A group of traveling ministers will be visiting State College next week. They will be bringing a distinct message, a firm conviction, bass, guitars and vocals.

Instead of a local place of worship, Christian rockers Casting Crowns will perform Thursday, March 13, at the Bryce Jordan Center.

The Grammy-winning septet hails from McDonough, Ga., a town best known for its "haunted ghost tours" and the annual Roberto Clemente World Series for little leaguers eight years old and younger.

When they are not out on the road, the Casting Crowns' seven members are part-time ministers and musicians at Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough. Their day jobs exemplify their devotion to the message conveyed in their style of Christian music, a genre becoming increasingly popular with the help of artists such as Switchfoot and Matthew West.

Fans who have seen the Casting Crowns perform live, including Jen Gramley (junior-biobehavioral health), said the concert is as much of a religious event as it is a musical one.

"It was a really cool experience," Gramley said. "It's not only a concert, but a room full of people who love Christ. The feeling in the room is indescribable."

Roger Finke, professor of sociology and religious studies, said that while many churches have condemned and continue to condemn secular rock lyrics, most are supportive of bands with a Christian message.

"It is not unusual for Christians to have alternatives to secular organizations, such as softball teams for example," Finke said. "These bands are an alternative to popular rock music. They mirror the music, except with altered lyrics."

Finke said Christian rock even has "an equivalent to Woodstock," called the Creation Festival, which takes place annually in Mt. Union, Pa., and George, Wash., and has featured Casting Crowns in the past.

Steve Biers (senior-electrical engineering) leads the "worship team" for the Campus Crusade For Christ (CRU), a religious group that meets weekly at 7:05 p.m. Thursday in the HUB-Robeson Center, and noted that without the band's message, the music is not as effective.

"I think that it's impossible to separate Casting Crowns and their appeal from their message," said Biers, who cannot attend the concert because it falls over the spring break holiday. "If they were just another rock band, they wouldn't be as popular."

With song titles such as "Father, Spirit, Jesus" and "Love Them Like Jesus," and lyrics such as "It's all because of Jesus I'm alive/It's all because of the blood of Jesus Christ," the band is certainly not attempting to play down its Christian message.

With each album debuting higher on the charts than the last, the band does not appear to have popularity issues.

The band, which was unable to be reached for comment, is touring in support of its latest album, The Altar and the Door, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and contains the group's current hit single, "East to West."

In 2006, Casting Crowns won a Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album Grammy for its sophomore studio effort, Lifesong, which spent 75 weeks on the Billboard chart. The band has received numerous wins and nominations in the Gospel Music Association Dove Awards.

This will be the second time that Casting Crowns has visited Penn State. However, once again, the average Penn State student will likely be out of town. The group previously played a nearly sold-out Bryce Jordan Center during spring break of 2006.

This time the show will also feature fellow Christian rock artists Leeland and John Waller.

Leeland, a five-piece from Baytown, Texas, lists on its Web site U2, Coldplay and David Gray as major influences.

Waller, like the members of Casting Crowns, is a worship leader from Georgia and was named one of 10 "Faces to Watch" in 2007 by Billboard Magazine.