Getting Loud for Jesus

There are no dusty pews, dog-eared hymnals or clueless preachers allowed in the industrial warehouse-cum-sanctuary in Orange where nearly 70 teenagers gathered for prayer Wednesday.

“Are there any Christians in the house tonight?” cried Adam Friedrich, pastor of Youth Aflame, a ministry that aims to make sometimes stodgy Christianity more palatable to media-savvy youth. The teens responded with waving and enthusiastic shouts.

Friedrich, 24, has parlayed what was an informal Bible study session into a raucous weekly rally featuring a sermon--accompanied by a slide show--and a chance for teenagers to publicly proclaim their salvation.

“These kids come from rough backgrounds,” said Friedrich. “What we’re trying to do is emphasize a lifestyle change.”

The service, called “Hot Spot,” features a disco ball, smoke machines and Friedrich’s Christian lyrics belted out with the backing of a seven-member band on keyboards, drums and electric guitars.

“Give it up for God!” he shouted, asking his teenage congregants to clap. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting a little crazy for Jesus.”

During one particularly energetic riff, Jose Martinez, 18, started break dancing and then stopped to pray on his hands and knees, his forehead resting on the gray carpet.

“Once you start going to this church, it’s addicting,” said Toriano Johnson, 19, of Anaheim.

With a multimedia booth, a high-tech sound system and video games, the Youth Aflame warehouse is a church with a style that tries to both entertain and proselytize.

“It’s a little more radical than a lot of youth ministries,” Friedrich acknowledges.

Such energetic forms of teenage Christian outreach have a simple marketplace analogy, said Stephen O’Leary, assistant professor of communication at USC. “It’s like advertisers wanting to develop the youth market and product loyalty,” he said. “They’re at risk of losing market share.”

Friedrich is going to keep trying to attract kids with a welcoming atmosphere and contemporary sermons. Surrounded by beanbag chairs, a pool table and a basketball court, Friedrich’s band blares out its devotional songs.

“Can somebody say ‘Amen’?” he yelled.

Eighteen-year-old Martha Martinez closed her eyes and braced herself on the red auditorium chairs as she raised her right hand to the ceiling and sang along: “Waves of mercy, waves of grace. Everywhere I see your face.”

The La Habra resident said that, ever since she was “saved,” she faithfully attends Friedrich’s services and now brings her friends along: “I feel comfortable here with people my age.”

Youth Aflame has been meeting for almost six months across the street from Praise Chapel Christian Fellowship, a nondenominational church with more than 400 congregants.

“It’s neat to see these kids come off the streets and find a purpose in their lives,” said Cindy Fuentes, assistant pastor at Praise Chapel. “Adam is so hands-on and so good with them.”

Even though Friedrich has no theological training and didn’t attend college, members of his flock consider him inspired.

“Pastor Adam is the best,” said Jesse Loya of Orange, 16. “It’s so awesome to serve the Lord.”

Friedrich went to Buena Park High School and graduated in 1993. He planned on going to college after working for a few years at a graphics company and then as a leasing consultant until he said God called him to the teen ministry.

“It’s a lot of work to try to stay on the edge,” he said. “But the rewarding part is to see these kids come to know Christ.”

A teacher at the Southern California Christian High School in Orange, Friedrich also teaches the Old Testament to the sophomore class every week.

After Friedrich’s sermon warning the kids about the devil, calling him a “bad mamma-jamma,” he summed up his Christian fervor: “It’s all good. Thank you, Jesus.”

For the collection, Friedrich calls on two kids wearing caps to pass them around for whatever change and dollar bills the kids could scrounge up.

Also performing at the service was Art Chavez from Fullerton, who started the Christian rap group Shun Sin. A student at Fullerton College, Chavez made it through some rough years when he courted trouble and shunned spirituality.

“Some teenagers think they got a lot better things to do than to go to church,” said Chavez. “But when we got God, that’s all we need.”

Even though the service was over by 9 p.m., kids lingered for another hour, playing basketball, shooting pool and hanging out in the parking lot. “A lot of times, you think you’re alone out there,” said Jesse Loya. “When you’re a Christian, you’re never alone.”

Huddled in a circle outside, Chavez joined his friends in a freestyle rap session where they passed around an invisible microphone and chanted Christian lyrics.

Friedrich said he hopes his service isn’t a social outing or a time filler. “Coming here isn’t about being cool, it’s about serving the Lord,” he said. “At least, that’s what I hope is happening for these kids.”