A couple months ago, we posted an article from Times and Season that compared churches to franchising -- uniformity, standards, training manuals. This week, we discovered this article on mega-churches (or multi-site churches) that have implemented more than just the look and feel of a franchise. They're using technology, including video sermons, to reach larger audiences with satellite churches and to "provide consistent quality and service wherever you go." One of the pastors of a megachurch called Willow Creek explained the movement this way: “When Starbucks opens up a Starbucks, people expect it to be Starbucks, not a mom-and-pop coffee shop. There's a lot of meaning in the Willow brand.” The Willow brand has already opened several church campuses in Illinois and draws more than 20,000 each week. A new church is planned for downtown Chicago next year.
Posted by franchiselawblog at February 5, 2005 03:35 PM