Special Guests

Sanctus Real

Sanctus Real came out swinging with 2002's Say It Loud, which produced the best first-week sales of any debut rock record Sparrow had ever released. CCM readers voted the band 2003's Best New Artist, ChristianityToday.com made Sanctus Real "a top pick" for '03, and the Gospel Music Association handed the band two Dove Award nominations. A cover of U2's "Beautiful Day" from the In The Name Of Love: Artists United for Africa benefit album gave the group its first No. 1 hit. Say It Loud, like its name suggests, was about making a noise, establishing a presence.

You can check out their web site at www.sanctusreal.com.

Artists

Chris Tomlin

Chris Tomlin’s undeniable energy is charismatic and contagious. Avoiding the trappings of public performance, Chris stands beside the people he serves, raising his voice to God with them so that they share God’s presence together.

Credited with revered church choruses such as “Forever,” “We Fall Down,” and “The Wonderful Cross,” Tomlin is considered one of this era’s top songwriters for the church. With millions singing his songs weekly, Chris is recognized as a pivotal voice in today’s modern expression of Christian worship.

“God promises that when we draw close to Him, He’ll draw close to us,” Chris says. “That’s what I hope happens through these songs.”

“I am so excited about what’s going on!” he continues. “I pray that people will know more and hunger more after God because of these songs. People are changed because of God arriving in their lives. Grace changes people into people with hope.”

www.Christomlin.com

Charlie Hall

Charlie Hall is a contemplative and confident artist, always on the journey of defining and questioning who he is and who God is.  Hall has crafted songs that will resonate deeply with listeners. “I feel like my faith is more honed into God, where I'm not part of a culture where I'm trying to make the people around me think, ‘Hey, that's a good Christian.’  I'm just trying to pursue God and not pursue being accepted into a club…. I'm more honed into my pursuit of God in Christ and how he's forming me and changing and helping me love him and know him.”

Hall also identifies with Passion founder and director Louie Giglio and the organization’s message to the 268generation, a movement of tens of thousands of college students from every state in the US and numerous countries around the world.  As many of the Passion collegiate gatherings were recorded live, Hall was quickly dubbed as a “voice” for the Passion movement, performing on all eight Passion albums, which have sold well over one million units.

www.charliehall.com

Comedian Brad Stine

Stine’s distinctive brand of comedy has brought him standing ovations across the country—as well as praise from the media. He’s been seen on NBC “Nightly News,” CNN Paula Zahn Now, FOX News Hannity & Colmes Show, Tucker Carlson Show, MTV’s Half Hour Comedy Hour, Showtime’s Comedy Club Network, and A&E’s Caroline’s Comedy Hour, Evening at the Improv and Comedy on the Road. He was also profiled in the New Yorker Magazine.

In Stine’s book, Being a Christian Without Being an Idiot: Ten Assumed Truths That Make Us Look Stupid, he challenges Christians to examine themselves before judging others. He also dares them to adopt a lifestyle that changes the negative perspectives the world has about Christianity. His last DVD, Conservative Unleashed, scanned #2 on Soundscan’s Top Christian Video Sales.

www.bradstine.com 

The Skit Guys

Tommy Woodard and Eddie James, better known as The Skit Guys, have quickly become conference favorites with their unique blend of comedy, drama, and improvisation--mixed together with an unblinking and uncompromising take on Scripture.

Starfield

Hailing from Canada and adopting its name from Cockburn’s 1976 song, “Lord of the Starfield,” Starfield is composed of brothers Tim and Jon Neufeld on vocals and guitars, drummer Gordie Cochran and bassist Ben Peterson. Possessing understanding beyond their years, knowing what they want to do as musicians and what they want to do as children of God, these young men are fusing their talents and mission to challenge their generation to strengthen their faith and make it their own. Starfield came together in a very natural, unforced kind of way, growing out of each of the Neufelds’ interest in music and desire to make music that would connect with the church. When the time felt right, and when they had drawn together enough songs and money, the promising band made its first recordings. Two years of touring honing their sound brought Starfield the opportunity to record a second independent project that brought the band onto the radar of a diverse set of industry insiders, including longtime Canadian music journalist Karen Bliss, the brass at several major Canadian labels, and finally the folks at Sparrow Records, where they found their label home.

The Afters