Faith in Action: movie theater renovated into church

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For years it was often overlooked, but today, a South Tampa movie theater is getting a second shot at showings. The Britton 8 got a makeover of sorts this year, thanks to new owners with an outside-the-box vision.

"We had a dream to renovate the whole facility for movies and for church and make it beautiful," said Radiant Church Pastor Aaron Burke.

Four months later, the $500,000 renovation is finally complete. It's now home to Radiant Church, a relatively young congregation with big dreams for the future.

"The place is functional to hold 1,400 people every weekend, every Sunday, to experience church in South Tampa," Burke said.

During the demo, church leaders knocked out walls to center around a main auditorium used for services each Sunday. But they didn't lose sight of the structure's original purpose.

"It still has movies seven days a week here. It operates as a functional movie theater," Burke smiled.

Four freshened-up theaters surrounding the auditorium are still screening first-run flicks through a sub-leasing agency. Radiant Church says they're thrilled to have a headquarters intermixing fun and faith.

"It's a miracle. People told us it wasn't possible. I told them that with God, anything's possible. We found this facility and renovated it and now we have a home," Burke said.

Radiant Church just celebrated their third anniversary with the new sanctuary's big debut.  They hold four different services every Sunday.