Churches also hope that these retail locations might attract visitors who shop at nearby stores. Cities are not always too happy with these moves though because churches acquiring commercial property are exempt from taxes and may even bring in more traffic than the area was designed to handle. Nearby businesses worry that the church will not draw foot traffic to their store during the week.

For three years, Christ Church of Montclair, N.J., has been locked in a battle with Rockaway Township, N.J., over its $14 million acquisition of Agilent Technologies Inc.’s 107-acre office and research facility there.

In addition to a 2,500-seat sanctuary, the church wants to build a K-5 school and recreational facilities for its congregation of nearly 5,000 people. But local officials, concerned about the impact of a crush of parishioners on city services and a potential loss of tax dollars, have so far blocked the project.

“What are we getting out of this?” says Louis Sceusi, mayor of Rockaway Township, which has a population of 22,000. Christ Church, in turn, has filed a federal lawsuit claiming religious discrimination.

The most high-profile move to a commercial locations is Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Last year they relocated to the former 16,000 seat Compaq Center that was once was home to the NBA’s Rockets.

Your thoughts?