Imagine being able to catch the latest blockbuster at the same place you attend church.

For the members of Journey Church, that is a reality.

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Band members perform during a recent service at Journey Church. which has services each Sunday at the Cinemark 14 Theater in Denton.

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Once worship lets out, they can grab popcorn and a drink and catch a new movie — without even leaving the building.

Journey Church rents space at the Cinemark 14 Movie Theater, 2825 Wind River Lane, and strives to be a church for the “unchurched” — people who have interest in Christianity but don’t attend services or belong to a church.

Scott Meador, the pastor, said he wants people to have the same feelings about going to church as going to a theater.

It is scary for some people to go to church, said Julie Maren, a member. She said it is less threatening to meet at a theater.

“It is a practical concept like old tent meetings,” she said. “It is a common ground.”

Maren began attending the church in March. A friend who is a part of the church music group invited her.

She previously attended a church in Irving but decided to try a closer church one Sunday while her husband was out of town.

“My son thought the idea was phenomenal because he loves going to the movies,” she said.

She said some churches put too much emphasis on their buildings and not the people, but it is different meeting at a theater.

Attending worship services at a movie house is becoming a new trend. Cinema chains reach out to their consumers before previews begin, rolling advertisements for companies and groups who need a media-ready gathering space.

About 200 churches meet in movie theaters across the nation, said Barry Brown, director of worship solutions at National Cinemedia. The company decided to start allowing people and companies to use its theaters in the off-hours in the late 1990s. What National Cinemedia found was that its off-hours worked well for churches, and that churches were interested in using the space.

Movie houses have become ripe pickings for new churches with contemporary worship formats that require screens and sound systems.

Not only is it a cheaper space for a new church to rent than a more conventional building, but it is central to the community — and that is where Meador said he wants his church.

The church started with six people meeting in the pastor’s home last Sept. 21.

Meador said one day he was driving down Interstate 35E when he passed the Cinemark Movie Theater and thought it would be a great place to have services. He had met and talked with pastors who were meeting in theaters and liked the idea.

The church began meeting at Cinemark in February.

Meador grew up in a traditional home where he wasn’t allowed to go to the movies. But he said even his dad likes the idea of a church meeting in a movie theater.

There are some challenges. It takes members a couple hours to get their equipment set up before 10 a.m. services. And when they first began meeting at Cinemark, members would have to unload all their equipment from a trailer and after the service would have to pack it all back into the trailer. It was a lot of work, said Shannon Meador, community relations director. But now the movie theater is allowing them to stow their equipment in a storage closet the theater doesn’t use.

Journey Church has a laid-back atmosphere. Members are greeted at the door, and coffee and doughnuts are served on a table blocking off the main concession area of the movie theater.

“Happy birthday” banners hang from the ceiling of the makeshift nursery, which most days serves as the party room at the theater. But on Sunday it is filled with colorful mats, toys and a crib, where children play.

The church has had an average five-week attendance of more than 100 people representing a wide range of ages.

The band kicks off the service by playing in front of the big screen, which displays the song lyrics. After the music, the pastor preaches from the landing above the lower level of chairs.

As the service ends and the members file out, the smell of popcorn is in the air and people are already going in to see their movies. But that doesn’t faze the members. They continue to store their equipment and meet in the hall for fellowship. Some even talk about catching a movie.

Tiffany and Charles Cabral began attending Journey Church when it started meeting at Cinemark.

They were going to a different church but were seeking something closer.

Tiffany Cabral said it was different at first and it took a couple Sundays to get used to meeting in a theater.

“It’s comfortable,” said Charles Cabral with a laugh. He’s not being flippant — Cinemark has cushioned stadium seating and almost all the seats recline slightly.

The church stays connected during the week through small groups and by planning other activities. The difference for the church is that it has to find other places to meet during the week because it doesn’t have a permanent building.

Guy Delcambre, the connections pastor, is working on expanding small groups. Since the church only has been meeting for a few months, small groups haven’t been officially launched.

Right now, members meet at Meador’s house on Wednesday nights and discuss the Sunday sermon.

Small groups in which members can build closer relationships will be launched in the fall, Delcambre said.

Meador said he looks at church as regular folks going into the world and spreading the word of Jesus to others.

As a church without a permanent building, Meador said, he hopes it will drive his members to get out into the community.

“One of our greatest assets is we are a church without walls,” he said.

RACHEL MEHLHAFF can be reached at 940-566-6897. Her e-mail address is rmehlhaff@dentonrc.com .

JOURNEY CHURCH

What: nondenominational Christian congregation

When: worship is at 10 a.m. Sunday; small groups meet Wednesday night

Where: Cinemark 14 Movie Theatre, 2825 Wind River Lane in Denton (Sundays)

Details: Dress is come-as-you-are; contemporary worship service

On the Web: www.churchonajourney.com