The Benefits of a Multisite Church

If you have been around Orchard Hill for any amount of time, you have likely heard it said that we are “one church in multiple locations.” Over the past 6 months, I have experienced how this reality gives our church a unique opportunity and ability to extend our shared mission in a beautiful, profound way!

I came to Orchard Hill Church in the Spring of 2018 to serve as the Director of Young Adult Ministries. I often share as part of my own story that it was really the values of Orchard Hill Church that drew me to serving here: the gospel-centered theology that permeates our teaching and approach to the Christian life as well as the heartbeat of this church to be both biblically faithful and culturally relevant – welcoming to people at any stage in their spiritual journey. These are values of our church that I deeply appreciate, along with so many.

In January 2020, I transitioned in my staff role to serving as the Campus Leader of Orchard Hill Strip District, and I will tell you – this shift has opened my eyes to see the expansive nature of the Orchard Hill ministry in a new way!

I have seen first-hand that the multisite approach to “doing church” not only works but offers an opportunity to extend the mission of the church in a deeply meaningful way. Across our three campuses – Wexford, Strip District, and Butler – we are unified in our singular mission of helping people find and follow Jesus. This is the driving force behind all that we do in gathering for worship, reaching out to our communities, cultivating deep relationships with one another, and building into the lives of children and students. This is taking place in the city, in the suburbs, and in “the county” in exciting ways!

I have also come to see that even as we share a unified mission, each of our campuses is unique.

This is a HUGE strength!

God is using each of our campuses to reach different people and locations in a way that our other campuses would not be able to do because of each location’s unique settings and DNA.

Let me encourage you, if you are an attender of the Orchard Hill community, to take a weekend and visit another one of our church locations. You will see clearly that the neighborhood, the parking lot, and the building look different from where you normally attend. As you are welcomed into worship, you will notice that the room looks different - both the space and the people! And this is a wonderful thing… In each of our locations, unique and different people are being welcomed and drawn into community with one another that they might be drawn closer to God. What is more important than that!?

We are one church in multiple locations with an all-encompassing mission. Would you join me in praying the words of Psalm 90:17 for the mission and ministries of Orchard Hill Church, that God’s glory would be known and increased throughout the Pittsburgh region?

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands.”