Shane and Shane Mixes Music, Call for Evangelism through Tour

By Josh Kimball, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, April 22, 2009

CCM duo Shane & Shane is currently on tour with singer and songwriter Matt Maher and author and speaker David Nassar.

"We are excited about this tour and look forward to people coming out to experience more than songs," said Shane Everett. "Matt Maher is an amazing worship leader and David Nasser is an amazing communicator of God's Word."

The tour, which kicked off April 16, will run through May 9 and will do more than highlight the music of three award-winning artists. It aims to encourage believers to seek and save the lost amid what many observers are seeing as a decline in evangelism emphasis in America.

In studies conducted over the past decade, the faith-based Barna Research Group has found that a majority of Christians don't believe that they must share their faith with others. Only 12 percent of Epsicopalians, 27 percent of Lutherans, 28 percent of Methodists, and 33 percent of Presbyterians in 2001 said they strongly agree that they have a personal responsibility to tell others about their religious beliefs.

Most of those who said they believe they must share their faith were Pentecostal/Foursquare (73 percent), non-denominational (59 percent), and Baptist (51 percent).

Among Catholics, only 17 percent said the same.

"The 'Turn the Music Down' tour will be a night filled with intense worship and awareness and compassion for a world that needs a savior," commented Nassar, who escaped with his family from Iran when he was nine years old. "On this special night, we will turn up the music to worship our king but not at the cost of tuning out the need that's all around us."

At the end of each show, Shane & Shane will wrap up with a selection of music focused on the messages delivered through Nasser and Maher.

"[I]n the end all our efforts are pointed in a single direction – that we would all leave this evening singing praises to Christ," said Everett. "It is to this end we labor."

The remaining itinerary for the "Turn the Music Down" tour is as follows:

4/23
Fargo, ND
Hope Lutheran Church/South Campus

4/24
Cokato, MN
Dassel Cokato Fine Arts Centre

4/25
Oshkosh, WI
Reeve Memorial Union

4/26
St. Paul, MN
Northwest College/Maranatha Chapel

4/27
Orange City, IA
Northwestern College

4/28
Lincoln, NE
University of Nebraska Union

4/29
Fayetteville, AR
University Baptist Church

4/30
Overland Park, KS
Heartland Community Church

5/1
Colorado Springs, CO
Vanguard Church

5/2
Lakewood, CO
Colorado Christian University

5/5
Berkley, CA
First Presbyterian Church