Our final artist spotlight is on the founder of Strength to Stand Conferences. Southeastern and Smoky Conferences speaker – Scott Dawson…
Scott Dawson
Scott Dawson has been preaching the Gospel since he was a teenager. The ministry that began with simple testimonials and youth rallies has grown into an evangelistic association that reaches across age and denomination lines in evangelistic efforts to offer a unifying message of hope: the Good News of Jesus Christ. Scott makes it a priority to keep his presentations real, innovative, and contemporary. Scott is the author of Dear Lord Why?, The Complete Evangelism Guidebook and in 2009, released his third book, Evangelism Today. Scott lives in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, with his wife, Tarra, son, Hunter, and daughter, Hope.
This week we shine our spotlight on Smoky Mountain concert artist – tobyMAC…
tobyMAC
tobyMAC is more than just your run-of-the-mill triple threat. On one hand he ranks among the most successful artists in Christian music history. On the other he is universally recognized as a creative force, an artistic maverick and a prophetic voice for racial reconciliation, social justice and a fierce devotion to faith and family. On the third hand, he’s the most humble and approachable merchant of cool on the scene today. The man Christianity Today called “one of the fifty most influential evangelical leaders in America” sets a new standard with the release of Portable Sounds. “Passion for my art drives me so long as I feel the Most High breathing new songs through me.”
This week we shine our spotlight on Smoky Conference worship leaders and concert artists – Fee…
Fee
Steve Fee’s been featured at Passion and Catalyst conferences, at 7:22, and also as worship leader at North Point Community Church in Atlanta, one of the nation’s fastest growing churches. Fee released its debut album We Shine in 2008. Joined by fellow worship leaders Matt Adkins (guitar), Heath Balltzglier (bass) and Brandon Coker (drums), all members of North Point, Fee the band not only serves North Point and 7:22 (the Tuesday night single adult ministry) but travels the country leading worship at student camps and conferences.
“As we visited different church bodies and parts of the country, Fee’s aim has been to see people move forward in God’s kingdom. We simply want everyone to experience what happens when the people of God come together to worship.”
This week we shine our spotlight on Smoky Mountain Conference worship leader Charlie Hall…
Charlie Hall
Paradox. It is not an easily definable concept. It is suffering mingled with joy; sorrow clasping hands with celebration; brokenness enveloped by unity. It is a bright sadness. It is a concept that is frequently embraced by those contemporary psalmists who march boldly on the cutting edge of change while holding tenaciously to the secure tether of tradition. Though it is the preferred weapon of warriors of worship, for Charlie Hall the paradox of pain and praise is neither a recent phenomenon nor a carefully orchestrated career choice. It is a compulsion driven by a hunger and thirst for the presence of God. “The human condition may be frail, but God is bursting with life”, Charlie insists. “There is a massive sunrise full of dreams and hopes right beside the obscenity of the cross, and those two things don’t have to be exclusive. There was a time when I felt so human that I didn’t feel like I could belong to God. I didn’t feel like His greatness and my difficulties could fit together. Then He began to show me that my brokenness and messiness fit perfectly with what He came here to do. I was the perfect candidate for mercy and grace and life and hope. In my broken state, He is the Bright inside my Sadness”. After two years of documenting his faith and prayers during a period of his life that involved plenty of pain and trials, Charlie Hall has burst forth with his new album, The Bright Sadness, a thirteen-song retrospective of life as it is and life as it should be.
Jared is an Atlanta, Georgia native who is considered one of today’s freshest communicators. Over the past few years, Jared has been traveling the country sharing the hope of Jesus with a humorous and captivating approach that has reached thousands of teenagers and college students. He is one of the featured communicators at InsideOut, at Northpoint Community Church and BigStuf Camps. While in college at the University of Georgia, Jared went on staff at a church where he worked in youth ministry. Throughout his time as a student at UGA and while working with high school ministry, God gave Jared a unique passion for high school and college students and a desire to change student culture. Today, his messages and life are aimed at calling students out to follow Jesus and begin to walk in the healing that He offers. Jared currently lives in Los Angeles, California.
We’re shining our spotlight on Smoky Conference speaker Dr. Jay Strack…
Dr. Jay Strack
Dr. Jay is the author of several highly acclaimed books, including: The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar. As President and founder of Student Leadership University, the premiere, global leadership training for students, he has successfully merged the classroom with behind the scenes “edu-tainment” experiences in Orlando, San Diego, San Antonio, Washington D.C., England, Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Spain; thus providing a customized environment for learning. More than 30 years of volunteerism as a speaker in high schools and universities has given him a unique understanding and perspective to inspire students. Strack speaks to students in the same way he presents to major corporations and professional sports team, believing if we give them the right tools, students can soar into future-tense thinking and influence as leaders.
