The satellite strategy has many things to commend it. Gary L. McIntosh lists several positives of the satellite strategy in "Make Room for the Boom…or Bust."

It tends to be very cost effective since staff and lay leaders do not need to be hired or won to the new operation. Furthermore, equipment already owned by the church can be used rather than having to buy new additional equipment.

It can offer a different location, environment, style of worship and program that meets the needs of people different from those who come to the main campus.

It can be the research and development branch of the church where change can take place away from the main church campus and later be incorporated into the ministry of the main campus once established members see the effectiveness of the new ministries.

A satellite model of ministry can help older, established churches fulfill the Great Commission in fresh ways so it can continue to win people to Christ as it did in its earlier years.

Satellite churches may or may not result in new churches. Historically, the Florida Conference used the strategy during the decades of the ’40s through early ’60s for associate ministers of large membership churches to work to plant a new congregation in a new subdivision or nearby neighborhood. An advantage of using this strategy today is that if the satellite doesn’t grow to independence, we have not invested a great sum of resources. On the other hand, if it does take root and grow into a new church, we probably will not have invested as much as we currently are investing in most new church starts.

I am eager to talk to any congregation that is interested in starting a satellite church to explore ways that the Office of Church Development may assist you.