Sanctus Real
2011 multiple Dove Award winner for Album of the Year and Song of the YearThe band is best known for their number 1 singles Lead Me, Beautiful Day (a U2 cover), Everything About You, The Fight Song, I'm Not Alright, Don't Give Up, We Need Each Other and Forgiven.
In the industry of cool known as rock ’ n’ roll, it’s a particularly rare feat when substance actually triumphs over swagger. Even more surprising is when a band blatantly wears its heart on its sleeve, rather than simply championing lyrical ambiguity set to a catchy beat. But in the musical world of GRAMMY-nominated Sanctus Real, substance and style have peacefully co-existed over the course of five albums that have garnered seven No. 1 radio singles (and six more that landed in the Top 5).
“At first it seemed a little cliché, but we knew we needed to have the word ‘heart’ somewhere in the title,” Matt says. “It’s because all these songs —every last one—are about the deepest parts of our being, our hearts, what we’re thinking about and things we’re living through. As we started thinking about all the different pieces of our lives, it quickly became apparent that these songs are definitely pieces of our real heart.” One of those “pieces” that’s ultimately the record’s heartbeat is the band’s first single, “Forgiven,” which connected immediately—and deeply—with radio listeners. Showcasing Sanctus Real’s musically adventurous spirit, the banjo and glockenspiel are used throughout, giving the song an organic, homespun feel that perfectly complements the heartfelt message. Lyrically, the song was inspired by a powerful trifecta of insecurity, failure and fear, and Matt confesses that he had no idea how deeply it would resonate when he wrote it.
Brit Nicole
Best known for her radio singles: The Lost Get Found, You, and Set The World On Fire
Letting
go of insecurities, working through forgiveness in past relationships, including
her parents’ divorce that happened when she was 7, have all brought Britt the
ability to speak to her audience. “I’ve always been nervous speaking in
front of people. I always felt like I was too much of a mess myself to be
offering anything. But 1 Chronicles 28:20 says, ‘Be strong and courageous, and
do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task. For the
Lord my God is with you, He will not fail you or forsake you.’ I finally let
those feelings go. If we think that we can’t do anything until we are fixed,
we’ll never get anything done. But in our weakness, God makes us strong.”
Britt now feels free to share her heart with those who are discouraged and
disenfranchised, brokenhearted and complacent. “I feel I’m speaking to those
affected by divorce, to those seeking affirmation, identity, and love, in other
places besides the cross, and to those who are stagnant in their Christian walk,
and need a real, life changing encounter with Jesus Christ." – the very
things she’s seen and been along her journey of God’s best-laid plan.
Tim Byrne
Tim is one of the pioneers in skateboard ministry and has been traveling and sharing the Gospel for 10yrs. After his radical salvation in 2000, Tim joined Manna Skateboards, which was the first company to book and market a skateboard company to the Christian public. While this was a new concept, God used this ministry in a big way. The tours in the early 2000’s would often place these skaters with the top Christian artists such as Pillar, Newsboys, TobyMac, POD, Skillet, Kutless, etc. Within a year of joining Manna Tim turned pro and placed in the top 5 in the world at his first Pro Freestyle contest!
The past 10 years Tim has had the privilege to see hundreds of 1000’s come to Jesus and share the gospel in nearly every state in the U.S. as well as overseas. Today Tim is on the forefront as a speaker and pro skater to a world that needs Jesus, he has partnered with Reach Your City in Nashville who helps connect him with local churches trying to reach their communities for Christ. Tim is also part of the Luis Palau NGA Alliance. Tim and his wife Liz are both involved in full time ministry at home in Portland, Oregon.
Ken Freeman is a dynamic communicator with a passion for lost and hurting people. He speaks regularly for church-wide revivals, youth conferences, retreats, etc. His ministry focus is to see the lost saved, the hurting find healing, and the passive Christian regain an exciting and enthusiastic walk with God.
With the ability to connect to people of any age group, culture, or background, evangelist Ken Freeman lives with a passion to bring people to know Christ and to make a deeper, more intimate, commitment to Him.
The son of an alcoholic mother and an absentee father, Ken’s life was filled with abuse and neglect. Often times he and his sister would be left for days while his mother satisfied her addiction to alcohol and possible other drugs. Other times she’d leave them with a boyfriend who would physically and sexually abuse them. There were times he thought about suicide. Other times he thought about murder. His life seemed out of control. Ken spent his life running, trying to survive. He was bitter, hurt, and alone. Despite a horrifying childhood, Ken defied all odds with one choice that would change his life forever, his decision to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. With that one choice Ken’s years of mental and physical abuse turned from a useless mess, to a powerful message.
Ken’s approach to evangelism allows him to grab the attention of his audience through humor and his down to earth personality. His message, then, is always delivered in a fresh, easy to understand manner that roots itself in God’s word. One thing is certain; God has given Ken a passion for the lost and the brokenhearted that is evident within his ministry and his everyday life.
Braxton Hunter
Evangelist, Author, Christian Apologist
Braxton
Hunter
most recently served as the 2010-2011
president of the national
Conference
of Southern Baptist Evangelists. He
is also
a regular
visiting
professor of Apologetics at Trinity College and Seminary, Braxton is passionate
about the defense of the Christian faith in a skeptical world.
Though
a young man of 30 years of age, he has already preached in some of the
nation’s largest and most prestigious churches while sharing the conference
stage with such notables as Dr. Stephen Olford, Dr. Peter
Lord, Dr. Johnny Hunt, Dr. Junior Hill, Dr. Jerry Vines and Dr. Bobby Moore.
He is the author of Blinding Lights: the glaring evidences of the Christian faith, and Death is a Doorway.
Dean, Gayna and Geoffrey Forrest have been on the road telling people about Jesus since 1992. One of their main areas of ministry is to come along side local churches to produce area wide evangelistic events. They are the founders and directors of the Big God Conference and ACROSS Festivals. The full scope of their ministry reaches all age groups through preaching the gospel, teaching God's word, and leading others in contemporary praise and worship music
Jeff Smith is an internationally touring clinician and performer ministering through drama and comedy. His unique dramatic sketches will make you laugh and touch your heart.
Jeff has performed throughout the world as a featured performer and master teacher at local, state, and national training conferences and seminars in drama, worship arts, music ministry, teacher training, children’s ministry, and creative arts. In 1991, he was the Grand Prize Winner for Drama at the Christian Artist's Seminar at Estes Park, Colorado, and was a finalist in the vocal categories from 1989 - 1991. His sketches have won international acclaim to include Best Comedy Sketch in 1999, Best Dramatic Sketch in 2000, and another Best Comedy Sketch in 2004 at the CITA Sketchwriting Contest. Although Salt and Light Ministries publishes many of his written works and he has self-produced a variety of CDs and other musical projects, many of his dramatic works have been published by Lillenas and Standard Publishing. Additionally, his series of training videos, “Movement for Non-Movers” have helped equipped teens and children all over the world to share the gospel through creative ministries and music.
Alphabetical listing of ministries on previous Big God Conference programs:
At A Downfall 2005
Audio Adrenaline 1998
Tony Alvarez 1999, 2002
Avalon 2002, 2004
Barlow Girl 2005, 2007, 2010
Big Daddy Weave 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009
Big Tent Revival 2000
Braxton Hunter 2011
Brothers Keeper 2000
Building 429 2009
Tim Byrne 2006-2007, 2011
Caleb's Faith 2002
Christian Chapman 2009-2010
Code Of Ethics 1999
Common Destiny 2004
Ken Davis 1999
Adrian Despres 1998-2000
FFH 2003
Dean and Gayna Forrest 1998-2011
Ken Freeman 2001-2011
Fusebox 2001-2002
Rodney Gage 1998
Group One Crew 2008
Hawk Nelson 2010
Jethro's Advice 2004-2006
King of Kings Skateboard Ministry 2004
KJ-52 2004
Kenn Kington 2000-2001
Nikita Koloff 2000
Russ Lee 2006
Nikki Leonti 1999
Billy Mayo 1998
Chris McDaniel 2007
Britt Nicole 2011
Oracle 7 2005
Petra 1999
Power Team - Sons Of Thunder 1998
Reflect The Son 2005
Scarecrow and Tinmen 1998-2001
John Schlitt 2005
Jeff Smith 2002-2011
Rebecca St. James 1998, 2001
Stellar Kart 2008
Kirk Sullivan 2008
Trevor Thomas 2000
3-nailz 2002-2005