Unchurched urban dwellers in Greenville have a new place to hear the gospel.

Every Saturday night at the local YMCA, Emerge Church holds unique multiracial worship experiences called Unplugged. Services might have a concert atmosphere one week, or an artist painting during the sermon the next week, or consist of rotating small-group lessons that take place at round tables across the room.

This kind of keep-them-guessing approach to worship is exactly what pastor Terrence Wilson is using in order to invite urban teens and young adults to hear the gospel.

“Saturday nights are the times when the demographic we serve want to go out and do something fun,” Wilson said. “It’s a struggle for them to get out of bed on Sunday mornings. Our worship services are high-energy, life-giving and outside the box, but always based on how God is leading and in the integrity of the gospel.”

Unplugged services are not just a trendy attempt at attracting the unchurched. Emerge Church delves deeper into what a relationship with God is all about. Through small groups and intentional outreach, the church is working to reach a specific segment of Greenville’s population.

“I am thankful that our God continues to call next-generation leaders to reach into broken and wayward lives to demonstrate and proclaim the gospel,” said Daryl Price, church planting group director for the South Carolina Baptist Convention. “When Terrence gave a tour of the YMCA space and shared his vision and dreams, I was thankful that South Carolina Baptists give through the Cooperative Program and Janie Chapman offering to help [God]-called planters like him.”

Wilson’s passion to reach young people in the urban demographic has been a lifetime in the making. He is a public school educator, served as a church youth minister for a decade, and has helped smaller churches over the years to make worship experiences dynamic and relevant to young people. When he and his wife Chrystal felt God was calling them to plant Emerge Church, they reached out to another Upstate church planter, Alex Sands, for help and partnership.

Price said Emerge Church’s story is a great example of churches planting churches. Alex Sands is an SCBC Executive Board member, church planter and pastor of Kingdom Life Christian Center in Mauldin, which sponsors Emerge Church. “Alex partnered with Renewal Church — the first church Kingdom Life Christian Center helped to plant — and together they have helped plant Emerge Church,” said Price. “When we see these young church plants give birth to new church plants, it affirms our hopes and confirms the vision to see churches planted.”

Wilson said discipleship is at the heart of Emerge Church and is its primary focus. “We are a church of small groups, committed to making disciples so they can come into a real relationship with Christ and become devoted followers,” he said. “Saturday is how we celebrate God, and it is the front door of who we are. But if you want to come further back into the kitchen, you’ve got to get plugged into a small group.”

“Emerge Church’s approach isn’t come-and-see; it’s a go-and-tell church,” said Scott Shields, Upstate church-planting catalyst with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. “Terrence and his leadership team have continued to build relationships to raise up godly leaders through discipleship.

“The subculture they are reaching doesn’t even have going to church on their radar, but Emerge Church is connecting through building relationships, serving, and loving them. I think it’s a slower growth in some ways, but a stronger one.”

Wilson said statistics support the fact that emerging adults are leaving traditional churches in high numbers. “Emerge Church is reaching a generation that doesn’t fit the traditional Sunday morning crowd,” he said. “We need more churches like this to help this younger generation to discover their purpose and develop their gifts and calling and provide a greater sense of community.”