CHRISTIAN ARTIST REBECCA ST. JAMES TO PERFORM FEB. 28

As a child, Rebecca St. James was surrounded by the music of Christian artists like Petra and Carman. Her concert-promoter father's interest in music helped lay the foundation for her career, she said.

Growing up with great music is one of the best memories of St. James' childhood. "There are few things more powerful than the Bible and music," she said, "and when you put those together, it's a powerhouse."

Now Rebecca St. James is a powerhouse in her own right, with a soon-to-be-released album, two best-selling devotional books and a Grammy and Dove nominated release. She is currently touring to promote her "You're the Voice" album.

She will perform at 7 p.m. next Saturday at the A.C. Brase Arena Building. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at area Christian bookstores.

All the publicity and fame have only made St. James rely on God even more, she said.

"I can see God's hand in this ministry," she said. "He prepared my family and I for this work. I was born in a family where Christian music was always around. It was a natural part of life."

Because music was a natural element of her life, St. James began recording early on, at about 16 years old. The 20-year-old Australia native moved with her family to Nashville to begin her recording career.

And no matter what career path she would have chosen, St. James thinks her conviction was to reach people by sharing her faith. She was just able to use music as a tool.

"God gives all of us an opportunity to reach the people around us by radically living our faith," she said. "We need to live out a Christ-centered walk everyday."

St. James tries to bring her message of sexual abstinence to the forefront in her concerts. She often talks with the audience and answers their questions.

"I'm proud to say I'm waiting and I'll keep waiting," she said. "We all mess up and make mistakes, but there's hope in Jesus."

St. James' message of hope and purity are two of the reasons many Christian youth are attracted to her music, said Jim Beise, discipleship pastor at LaCroix United Methodist Church.

"She has a really clear message of commitment to Christ and living as a Christian in today's world," he said. "She makes a real connection with people in their teens."

But that's not all, her music also appeals to older age groups -- like Generation X and some baby boomers. "She has a wide appeal," Beise said. "I like her music and so does my 12-year-old."

Beise has helped promote the St. James concert in the area. Some 600 tickets have been sold, and some 1,000 people are expected to attend.

Area churches have worked together to promote the concert as a youth activity and as a Christian event.

"It's a great thing by promoting the artist, not in a business sense, but in singing and having a message, not just that they're singing what the culture will buy," Beise said.