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Branching out
CHICAGO -- Scott and Michelle Knollenberg, of Plainfield, Ill., can spend their Sundays letting national chains cater to their every need -- physical, material and, now, spiritual.

They can grab an Egg McMuffin at McDonald's, a stylish lamp at Target, towels at Bed Bath & Beyond and a double tall nonfat mocha at Starbucks. But Sunday's highlight is the church service prepared by Naperville, Ill., pastor Dave Ferguson and his national staff, which will be virtually identical in music, sermon, videos and skits at 10 locations throughout the country.

The Knollenbergs are members of Community Christian Church, which has Chicago-area sites in Naperville, Shorewood, Romeoville and Montgomery. Nationally, the network started by Ferguson and his brother Jon also has churches in Denver, Detroit, New York and Bakersfield, Calif.

In the business world, they call this kind of thing franchising. In evangelicalism, it's known as the multisite church, and it is a growing trend with a similar aim: providing consistent quality and service wherever you go....