Fee…

Fee appearing at the Smoky Mountain Student Bible Conference January 16-18, 2010 in Pigeon Forge, TN.

Artist Spotlight…

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.”

Charlie Hall…

Charlie Hall leading worship at the Country Tonite Theater at the Smoky Mountain Student Conference, January 16-18, 2010.

Artist Spotlight…

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.

SDEA Year in Review

Check out the SDEA Year in Review Video…

2009: The Year in Review from SDEA on Vimeo.

Artist Spotlight…

This week lets meet Smoky Speaker Jared Herd…

Jared Herd

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.

Artist Spotlight…

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.

Rush of Fools…

Rush of Fools will be in concert at the Southeastern Student Conference, December 28-30, 2009 and leading worship at the Smoky Mountain Student Conference, January 16-18, 2010 (leading in the Miracle Theater) in Pigeon Forge, TN.

Artist Spotlight…

This week we shine the artist spotlight on Southeastern Conference concert artists and Smoky Conference worship leaders Rush of Fools…

Rush of Fools

Given the opportunity, Kevin Huguley will rattle off the personal accomplishments of his bandmates – lead vocalist/songwriter Wes Willis, guitarist J.D. Frazier, bassist Jacob Chesnut and drummer Jamie Sharpe – right alongside the professional ones his Alabama-based band has gone through.  Because it’s that intertwining of the internal and the external that made Rush of Fools’ self-titled debut (and monster hit “Undo,” ASCAP’s most-played Christian song of 2007) so approachable and embraceable by a now- legion of fans. That fusion carries over into the band’s second full-length release, Wonder of the World.  “As we’ve been playing the title song already, we’ll usually stop in the middle of it and talk about the lines ‘Father, how can it be that you are Father to me?’ as well as all the other things mentioned: Savior, Healer, one who shows favor on me,” Willis says. “He’s been so faithful to us, and at the very least, we should be that back to Him.” Huguley concurs with his bandmate and co-writer. “We should be asking those questions in the song, because we don’t deserve those things He’s given us, but that’s what makes it so wonderful. 

Meet Our Summer Interns…

We could not do a Meet the Conference Department without including our interns for the summer of 2009.  We had a great group of college students who helped develop the content for the conference theme, made phone calls, wrote devotions…they did a lot to help make this conference season come to reality!  Meet Will, Davis Ann, Ryan and Robert…

Will Bowen

Will Bowen is a two time intern (he had so much fun the first time around he had to come back for seconds). This past summer Will headed up our intern program making sure our interns were cared for, involved, and personally impacted throughout the process. Will became a part of the team in the summer of ‘07. Since then he has volunteered at our conferences and headed up a project for Scott Dawson as a remote researcher from Mississippi State University! Currently Will is working on his degree from State in engineering. He calls Jasper, AL his home where his parents Rick and Renee and his sisters Clara and Colin reside. His older brother Ricky currently plays in the minor leagues after being drafted by the Cincinatti Reds! Will is probably the most thorough and organized young man we have ever met! There’s not much that Will misses! As the old saying goes, “This young man is sharp as a tack!”

Interesting Fact: He can multiply extensively long numbers in his head and is affectionately known around the office as “Bubba.”.

Davis Ann Maddox

There are a very few people that are as hungry to know the word of God as David Ann Maddox. Since her time as a volunteer at the winter conferences of 08-09 her love for the word of God has been evident. Davis Ann hails from Tuscaloosa, Alabama where she is a senior at the University of Alabama, majoring in Finance with a concentration in Financial Management. Davis Ann has three sisters, Kiley, who works for Teach for America in Charlotte, NC, Mary Lynn, who is a freshman at Alabama, and Caroline, a senior in the at Gadsden City High School.

Interesting Fact: Davis Ann has a pseudonym at the office… “Katie.” Davis Ann is too hard to explain over the phone!

Ryan Richburg

How could one not love the friendly atmosphere that Ryan Richburg brings to the room? Ryan has been attending Strength to Stand Conferences every year since 2001 and became an official part of the SDEA family as a Summer Intern in 2009. He attends Troy University where he is majoring in Music with an emphasis on Audio Engineering as well as obtaining a minor in Business Administration.

Interesting Fact: Ryan is a worship minister at High Point Community Church. He has to commute 3 hours every weekend just to get there!

Robert Eadie

When looking for a hard working and determined individual, look no further than Robert Eadie. Robert became a part of the SDEA team in the summer of 2009 as an intern. He assists in the planning and development of conferences. Robert attends Wallace State in Hanceville, Alabama where he is majoring in Business. Robert lives in Warrior, Alabama with his parents, Bobby and Susan, and sisters, Tiffany, Jessica, and Jennifer.

Interesting Fact: He eats Chinese food 98% of the time and enjoys playing saxophone.