Praise the Lord and Pass the Popcorn
Posted on July 20th, 2007 by catalyst into the Christian Pop Culture categoryA megachurch in the DC area will begin telecasting their Sunday morning services in a local movie theater.
McLean Bible Church said yesterday that it will take over the theater's giant screen on Sunday mornings for worship services. The church plans to beam its Sunday services from its McLean campus, where 13,000 people worship on average, onto the Uptown's screen for D.C. congregants who want to pray closer to home.
I have been to a few church services in movie theaters, and I'm not a fan. I find myself craving popcorn and Juju fruits during the entire sermon. And I always walk away from the service feeling as though I just saw a bad film.
I get that using movie theaters is an economical way to provide church, and I'm cool with that. I just don't like watching my pastors on a screen. No matter how big the screen, I always feel as though I'm missing something real.
McLean Bible also has goals to expand beyond just the Theater:
McLean Bible's move to the Uptown is the church's first foray into the District and a linchpin of its plan to create a "spiritual beltway" around the Washington area by opening nine satellite locations
"Spiritual Beltway", "Satellite Location", where do these pastors come up with this stuff? How come every non-denominational mega-church sounds the same? Is there a manual someone passes out?
RSS feed for posts
July 20th, 2007 at 10:42 am
Keeping up with the Joneses doesn’t just apply to us common folk!
When earning more of God’s favor, these
CEOsKingspastors are working hard to out do each other with their bigger kingdoms!Sad, but true.
July 20th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
BT used to be in an old theater. I guess they’ve come full circle, or maybe it’s more of a downward spiral.
July 21st, 2007 at 5:40 am
I loved that place on Glisan. Used to go up into the former projection room above the foyer to pray. It was great.
joebib
July 21st, 2007 at 7:13 am
So did I. It was a great place to be anytime. But as we all know, nothing of this world stays the same forever. So sad to see what has become of the Church we used to love so much.
For all of you who don’t know, there is a very thriving Church at the old place on Glisan. It’s the second one since we moved away from there several years ago. Could it be that the Holy Spirit was content to dwell there?
August 1st, 2007 at 9:09 am
on the right hand side of bt ( dont remember st name) the church owned some of the houses. One old lady would not sell to them . She later had a heart attack. We were told by di that it was because she stood in the way of Gods plan. thought it was cool at the time but now think it was sick.they eventually got the house kevin connor his wife and daughter kived there. ps. what was the name of the hamburger joint where you could get 10 for a dollar?
August 1st, 2007 at 9:18 am
just remembered i think was it burgerville?
August 1st, 2007 at 2:11 pm
I think there is a tendency towards reflexive cynicism around this blog (no!, ya think?): I just want to say that this McLean place actually looks kind of interesting. The pastor came out of the Jesus People era and is connected with Jews for Jesus.
The page on Finanancial Stewardship (uh oh) actually discusses — not the Tithe — but how the church organization is responsible and accountable in the use of finances (!)
http://www.mcleanbible.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=15765
The first I heard of these folks was the link here, but just glancing at their web site turns up some goodness and loveliness of good report.
Think on these things, or something.
August 2nd, 2007 at 2:27 am
Sure you’re not thinking about White Castle? I know they had burgers 10 for a buck bout 20 years back.
Don’t remember Burgerville USA ever being quite that cheap, but I could be wrong.
joe
August 2nd, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Um. Well. I checked out the website and it just seems like ‘hip’ fundamentalism to me. They are dispensationalists and believe in the rapture. I listened to part of a sermon on the “end time” - uhhhh. Their exegesis of apocalyptic literature is cutting edge of 1860.
Too bad… pass the popcorn over here!
August 2nd, 2007 at 11:05 pm
Grey Sheep,
Any chance you were at CHC last Sunday morning sitting with your folks, your brother and some guests? I have one guess as to your identity and if this fits, I’m right.
KM