Art*Music*Justice

It is probably no surprise the Art*Music*Justice tour, coming to Lee University Sept. 26, is a different kind of tour from your traditional large-scale rock tour, but it is also different from your average Contemporary Christian tour.

The tour, which features Sarah Groves, Brandon Heath, Sandra McCracken, Charlie Peacock and Derek Webb benefits International Justice Mission and Food for the Hungry.

Sarah Groves and her husband, Troy, had the idea for the tour after attending an International Justice Mission event and approached the other artists about participating.

"We are redeemed to a purpose," said Groves. "We want to challenge people to think 'what is my purpose.'"

The concert is to be held in Lee University's Conn Center Sept. 26 at 7 p.m.

Dr. Mike Hayes, assistant vice president for student life at Lee University, said, "The concert is open and free to the public as a service to the community. Our hope is that our guests will feel welcome to be a part of this unique experience to join with us for a time of worship with some great artists and an opportunity to look at how we can express our faith together to help solve challenges together in our community and around the world."

The concert will begin with a "round table" introduction to the artists and the two charities the concert is to benefit. Then each artist will perform in turn, with multimedia presentations between the sets and in conjunction with some of the songs.

"What intrigued us about the tour was how it integrated musical excellence, corporate worship and justice themes. The concert is focused on encouraging Christ-followers to really think about how we are the Church, particularly in terms of how we live in relation to those less fortunate around us," said Hayes.

The musicians represented in the Art*Music*Justice Tour are an eclectic group, their desire to "be a part of something bigger" is the uniting factor.

Sarah Groves is a longtime member of the Christian music community with seven albums released. Her latest release, "Tell Me What You Know," was inspired by experiences as she questioned her place in a world as a "fully integrated Christian."

Many of the songs on the album were inspired by the stories of others, "from the flood-ravaged gulf of Louisiana, the genocide memorials of Rwanda to the testimonies of Southeast Asia sex trade survivors." One such survivor, a young Christian girl named Elisabeth, Groves found especially inspiring.

Young up-and-coming Brandon Heath said of the Art*Music*Justice Tour, "I've never been involved with anything that suits my personality and beliefs better."

A songwriter since the age of 13, Heath was "very influenced by the songwriting community in Nashville," his hometown, and was known as an indie artist in the music community. A couple of years ago, he decided he wanted to be a singer-songwriter on a bigger platform. The result of this decision is his latest album, "What if We," which features "Give Me Your Eyes," a song about God letting people see the world as he sees is, born out of a moment of people-watching in an airport.

"These are people who shaped my songwriting," Heath said, describing the other artists on the Art*Music*Justice Tour.

In addition to his burgeoning music career, Heath is the worship leader at The Loft in Houston, Texas, and is very involved in Young Life ministries.

For Caedmon's Call alumni Derek Webb the unique Art*Music* Justice tour is just one of many career changes in recent months. Webb is known for his honest and eloquent lyrics and lack of fear in exploring controversial topics, presented in acoustic guitar-accompanied plaintive vocals. In his fourth solo release, "The Ringing Bell," Webb's lyrics are just as hard-hitting, but are accompanied by Beatles-sounding guitars and decidedly more vintage-rock feeling.

Webb said, "I hope this record is a bit of a surprise. Inadvertently I feel like I have somehow mysteriously made my most commercial record."

Webb joins the Art*Music*Justice tour with a long history of approaching difficult topics in lyric and volunteer-based action.

2008 also saw the release of Ampersand EP, the first collaborative effort between Webb and his wife, singer-songwriter Sandra McCracken, which is being called "every bit as personal and confessional as their solo work."

For musician Sandra McCracken, "It's the perfect time to step out and do something that is less about me and more about a greater story." Like Hayes at Lee University and her fellow artists on the tour, McCracken "hopes the tour is a catalyst."

McCracken's music is hard to categorize, but is most closely related to the folk genre. The Belmont University graduate has penned songs for Caedmon's Call and husband Derek Webb, but calls the Christian message of her solo work "abstract -- more implicit than explicit."

"You don't have to look like a certain thing or write a certain kind of music to portray Christianity," said McCracken.

She quotes "Everyday Apocalypse" author David Dark, who said, "There is not a secular molecule in the universe." Her soulful, folksy, Americana sound and subtle, yet, hard hitting lyrics gain more meaning with contemplation. McCracken calls her songs, "A blend of melancholy and hope."

Though he hasn't been on the road for some 20 years, Charlie Peacock is no stranger to the music business or stage.

The Grammy-winning music producer's career began with his 1982 release of "Lie Down in the Grass" and hasn't stopped since.

His resume includes touring artist, much-recorded songwriter, record producer, record company president, seminary student, jazz pianist, and Sr. A&R consultant to mega-music publisher, Sony/ATV.

In a 1990 interview with CCM Magazine, Peacock said, "I'm much more interested in being a part of historical Christianity than contemporary Christianity. If God should put me in a place of leadership in contemporary Christian music, then my prayer is that I'll keep pointing people back to the historical person of Jesus, that we could be truly contemporary."

Though he spoke those words 18 years ago, Art*Music* Justice and it's purpose of "sharing inspiring art and stories of God's people in action around the world," fall in line with the statement.

Though planning and preparing for such an event could be an undertaking, Groves said, "It was really relatively easy -- all of the artists are so on the same page."

International Justice Mission is a U.S.-based Christian non-profit human rights organization that operates in countries all over the world to rescue victims of individual human rights abuse, to combat human trafficking, forced labor slavery, illegal detention, unprosecuted rape, police brutality and illegal land seizure. Based on referrals of abuse received from relief and development organizations, International Justice Mission conducts professional investigations of the abuses and mobilizes intervention on behalf of the victims. The four-fold purpose of International Justice Mission is victim relief, perpetrator accountability, structural prevention and victim aftercare. International Justice Mission was founded in 1997 by Gary Haugen, who currently serves as the President and CEO of the organization.

Food for the Hungry is an international relief and development organization working in more than 25 countries around the world. Food for the Hungry was founded in 1971 by Dr. Larry Ward. Their stated mission is "to walk with leaders, churches and families in overcoming all forms of human poverty by living in healthy relationship with God and His creation."

Christian Music News Source