While tickets to the new cinema at West Auckland Vineyard Church will cost just 50p - meaning the project will run at a financial loss - leaders say the goals are connecting with the community and sharing God's love.
Senior leader, Andy Mitchell (pictured below) told Premier: "Church ...can be a frightening place and it can be nerve-racking. What we're saying is, 'we are a bunch of normal people who worship Jesus, who love Jesus.'
"We really just want to reach out and build this relationship up. It's demonstrating God's love in our community where there's a real need."
Data from the UK Cinema Association shows the average UK cinema ticket costs £7.41.
West Auckland Vineyard says it isn't trying to compete with mainstream cinemas but instead "offer an alternative which the local community can enjoy".
Some of the films on the schedule will have previously been shown at other cinemas but have not yet been released on DVD or Blu-ray.
Andy Mitchell went on to say: "One of the things that are on the heart of our church really is supporting some of the marginalised people in our community.
"God's been very generous through our church and we are able to sustain it [the cinema]. That 50p, really, is to contribute to running the cinema itself."
West Auckland Vineyard Church is due to screen its first film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, on Saturday 18th March at 6pm.
Click here to listen to Premier's Alex Williams speaking with Andy Mitchell: