"Going to church" is taking on a new meaning for a growing number of congregatins in the U.S. and across the Washington region.

As Jessica Forres reports, one of these so-called "theater churches" is located in Alexandria, Virginia...

CHURCHES1-FORRESmp3'>LISTEN TO THE STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU 88.5 FM

[NAT: HOSANNA, HOSANNA, HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST]

At some churches, Sunday morning service opens with a hymn played on a pipe organ….but not at DC Metro Church...where a rock band provides the music.

John De Veny, who used to attend what he calls a traditional church, likes the change...

THE HYMNS ARE QUITE OLD. I STARTED LOOKING AT THE DATES OF THEM, SOME ARE FROM 1100, 1200, 1800 AND I WAS LIKE IT'S GOT TO BE BETTER THAN THIS.

He found his new church at the Potomac Yard Regal 16 multiplex in Alexandria, where David Stine is the Pastor...

THE MOVIE THEATER JUST LENDS ITSELF SO WELL TO BEING A VERY REAL, RELEVANT AND ENJOYABLE ENVIRONMENT ALREADY AND PEOPLE DON'T FEEL THREATENED BY A STEEPLE OR A CHURCH BUILDING.

"Theater churches" are growing in popularity. Stines' DC Metro Church, which opened a year ago with 70 members…now hosts 250 on any given Sunday...

WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL CHURCHES DO THIS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND REALLY JUST KIND OF A POST MODERN PUSH TOWARDS MAKING CHURCH AN APPROACHABLE PLACE ONCE AGAIN.

There are approximately 180 "theater churches" now operating nationwide.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

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Finding "God" inside a local movie theater is becoming a nationwide trend and as Jessica Forres reports, several local congregations are part of the movement...

CHURCHES2-FORRESmp3'>LISTEN TO THE STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU 88.5 FM

At the Potomac Yard Regal 16 in Arlington, Virginia, approximately 250 worshipers are watching a scene from the movie Braveheart…in which William Wallace inspires his army to fight against the English....

[ NAT: JUST ONE CHANCE, TO COME BACK HERE TO TELL OUR ENEMIES THAT THEY MAY TAKE OUR LIVES BUT THEY WILL NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOM]

The movie clip is part of David Stine's sermon. He's the pastor at DC Metro Church...

[IS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE THIS FREEDOM IN RELATIONSHIP AND NOT ONLY IN RELATIONSHIP BUT IN OUR OWN LIVES]

A growing number of churches hold their services inside movie theaters. Pastor Stine says it's part a post-modern push to make church "approachable" again....

WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT PEOPLE WHO USED TO GO TO CHURCH NO LONGER GO TO CHURCH AND THE SECOND REASON THAT CHURCH BECAME WEIRD AND THAT CHURCH BECAME BORING. AND SO WE ARE COMBATTING BOTH THOSE THINGS BY HAVING CHURCH IN A MOVIE THEATER.

Pastor Stine says his service attracts mostly young families and adults. People such as Andrea Clarke...

IT'S PARTICULARLY INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE I GREW UP IN A TRADITIONAL, BLACK SORT OF METHODIST CHURCH. BUT I FEEL LIKE IT INCORPORATES A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE. YOU HAVE PEOPLE FROM CATHOLIC BACKGROUNS, OBVIOUSLY PROTESTANT EPISCOPALIAN.

National CineMedia, which works with :theater churches" says 180 of them now operate in the U.S.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News.