. >> reporter: by day he's pastor preston hocker. by night -- he's one of a growing number of pastors battling out there. >> the enemy is trying to seek and destroy. >> reporter: that believe that the brutal sport of mma has a place not only in the cage but in the church. >> when the cage door closes, there's nowhere to run or hide. someone shout jesus! >> reporter: there's now 700 fight ministries around the country. >> the whole reason having the fights here so that we can bring people in and tell them about god. >> reporter: a new documentary called fight church, explores the phenomenon. >> cage fighting does not speak about loving each other. it's about hating one another. >> i think most people that criticize me or criticize christian fighters in general, either don't understand the sport or don't completely understand jesus. >> reporter: preston hocker grew up learning the teaches of jesus from his father, a pastor at freedom fellowship in virginia beach. he only turned to mixed martial arts after tragedy struck a friend. >> i