WE ARE NOT ALONE!
Here's a press release about a study on churches using movie theaters that was undertaken by Leadership Network and National Community Church in D.C. -
NEWS RELEASE
March 13, 2006
Rapid Rise in Churches that Worship in Movie Theaters
An estimated 250 churches in 36 states use local cinemas for worship services.
DALLAS, TX (March 13, 2006) -- A decade ago, newspaper readers might not have understood a headline like "Now Playing in a Theater Near You -- Church" or "Praise the Lord and Pass the Popcorn" or "God at the Box Office." Today, news and feature articles with titles like that are becoming increasingly common.
"We strongly suspect that at least 250 churches are currently meeting in theaters," says Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C., whose website is, appropriately, http://www.theaterchurch.com/. Batterson's congregation rents two movie theater complexes each week for worship, one at historic Union Station and the other at Ballston Common Mall.
"We have confirmed that churches in at least 36 states, including D.C., use local cinemas for church services," says Warren Bird, Director of Research at Leadership Network, a Dallas-based non-profit that works with innovative churches across the country. "Locations cover the country, from Alaska and Hawaii to Florida and New Hampshire."
Use of movie theaters as church sites has gained so much popularity that National CineMedia (http://www.ncm.com/), a venture of AMC, Cinemark and Regal Entertainment Group, offers special packaging and pricing to churches through its CineMeetings & Events division. "Our theaters make an ideal, cost-effective place for churches to grow, and the unique theater environment, with its comfortable seating and high-tech AV equipment, is a big draw for newcomers," says Mike Schonberger, vice president, CineMeetings & Events. "In fact, 84% of our church clients report that attendance has increased since they started holding their services in a movie theater."
Others agree that interest is noticeably growing. "I think the use of theaters by churches has increased dramatically in the last 10 years," says Geoff Surratt, staff pastor of Seacoast, a multi-campus church based in Charleston, S.C., that currently uses three different movie theater locations for its weekly worship services. Surratt's book, The Multi-Site Church Revolution, will be released in May (Zondervan) and argues for taking church closer to where people live, such as at movie theaters.
For both new churches and established churches, there are benefits of meeting in a movie theater. According to Batterson, "There is a growing trend toward doing ministry in the marketplace. The church is getting out from behind its four church walls and meeting people where they're at." For Batterson, doing ministry in the middle of the marketplace is part of his church's spiritual DNA. "A movie theater is a non-threatening environment that allows us to reach people who are unchurched and dechurched," he says. "The movie screen is a huge asset as well. It's postmodern stained glass that allows us to share the story in moving pictures."
Geoff Surratt adds more reasons: "A movie theater gives a new church instant name recognition, an easy location to find and a clean, bright, modern building with no upfront investment in a facility."
Does worship in theaters have a long-term viability? "Absolutely," says Eric Hystad, who is exploring the idea of widespread movie theater usage for Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Its first theater campus was launched in February 2006 in a suburb of Houston. "We see theater church services being held not just in Houston, but in other parts of Texas, across America and ultimately in other countries of the world," says Ed Young, Second Baptist’s senior pastor.
"Going to church at the local cinema is an easy culture shift because people already understand how a theater works," Seacoast’s Geoff Surratt says. "People do not get tired of attending movie theaters for movies; they won't get tired of attending a theater for church."
Interest in the idea of a "movie theater church campus" is so strong that National Community Church is holding an open discussion to explore the subject further.
Its half-day Theater Church Forum (www.buzzconference.com/buzz) is Thursday, May 4 in Washington D.C., and is designed as a networking time for churches that worship in movie theaters. The event is part of a larger conference on how churches can maximize their creativity and authenticity, drawing from three core convictions:
- The church ought to be the most creative place on the planet.
- The greatest message deserves the greatest marketing.
- The church is called to compete in the middle of the marketplace.
Leadership Network will be conducting a survey of all known churches that use movie theaters. The findings will be distributed at the Theater Church Forum.
"Movie theaters are totally where our culture lives," says Matt Keller of Next Level Church, Fort Myers, FL, which meets in a movie theater. "A theater will attract those who won't set foot into a church or those who have been hurt by the church," says Bill Lorman, whose New Life Church, Claymont, DE, meets in a theater.
"I pray that we put a church in every theater in America," says Trinity Jordan, pastor of Elevation Church in Layton, UT, which also meets in a movie theater.
NEWS RELEASE
March 13, 2006
Rapid Rise in Churches that Worship in Movie Theaters
An estimated 250 churches in 36 states use local cinemas for worship services.
DALLAS, TX (March 13, 2006) -- A decade ago, newspaper readers might not have understood a headline like "Now Playing in a Theater Near You -- Church" or "Praise the Lord and Pass the Popcorn" or "God at the Box Office." Today, news and feature articles with titles like that are becoming increasingly common.
"We strongly suspect that at least 250 churches are currently meeting in theaters," says Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C., whose website is, appropriately, http://www.theaterchurch.com/. Batterson's congregation rents two movie theater complexes each week for worship, one at historic Union Station and the other at Ballston Common Mall.
"We have confirmed that churches in at least 36 states, including D.C., use local cinemas for church services," says Warren Bird, Director of Research at Leadership Network, a Dallas-based non-profit that works with innovative churches across the country. "Locations cover the country, from Alaska and Hawaii to Florida and New Hampshire."
Use of movie theaters as church sites has gained so much popularity that National CineMedia (http://www.ncm.com/), a venture of AMC, Cinemark and Regal Entertainment Group, offers special packaging and pricing to churches through its CineMeetings & Events division. "Our theaters make an ideal, cost-effective place for churches to grow, and the unique theater environment, with its comfortable seating and high-tech AV equipment, is a big draw for newcomers," says Mike Schonberger, vice president, CineMeetings & Events. "In fact, 84% of our church clients report that attendance has increased since they started holding their services in a movie theater."
Others agree that interest is noticeably growing. "I think the use of theaters by churches has increased dramatically in the last 10 years," says Geoff Surratt, staff pastor of Seacoast, a multi-campus church based in Charleston, S.C., that currently uses three different movie theater locations for its weekly worship services. Surratt's book, The Multi-Site Church Revolution, will be released in May (Zondervan) and argues for taking church closer to where people live, such as at movie theaters.
For both new churches and established churches, there are benefits of meeting in a movie theater. According to Batterson, "There is a growing trend toward doing ministry in the marketplace. The church is getting out from behind its four church walls and meeting people where they're at." For Batterson, doing ministry in the middle of the marketplace is part of his church's spiritual DNA. "A movie theater is a non-threatening environment that allows us to reach people who are unchurched and dechurched," he says. "The movie screen is a huge asset as well. It's postmodern stained glass that allows us to share the story in moving pictures."
Geoff Surratt adds more reasons: "A movie theater gives a new church instant name recognition, an easy location to find and a clean, bright, modern building with no upfront investment in a facility."
Does worship in theaters have a long-term viability? "Absolutely," says Eric Hystad, who is exploring the idea of widespread movie theater usage for Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Its first theater campus was launched in February 2006 in a suburb of Houston. "We see theater church services being held not just in Houston, but in other parts of Texas, across America and ultimately in other countries of the world," says Ed Young, Second Baptist’s senior pastor.
"Going to church at the local cinema is an easy culture shift because people already understand how a theater works," Seacoast’s Geoff Surratt says. "People do not get tired of attending movie theaters for movies; they won't get tired of attending a theater for church."
Interest in the idea of a "movie theater church campus" is so strong that National Community Church is holding an open discussion to explore the subject further.
Its half-day Theater Church Forum (www.buzzconference.com/buzz) is Thursday, May 4 in Washington D.C., and is designed as a networking time for churches that worship in movie theaters. The event is part of a larger conference on how churches can maximize their creativity and authenticity, drawing from three core convictions:
- The church ought to be the most creative place on the planet.
- The greatest message deserves the greatest marketing.
- The church is called to compete in the middle of the marketplace.
Leadership Network will be conducting a survey of all known churches that use movie theaters. The findings will be distributed at the Theater Church Forum.
"Movie theaters are totally where our culture lives," says Matt Keller of Next Level Church, Fort Myers, FL, which meets in a movie theater. "A theater will attract those who won't set foot into a church or those who have been hurt by the church," says Bill Lorman, whose New Life Church, Claymont, DE, meets in a theater.
"I pray that we put a church in every theater in America," says Trinity Jordan, pastor of Elevation Church in Layton, UT, which also meets in a movie theater.
posted by Roger Blackmore | 1:37 PM
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