MESA, Ariz. (AP) - It’s rare that pictures of obscure 19th-century gadgets like a cow’s tail-holder, wagon jack and book clamp are displayed on the big screen for a worship service for an audience quiz.

But along with a pastor in a ``faux mohawk,’’ beard and blue jeans, strobe lights and a fog machine, it’s just another senses-pelting night of Third Format for Central Christian Church of the East Valley, led by a 24-year-old.

The preacher’s kid is the preacher. Jeremy Jernigan, son of nine-year Senior Pastor Cal Jernigan, has developed an alternative evening service on Saturdays and Sundays targeted to those not reached by traditional church.

``We exist for those who are not yet a part of us,’’ Jernigan explained. ``We try to create an environment for new people to experience Jesus.’’ The 6:30 p.m. services are Saturdays at the Mesa campus and Sundays at the new Gilbert campus. Combined they bring out about 500 people each weekend.

Third Format features nearly a half-hour of high-volume Christian rock praise music, led by worship pastor and music leader Jared Ulrich. With lyrics displayed on large screens and strobes turning the fog to greens, reds and blues, Ulrich on Sunday night was repeatedly singing, ``... And the cry of my heart is to bring you praise.’’ In between songs, he offered prayers and interpreted the music.

It’s called Third Format because the mega-church on two campuses offers multiple services of two more common forms of worship: ``classic,’’ or traditional, and ``contemporary,’’ led by the senior Jernigan. Started in September 2006, the Third Format, or 3F as it is called, failed to take off because it lacked contrast with other services, said the younger Jernigan, who was a youth pastor at the time. ``Everyone had the expectation that it was an older-youth service,’’ he said.

Jeremy Jernigan told his father the service needed a ``mind-set’’ change and needed to stop targeting a certain age group. After he was put in charge of it, Jernigan put his own mark on the service, starting with playfulness and solid biblical teaching.

``We predominantly do have a younger crowd, but if you sit in the service, you will see it is not limited to age,’’ Jernigan said.

``It is a very casual service,’’ he said. ``There are a lot of people who look at the church at large in America and don’t see it as relevant,’’ he said. ``They see it as outdated, archaic, all about tradition, and so we try to really go on the other end of that.’’

People are told to come as they are for ``an authentic encounter with Jesus.’’

The topics and themes for each weekend are the same for all services, and the Jernigans collaborate to write it, then retool the messages for their services.

``We try to write them together, and each of us takes our own spin and perspective on it,’’ he said.

``Simple Faith’’ is the current eight-week theme, with focus on such weekly topics as obedience, stewardship, debt, generosity, rest and salvation.

Growing up a preacher’s son, Jeremy said he found it exciting to travel with his father on pastor trips and to watch the business of church from many vantage points.

His preaching, with only rare glimpses at his notes, is conversational and off the cuff. Another time, he had a T-shirt launcher and shot T-shirts into the audience.

On another occasion, giant dice were put in the audience to move around during a Monopoly skit.

``Basically we are up for anything,’’ he said. ``Let’s show people that the church is relevant, that there is no standard for what it looks like. Let’s just be authentic, let’s experience God and let’s make this a place where anybody can bring their friends, and there is no fear of embarrassment.’’

``They make you feel like somebody here,’’ said Brett Gifford, 22, a tile-layer from Mesa. Stating he did not grow up going to church, he said he came to a point where he wasn’t happy and needed something better. Having a pastor close to his age is a plus, Gifford said. ``They make it so much fun at this service that it is easier to relate to and understand.’’

Recognizing how much technology and gadgets are integral to young people’s world, Third Format seeks to reach the ``technological generation’’ with what they are used to.

``What you hear on radio, what these kids will be listening to on MTV _ we can use that to glorify God,’’ Ulrich said. ``We can make it loud, we can make it proud and use it to glorify God.’’