Willow Creek Community Church, one of the nation’s most prominent megachurches, plans to establish satellite churches so worshippers can watch from the main location in South Barrington, Ill., on huge video screens.
Church officials plan to open a dozen sites in the Chicago area within the next decade, the Chicago Tribune reported.
While the move is considered unprecedented by scholars, it also may raise questions about the realities of church life.
“If all their satellite churches never have live preaching, then they will lack the kind of authenticity of presentation of the gospel that you can have only with a [in-house] pastor,” said Quentin Schultze, a professor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., and an expert on religion and the media.
Willow Creek representatives say they hope to reach more people, especially those who live more than half an hour away.
“We’re doing this because our attendees who live farther than 30 minutes from Willow Creek made it very clear that they would like to invite more friends and more actively participate, but distance is a barrier,” David Staal, director of communications, told the Tribune.
Currently, more than 17,000 people attend six services at Willow Creek each weekend. Overflow crowds watch the service on a 20-foot-tall screen in the church’s chapel or activity center.
Plans are under way for a $70 million expansion of the main campus. (RNS)
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