Not everybody jumps at the chance to get up early on Sunday mourning and head to church. However, an unconventional way to do church is pulling in thousands right here in the stateline.

Amy Detig grabs her service pamphlet and walks into this dark auditorium all eyes are glued to the live band. There's bright lights and fog above. In the back of the crowd arms are raised toward the heavens. Amy a member of the Heartland Church says,"I look forward to coming to church every week. I never imagined I'd say that about church.

Detig is among some 8,000 worshipers who fill up the seats every weekend at Heartland Community Church in Rockford, all lured toward a different way to do church.

Directional leader at Heartland Community Church commented on the church growth saying," We continue to grow on average 20 to 30 percent a year." Bankord says the most popular feedback from those in the audience centers around what's called transformational teaching. "When you see hear teaching that applies to your life, is culturally relevant makes sense today, it changes the way you see and do life," says Bankord.

Services like this one featured two moms tackling parent issues. They urged a partner with God, but scripture was limited. Bankord says that doesn't matter. Mainly because in his words the bible is "utterly practical", and worshipers they spoke to said its easy to see a spiritual connection.
"It's really isn't about the lights and the band", said David Carlson another member at Heartland. Carlson went on to say,"It's just you see so many people excited about being up on stage and excited about God." Before and after service the lines form at the coffee shop and the book store. Worshipers say it's part of a welcoming experience that God himself would want. Carlson said, "I think God intended us to worship in a place where we could be more comfortable more at ease."

Meanwhile, 30 miles west of Rockford that sense of ease is felt at Crossroads Community Church in Freeport. The current load for services hovers around 1400 for the weekend, and hundreds more at satellite campuses in Polo, Galena, and Monroe Wisconsin

Bearta Nagel a member at Crossroads says,"One of the biggest things was that I felt immediately that I was accepted and felt right into family".
Nagel says the practical teaching, like at Heartland is another big draw along with programs for kids. Church leaders expect further growth, but not for the sake of growth itself.

"We are growing because every one person who walks through our door, that's one more person who's life is affected by God, and that's our desire", said Glen Williams a member of Crossroads Church.

Its that desire that's making church a desirable place for so many people filtering in, and out every weekend.

We also checked in with some more traditional churches in the area to see if they're attendance is impacted by the growth at these Mega Churches. Most told us they're not seeing many people leave. A spokeswoman for the Rockford Diocese says some people don't like a Mega Church because it's difficult to defined their core mission.