WASHINGTON — With 13,000 worshippers and a $93 million campus, can the colossus McLean Bible Church possibly get any bigger?

Yes, it can. The megachurch, one of the country's largest and fastest growing, plans to build a "spiritual beltway" around the region by opening nine satellite locations to bring tens of thousands more into its fold. Through televised broadcasts, congregants at each location see and hear portions of the same service at the same time.

Unlike traditional church-growth strategy where there are spun off ("planted") independent entities, an increasing number of large churches are growing by opening locations under the same name and considering themselves one church.

Nationwide, one in four megachurches (those with more than 2,000 worshippers) holds services at satellite locations, up from 5 percent in 2000. The number of megachurches with multiple sites is expected to double in the next few years, said Scott Thumma, a professor of the sociology of religion at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.

In about 2001 in Hawai'i, New Hope Christian Fellowship launched the first of four satellite locations with DVDs of Wayne Cordiero's messages, rather than a live satellite feed. Its Wai'anae location remains that way.

"It started off as a unique concept, an opportunity to build young leaders, expanding the reach of New Hope," said Elwin Ahu, executive pastor. "... It's progressed into an opportunity to fly churches on their own, so they've become their own stand-alone churches. I think the satellite concept is a viable alternative to the traditional church. It's just a matter of raising up the right young leader who will then be able to train and lead."

Satellite churches remain under the New Hope umbrella; independents report directly to the denomination, he said.

Two weeks ago, McLean's first satellite church was launched, with a service aimed at young adults, in leased space in Arlington, Va. Often using technology to beam in worship services from a central location, multisite churches spread their "brand" to new congregations many miles, or even several states, away. Sometimes the branches add their own touches, such as live music, a local pastor and on-site religious education.

"The culture has changed now," said the Rev. Deron Cloud, founder of the Soul Factory, a Forestville, Md., church, who now preaches to his 4,000-member flock via a satellite hookup from a new Soul Factory branch in Atlanta. "People used to talk on the telephone and meet in person, but now the culture is satisfied with e-mails and BlackBerries."

Younger worshippers are more fickle and demanding than previous generations of churchgoers, expecting dynamic preachers, polished worship services and professional music along with well-planned religious education. So, ministers and church-growth consultants say, churches are spreading their brand, rather than funding spin-offs that wouldn't be able to afford upscale amenities.

Hawai'i information was added by Mary Kaye Ritz, Advertiser religion and ethics writer.