Pastor Scott Callaway of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Topsfield wanted to see his parishioners lift their heads out of the hymnal and take part in the service.

He turned to cutting-edge technology to bring the Gospel to the public.

"I've always been a gadget guy and I have a vision to make the Gospel as accessible as possible, to make the presentation more accessible," he said.

The modernistic A-frame building on Route 1 in Topsfield was once a traditional Lutheran church. But, gradually, over a six-year period, it was transformed into a technology performance center with stage lighting, drop-down media screens and a 10-piece band using electronic drums and keyboards. The music is mixed through a soundboard in the media booth, like a rock group.

"What we do is way beyond what you would expect from a church this size," said Mary Ellen Krohner, church secretary. "The technology makes our worship service more effective."

The church has 400 members, with about 250 attending each Sunday and a large cable television audience in three nearby towns.

Members come from as far away as Rye, N.H. and Marblehead — and the cutting-edge approach attracts a younger-than-average congregation. The median age of members is 44.

"Since the transition, our attendance has increased by 30 percent," said Pastor Callaway, who has been with the church for 13 years. "We have received new members as a result of the TV shows."

Each Sunday, at the 10:30 a.m. service, the liturgy and music for the day are projected on three different screens. Two screens are permanent. The third drops down from the ceiling behind the altar. Young members help with the service.

"The kids are an integral part of the team," Pastor Callaway said. "They hold three key positions for each Sunday morning: Lighting, cameras and sound. Adults are in charge, but the youth man the equipment. We train kids who are confirmation age and up. Some are better than their elders."

Young people also play an integral part in the worship service as musicians and singers.

"Their parents tell us their children are more interested in the sermons, now," he said.

After each Sunday service, members "burn" the service onto DVDs which they give to shut-ins and others who couldn't attend.

Not everybody is overjoyed with the introduction of technology.

"When the 48 lights went up on the ceiling, some senior citizens asked, 'What is this?'" Pastor Callaway said.

"But people have come to appreciate not having their heads buried in a book. Everything is now on a screen."

Pastor Callaway has a traditional service at 8:15 on Sunday morning, in addition to the contemporary service at 10:30 a.m.

"It is a marriage of traditional with the modern," he said. "Not only our older parishioners come, but other traditional Lutherans come, too."

Pastor Callaway plays the guitar and sings. He was in a rock band all through college.

The major shift to technology came when the church was renovated and doubled in size three years ago. But the pastor introduced keyboards and speakers several years earlier.

"When we started thinking about renovation, we brought in lighting people and sound people. We added 48-hannel light board," he explained.

The lights were painted the same color as the ceiling and made to blend with the décor.

Now that the contemporary service is attracting more members, the church leadership is considering expanding again.

"We are almost at saturation point. The parking lot is 80 percent full on Sunday — but it's a good problem to have," he said.

"I didn't convert to Christianity until I was 18," the pastor said. "When I grew up as a non-Christian, church was boring to me. We're not going through this change to technology for change's sake. The new technology can help show what the Gospel has to offer."