Church at a Theatre

Many congregations don’t have a good place to meet at. But now one has a good place to meet, the movie theatres.

The 5 year old, 150 member congregation, Destiny People Christian Church, meet at Edward Stadium 10 Cinemas in Irvine’s market place mall. The big screen can be used for song lyrics, pictures, and inspirational movie clips. Multiplex theatres, congregants found, are always near restaurants, pedestrian malls, and shops. This is to the congregation’s advantage because it offers familiar and non-intimidating settings. The theatre is not only for adult congregation, but has nursery school, and Sunday school. Not everybody liked it right away though. Tom Stillwagon and his wife, Roberta, joined and thought worshipping in a theatre was bad. “I had to get used to it by closing my eyes and pretending I was in a real church,” he said.

Some might think they shouldn’t worship there, some might think it’s ungodly. 20 year old Jeff Faulkner put it best. “It’s not the building that matters but the people.”