Why Churches Are Building Bigger Auditoriums Again: A Staffing Perspective

In the early 2000s, something fascinating happened in church culture. The mega-church era—marked by sprawling auditoriums and parking lots big enough to rival stadiums—gave way to a new trend: smaller, local, and more personal. The multi-site model became the dominant approach, with churches planting campuses in neighborhoods to foster intimacy and engagement.

But today, there’s a curious shift in the air. After years of smaller and more, some churches are embracing bigger and fewer. Larger auditoriums, once deemed passé, are back in vogue. Why? It might have less to do with cultural trends or financial ambitions and more to do with something unexpected: staffing.

Churches aren’t just running out of space; they’re running out of leaders.

The Leadership Gap

Imagine you’re running a multi-site church. Your mission is clear, your congregation is thriving, and you’re ready to launch another campus. But there’s a problem: you need a pastor who can lead it. Not just a preacher, but someone who embodies the DNA of your church. And they’re nowhere to be found.

Thom S. Rainer observed, “Large churches, in particular, are finding it increasingly difficult to attract Millennial pastors. Many younger pastors are reluctant to move because they are deeply connected to their current communities. Relocation is often disruptive for them and their families” (Church Answers).

It’s not just a shortage—it’s a generational shift. Some younger leaders prioritize stability and connection over mobility. And for multi-site churches, this creates a bottleneck: no leaders, no campuses. A single, large auditorium sidesteps the problem. Fewer campuses mean fewer leadership vacancies.

Training Becomes Manageable

Multi-site churches often face a hidden dilemma: consistency. How do you ensure that every campus operates with the same level of care, theology, and excellence?

Ed Stetzer, writing for Christianity Today, explains, “Multi-site churches often struggle to maintain the same level of pastoral care and quality across campuses. Consistency becomes a challenge when leadership is spread too thin” (Christianity Today).

Training leaders across multiple locations is a logistical marathon. But with one centralized location, the process becomes simpler. Everyone is in the same room—literally and figuratively.

Communication Without Chaos

The more campuses a church has, the more complex communication becomes. Schedules differ. Cultures clash. Messages get lost.

This problem compounds when leadership roles are duplicated across sites. As Daily Christian Help notes, “Staffing multi-site campuses often requires duplicating roles and responsibilities across locations. This can create inefficiencies, miscommunication, and gaps in leadership quality” (Daily Christian Help).

A single large auditorium eliminates these fractures. Everyone hears the same message at the same time.

A Strategic Use of Resources

Running a church is expensive. Running multiple campuses is exponentially so. Each location demands its own technology, staff, and maintenance.

Ed Stetzer points out, “The financial cost of planting and maintaining additional campuses can be staggering. Large single-site churches can often achieve economies of scale, leveraging their size to do more with less” (Christianity Today).

One big campus means fewer moving parts. Instead of spreading resources thin, churches can channel them into one exceptional location.

Leadership Stability In Transition

No leader stays forever. But in a multi-site model, leadership turnover can feel like a house of cards. One campus struggles, and the whole system feels the strain.

Outreach Magazine observes, “The pipeline for leadership is shrinking, and churches are struggling to fill key positions with leaders who understand both the vision of the church and the unique needs of their campus” (Outreach Magazine).

A single, centralized location mitigates this risk. Leadership transitions affect fewer areas, making them smoother and less disruptive.

The Big Question

Why did churches abandon large auditoriums in the first place? Because they wanted to feel small. But now, the pendulum may be swinging back—not because big is better, but because big might be easier.

It’s a staffing story. A tale of limited leaders, stretched resources, and an evolving culture. For some churches, the future isn’t smaller campuses in every neighborhood; it’s one big place where everyone comes together.

So, the question is no longer “Should we go bigger?” but “What’s the cost of staying small?”

Food for thought.

Frank