where the staff, style or content comes from the parent campus, where the church in turn identifies itself as a site of the parent campus. 3. An off-site premise. Satellite, branch or regional-campus location such as, a school or converted warehouse across town that is an extension of the main campus. II. The Multi-Site Philosophy The term multi-site covers all of the aforementioned concepts, up to the point of starting a totally new independent church. A church s multi-site location might sponsor all of the same ministries as the parent campus or it may only offer worship service(s) at its various multi-sites. The common thread is that the church happens at more than one location. A church becomes multi-site by extending itself to more than one location: across town, across the state, and/or literally around the world. In short, the multi-site concept is about a new way of re-defining and re-assigning the physical and geographical boundaries of a church. THE PROGRAMMING Communion will be administered at all morning services at all locations on 1st Sunday. However, Baptism ceremonies will occur every 5th Saturday and every 3rd Sunday of the month. Baby Dedication will be scheduled on 2nd Sundays in February, April, August and October. On-Site Premise Sponsored Church Off-Site Premise
MULTI-SITE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q1: In planting of additional sites and churches, will EBC continue with the Capital Campaign and building projects? A1: Yes! We are staying true to the section of the EBC Vision statement which states, We see a day when the facilities of Elizabeth Baptist Church are expanded to a state-of-the art structure that will accommodate the accelerated growth of the membership and used for community and family development. Q2: If I opt to attend one of the other sites do I still participate in the Capital Campaign? A2: Yes! We are one church in multi-locations. Q3: Who will be responsible for preaching? A3: The senior pastor, along with an established collaborative preaching team, will preach in a rotational format at the five locations. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the senior pastor and the preaching team work together to develop the sermons that will be delivered during the worship services. The goal of this collaborative preaching effort is to ensure that each congregation will receive the same message during their worship experience. Q4: Will the worship experience be the same at all locations? A4: Yes! We are intentional in providing a worship experience of excellence in all of our various locations. All worship services will remain on an hour and a half format unless otherwise advertised. Q9: How will we ensure organizational alignment? A9: In order to be one church with multiple locations, the church must keep 5 things centralized: 1. One MV2P To safeguard the ministry from loosing a sense of oneness and unity ensuring that there is Mission, Vision, Values, and Purpose congruency. 2. One Visionary Pastor 3. One Budget All funds are deposited into one operational account. 4. One Board of Directors To provide governance that represents all the people and gives wisdom in regard to direction, doctrine, and discipline. 5. One Staff The whole staff serves the whole church. No staff members are solely location specific; all staff members also work as part of functional teams that impact the entire community. Q5: Will there be on-site live music at all locations? A5: All locations will provide live music inclusive of a praise team, band and ensemble. Each location will have its own primary music team with alternating worship leaders. Q6: Will there be a nursery and children s ministry at all locations? A6: We currently have a children s ministry (S.E.E.D.S.) at all locations. Our nursery ministry is available at our EBC: Atlanta location (B and C Services) and EBC: Douglasville. If you have any questions, please contact our Children s Director, Sis. Joyce Holmes at Joyce.Holmes@elizabethbaptist.org. Q7: Will there be Sunday school classes for adults, youth, and children? A7: As of April 27, 2014, discipleship and assimilation classes will be available at every location. For more information, please contact Sis. Sylvia Smith Sylvia.Smith@elizabethbaptist.org or our Assimilation Director, Dr. William Kratt at William.Kratt@elizabethbaptist.org. Q8: What are Frontline Ministries and how can I get involved? A8: The term Frontline encompasses all of the worship-support ministries that are guest-service driven. These ministries include but are not limited to the following: Assimilation, Door Keepers, H.E.L.P.S., Hospitality, Intercessory Prayer, Parking Attendants, Protocol and Worship & Arts. For more information on these ministries or to learn how to join visit our website at www.elizabethbaptist.org. Q10: If I join EBC at one location am I still a member at all of the other locations (i.e. Atlanta, Smyrna, Fairburn, etc.)? A10: Yes! Regardless of the site you attend, we are one church in multi-locations. Q11: Will all of the locations have a mid-week service? A11: Currently we hold mid-week Deeper in the Word services at EBC: Atlanta on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm and at EBC: Douglasville on Thursdays at 7:00 pm. We are tentatively planning for a Deeper in the Word service at EBC: Conyers and will announce when those services will begin. Q12: Will all of the locations host funerals and weddings? A12: Funerals and weddings can be held at all locations with the exception of EBC: Fairburn and EBC: Smyrna. For more information please visit our website at www.elizabethbaptist.org. Q13: Are we pursuing permanent locations for the other sites? A13: No, we are not actively looking for permanent facilities at this time. Q14: Are Traffic Control Officers on site at every location? A14: Yes! Q15: How many more churches will we plant? A15: EBC is a unique church in that we are intentional in planting additional sites in the future.
ElizabEth baptist ChurCh Dr. Craig l. OlivEr, sr. ELIZABETH BAPTIST CHURCH: ATLANTA (Central Office) 4245 Cascade Road, SW Atlanta, GA 30331 Phone 404.691.3146 Fax 404.699.5522 Saturday Night Live 6:00 p.m. Sunday Worship Services 7:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m. Sunday Children & Teen Church 9:00 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. Sunday Discipleship Classes 9:00 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. Wednesday Mid-Day Bible Study 12:00 p.m. Deeper in the Word Wednesdays 7:00 p.m. ELIZABETH BAPTIST CHURCH: SMYRNA 2581 Spring Road Smyrna, GA 30080 Sunday Worship Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday Children & Teen Church 8:30 a.m. Sunday Discipleship Classes 10:15 a.m. ELIZABETH BAPTIST CHURCH: FAIRBURN (Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School) 861 Highway 279 Fairburn, GA 30213 Sunday Worship Service 10:45 a.m. Sunday Children & Teen Church 10:45 a.m. Sunday Discipleship Classes 8:45 a.m. ELIZABETH BAPTIST CHURCH: DOUGLASVILLE 2990 Bright Star Road Douglasville, GA 30134 Sunday Worship Services 8:30 a.m. & 10:45 a.m. Sunday Children & Teen Church 10:45 a.m. Sunday Discipleship Classes 8:45 a.m. Deeper in the Word Thursdays 7:00 p.m. ELIZABETH BAPTIST CHURCH: CONYERS 1437 Highway 138 West Conyers, GA 30094 Sunday Worship Service 9:30 a.m. Sunday Children & Teen Church Beginning April 27! Sunday Discipleship Classes Beginning April 27! atlanta smyrna Fairburn DOuglasvillE COnyErs WWW.ELIZABETHBAPTIST.ORG EBCnews DOwnlOaD the EbC: app EBCatlanta EBCatlanta HTML