1. God's Not Dead has become more than just a song or an album or a movie, but the rallying cry of a movement! And so it's no wonder that Newsboys just announced that their 2011 album of the same name has been certified Gold. It's Newboys' sixth career gold album to date.
2. Happy birthday to longtime Christian rocker Steve Taylor! It's been a huge year for Steve, as he recently put together a new band and recorded his first new tunes in 20 years. Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil's album, Goliath, came out last month.
3. The popular History Channel series The Bible concluded a while ago, but the impact is still going, and a tour next year looks to capture some of that momentum. The Bible Tour 2015 just was announced, and on it will be Steven Curtis Chapman, Francesca Battistelli, Brandon Heath and Danny Gokey. Check out TheBibleTour2015.com to find out their closest stop to you.
4. Singer Holly Starr has struggled with body image in her younger years, and she recently told her online followers that a great way to combat against unhealthy obsession with body image is to not allow body-length mirrors in bedrooms, instead, placing them outside of bathrooms, in public spaces, so people cannot dwell on their looks for too long.
5. Every green room's different while on tour, and Manic Drive found a television with VeggieTales on it in their green room yesterday… with a sign that had the word "NO" on it. Apparently they weren't supposed to watch Bob and Larry, though the band joked that their contract specifically states they must watch an episode before each performance.
It's been a warm Christmas season so far for Jessa Anderson, who has been in Quito, Ecuador the past week or so for operation Extreme Response Christmas, where she and a team have been sharing the Gospel and advent worship while providing for people's basic needs like medical care and hunger.
6. Jeremy Camp is of course married to his wife, Adrienne (or Adie), who used to be in the South African Christian rock group The Benjamin Gate, and although she's taken quite a break from performing in order to raise their three daughters, Adie still takes the stage from time to time. She has been spotted on stage accompanying Jeremy during the KLOVE Christmas Tour, singing "O Come Emmanuel."
7. Duncan Phillips of Newsboys is one of the most accessible figures in Christian music, as he is constantly interacting with fans online through Facebook, Twitter, and the new social media site Tsu (pronounced SOO), but now a new video gets you even closer. Duncan strapped a GoPro camera to his chest while playing the Newsboys' version of "Your Love Never Fails," and it pretty much feels like you're in the middle of a tornado.
Quotes (3)
1. "Love yourself and others because the greatest love of all loves you!" - Duncan Phillips of Newsboys
2. "Real men stand up and fight for the Word of God by the way they live." - Adam Cappa
3. "I come from a family of strong women. They taught me not to merely accept the things I cannot change, but to change the things I cannot accept." - Lecrae
