Had breakfast with Tom Doyle and Bonnie from National Cinemedia, which helps churches meet in movie theaters for most of the major 
chains. These guys are leading the "theater church" revolution by getting churches past the corporate barriers of theater companies. Tom said Mark Batterson and I were his only Washington area clients 5 years ago. Now the DC area is the largest market for theater churches. They're working on creating an association of theater churches that will share best practices starting sometime this summer. I get at least one e-mail a week from a church planter asking about doing church in a movie theater. I usually just send them to Portable Church's Flickr page. Photos tell it all.
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Ben, sorry to ask a theater question, but.... where do you guys put the kids?
Posted by: Matt | January 22, 2008 at 01:01 PM
Matt, in the open areas in front and back of the theaters themselves. We put up colorful partitians, roll out carpets, bring in floor lamps. For some great children's areas in theaters, see:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/portablechurch/sets
=)
Posted by: Ben Arment | January 22, 2008 at 01:11 PM
Thanks Ben... I wish they had some additional theater children's pics to look at. So does this mean that you guys have two theater room each week? One for worship and one for children?
Sorry for the Q's. We have been in a school for our first year and I am just exploring the option.
Posted by: Matt | January 22, 2008 at 01:19 PM
Matt, depending on your theater contract, you can use as many theaters as you need to get the job done. There's plenty of space in front and in back of our theaters for children's space, so we can double-up groups. And we also use the lobby at times. It really depends on the theater. Take a look inside and imagine the possibilities!
Posted by: Ben Arment | January 22, 2008 at 03:02 PM
Sorry for not being more helpful. I remember that it took me a year or two to imagine meeting in a movie theater... but it's second-nature to me now, so I feel like I'm trying to sell the merits of, say, buying a pick-up truck versus a car. Where do the kids go? Throw a cap on that sucker and stick 'em in the back!! =)
Posted by: Ben Arment | January 22, 2008 at 03:06 PM
I'm just kidding.
Posted by: Ben Arment | January 22, 2008 at 03:07 PM