Megachurch's Planned Theater Worship Faces Challenges
WASHINGTON – One of the largest megachurches in the Washington Metropolitan Area has called for prayers for its multi-site expansion as it faces a setback by D.C. zoning officials.
McLean Bible Church in McLean, Va., planned for the launch of their fourth campus at the historic Uptown movie theater in Cleveland Park as part of the church's latest vision to have 10 campuses in 10 years in addition to their first location in the nation's capital.
But the city's acting zoning administrator, Matthew Le Grant, said the church must apply for special permission to operate at Uptown, according to The Washington Post. Le Grant said in a ruling last week the church could not use the Uptown's certificate of occupancy.
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"The proposed church use is not accessory to the theater use, but is, in fact, a separate use," he said in a letter to the church's attorneys, according to the local newspaper.
While churches can hold services anywhere in the district by right, they cannot operate in designated commercial enclaves – the Uptown area being one of them.
McLean Bible Church is required to apply to the Board of Zoning Adjustment for a special zoning exception.
"Pray for wisdom as we determine the best avenue of appeal of the Zoning Administrator's decision," the megachurch has urged its members. "Pray that the process will be move expeditiously. Pray for our impact in NW DC as we seek to serve the community and share our faith throughout this process."
McLean Bible's founding pastor, Lon Solomon, had cast a vision last September to impact Washington, D.C., with the launch of nine satellite campuses. It has nearly maxed out its 2-year-old $93 million Vienna campus and now aims to "surround Washington and pound Washington" with the gospel.
Hundreds of young adults are already worshipping at Frontline Arlington – McLean's first community campus at the Rosslyn Spectrum in Arlington, Va. An Internet Campus opened this summer and the church planned for openings in Loudoun, Va., and Uptown theater in January. Other target areas include Prince William County, Prince George's County, Arlington, and Georgetown.
While some Cleveland Park residents welcome McLean worship services to help the historic theater stay alive, opponents fear there will be traffic and parking problems if 800 worshippers show up Sunday mornings. Some are disturbed about the prospect of an evangelical church coming in to proselytize.
Despite some setbacks, Solomon is still pushing for its first campus in the district.
"We're going to fight, and we're going to let the Lord Jesus open the door," he said in a recent sermon.
McLean's multi-site initiative will cost an estimated $3 million a year and although "risky territory," Solomon says he's determined to unashamedly take the message of Jesus Christ to every single person in the nation's capital.
