'A different take on church'

The Edge, which had its eighth service Sunday, is averaging more than 100 people a week, he said.
"Obviously, we want to continue to be successful, like most churches," he said. "We give a different take on church and can reach more people.

And we are." Moffett is the connections pastor. Part of his duties involve overseeing and participating in The Edge.

"If you give people quality venues, they will stay. If you give them more options, they will be more inclined to come to church, which is what we want," he said. "You see a lot of jeans here.

Hardly any dresses or hats," she said. "It's very welcoming. It brings the secular world and the Christian world together in a way to make a positive atmosphere in a Christian setting.

" This non-traditional service is a good way to minister to the next generation, Torres said. "I think it's a good outreach for younger students who didn't grow up in a church-filled background. Church can be intimidating for those not raised that way.

They're afraid they won't fit in or they'll be judged, but you don't get that sense here." The idea behind the service came during the church's building phase, Parrish Griffin said. He is one of the church's worship pastors.

"People were wanting a modern, intense worship style. So we had this idea to have a venue with a big screen with the pastor on it, but with a live band," Griffin said. "We're kind of new to it, but it's been awesome.

" "The music is live. There is a pastoral presence and the atmosphere is more trendy, more progressive. The music is more urban," Moffett said.

The music is an important part of the whole experience, Griffin said. "It's very guitar-driven," he said. "I describe it as free-flowing U2-style rock contemporary music.

" The Edge's live worship band also includes a drummer, keyboardist and back up singers. "We don't do any traditional hymns," Griffin said. "We do a couple of originals that we have written ourselves.

We also do a lot of songs from Hillsong United, the Passion movement, Chris Tomlin. It's modern worship music." "I think there are different outlets for everybody," he said.

"I used to listen to a lot of heavy metal growing up. Now I listen to Christian rock and metal. It helps me connect to other Christians.

" Blackmon works the sound and lighting for the service. He also is a volunteer youth minister. He and his wife have been members of Love Truth since August 2006.

"I have friends who don't go to church that I've told about The Edge," he said. "I don't know if they've come but they like the idea a lot more. It sounds accessible to them.

They can be themselves. There's a real attraction to it." Although the Edge is more modern than traditional church settings, Moffett encourages anyone to come.

"It's not just for youth, or for those college students who listen to rock music," he said. "People of all ages can come. This is for those people with an edgier frame of mind.

We have rock 'n' rollers from the '70s and '80s coming along with the teenagers and others who are just tired of the traditional church setting." The Edge is housed in one of Love Truth's venues - or sanctuaries - and has a big screen where pastor Eddie Cupples' sermon is shown. The church records the sermon from the first morning service at 9 a.

m. and plays it during The Edge service at 11 a.m.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with traditional church hymns and all, but some people like options," Moffett said. "Church doesn't have to be a snoozefest.