WHEELING — Tim Seidler drummed his way through 30 years as a musician before discovering religion, then realizing many people want a gospel relationship but aren’t comfortable in a traditional church.

He and his wife Linda became pastors and founded The Experience Church 15 years ago. Today it boasts about 4,000 members, with about 1,000 attending one of two services each Sunday. The Seidlers are considering adding a third service on Sundays due to the popularity.

Tim Seidler was a professional drummer for 30 years, and the drummer for 1170 – the house band for Jamboree USA.

“I had an encounter with Jesus that changed my life, and I couldn’t understand why more people weren’t excited about this good news,” he said. “What I began to realize is, with a lot of my friends, they didn’t have a problem with Jesus, they just had a problem with the church.”

The Seidlers then set about forming a different type of church that “would reach different people, and people who weren’t necessarily interested in church.”

The church’s tagline is, “We’re the perfect place for imperfect people.”

“We are a biblically-based Christian church, but we are not run by rules of religion,” Tim Seidler said. “We are driven by creativity, and an atmosphere that welcomes all people. We think it is OK to be full of faith and have fun at the same time. It’s a life-changing experience.

“The people who come aren’t just coming to check a box to say, ‘Hey, I went to church.’ Linda and I wanted to start a church you didn’t feel you had to go to, but rather wanted to go to. We wanted it to really impact your life.”

Linda Seidler added that she and Tim were both raised in the Ohio Valley and know the people who live here. They both have degrees in education and have been teachers.

“We could have moved anywhere, but we always felt God was keeping us here to reach people just like us,” she said. “There is something special about that, because we do know the valley so well.

“And when you know the valley that well, it is so easy to have a place where the people of the valley feel welcome. … We make our church a very exciting place to come.”

Tim Seidler noted he has found people who come to the church aren’t as interested in finding God as they are in finding relationships, and they discover connections at the church.

“I don’t know the secret sauce, but I know the presence of God is in the room,” he noted. “Music is a big deal at our church, and worship is a big deal, and so is the way we present the gospel.

“To me, it’s a sin to make the gospel boring.The gospel should be the most exciting thing people experience. I think they are experiencing the gospel here in a way that’s relevant to their everyday life.”

Linda Seidler added that it isn’t just families who come to the church, but also many single people and college students who are “just looking for a foundation in their lives.”

“It’s important for them to plant their feet and find a strength they don’t feel when they are in other places,” she said. “The trend for us is that people are looking for a solid foundation in which to build their lives.”

Linda Seidler added that what most excites her is when someone in need of community and worship comes to the church, and she sees the positive change that occurs within them.

“To see the transformation inside out … that is what I would say is the most exciting thing,” she said. “It is something that happens inside of people not because of us, but because of our providing a place for people to come experience Jesus firsthand — and he changes their lives.”