Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of the cold and nasty weather we have had here in the mid-west. The good weather also brings good times for the festival. This is one of our busiest months for planning and promotions! As you all probably know we are having our kickoff concert on the 28th with Random Hero, Burning Yesterday, and Augustine Theory. We’re all getting excited about that. We hope that you have RSVP’d on our facebook page for the concert (It’s FREE!!). If not, we have a link at the bottom of this page for the event. We will also be going to a couple concerts in Illinois and Indiana this month to promote AgapeFest. So if you see our table stop by and talk to us, we would be more than happy to answer any questions you have there!

Battle of the Bands is still open for you or your friends submissions! http://www.agapefest.com/bands/battle-of-the-bands/ This is a great opportunity for young bands trying to get a chance at big opportunities. Top 10 bands get a live audition, Top 5 get to play at AgapeFest, Top 3 get to play at AgapeFest again on Saturday, and the winner gets to move on to Word Label Groups national talent competition! So let your friends know about it, this ain’t your average battle of the bands!

Also, youth leaders, be on the look out for mailings from our Media/PR department. Those should be arriving any day now if they haven’t already. They are filled with info on the festival and posters so be sure to let your youth know about it! We will also be calling churches around the area just to say hey and see if you’re planning on coming out!

If you have any questions check out the FAQ’s section on our website. http://www.agapefest.com/info/answers/ If we don’t answer your question there shoot us an e-mail at info@agapefest.com

Enjoy your March!

AF2010

Get Connected:

http://www.twitter.com/agapefest

http://www.facebook.com/agapefest

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=323618233630&ref=ts

Battle of the Bands sign ups are still open! Check here for more info:  http://www.agapefest.com/bands/battle-of-the-bands/.

The winner of the AgapeFest Battle of the Bands will continue on to Word Label Groups National Talent Search. (This could get you closer to that record deal you’ve been wanting). Out of the bands that submit 10 will get the chance to perform on the campus of Greenville College and the top 5 from that batch will play at AgapeFest. Then the top 3 get to play again on Saturday.

It’s a pretty good opportunity if you ask me! Only 12 bands have signed up so far. So sign up! Your chances are good!

As a couple staff members handled the booth, the rest of the staff helped out with collecting the offering from Compassion and collecting the voting ballots from “Opening Act.”  At the end of the show, we made an announcement about AgapeFest on main stage and had the opportunity to throw out some T-Shirts to the crowd!  Hopefully at some point during the night you were able to talk with us and ask any questions you might have had!  It was a great time where we were able to meet new people and also bond with some of the AgapeFest staff!

Here are a couple links to videos that were made to describe a little bit of what went down on Friday night!

http://www.youtube.com/user/AgapeFest#p/a/u/1/27IF8SjOEE8

If you find yourself bored and needing something to fill your time, I have an idea for you:

Go check out the videos on youtube. Meet a few of the people who are trying to make this the best year of AgapeFest!

Also, don’t forget to order your tickets for this year’s festival!  It’s going to be a great time of fellowship, rockin’ out to the music, and having fun.

AgapeFest 2010 is going to be one for the history books, I assure you!

For the past several years, Joel has been an active Staff Advisor. He has worked continuously to develop and improve our web marketing program, motivated our staff members, and set a great example for all to follow. Joel has had an active part in making AgapeFest what it is today, and we are very grateful to have had him to work alongside us the last seven years.

Joel will be extremely missed in Greenville and around the college, but we are all very proud and excited for him and his new career opportunity in Chicago! Perhaps with his departure, the coffee supply will go back up- who knows?! ha. We love you Joel, and you will be missed tremendously.

May Jessica and yourself be successful in all your future endeavors.

Mark Goins & Ben Woods

This year AgapeFest is fortunate to land two of the best speakers in the area to come speak. On Friday night everyone will get to hear from Mark David Goins. Mark is best known as the front man for the band Mark David and Surface Deep. His band will be kicking off the festival on Friday night. Then on Saturday we are extremely happy to bring back Ben Woods. A lot of you know Ben for his work in the band Slingshot57. Ben spoke on our second stage last year, and we knew we had to bring him back to speak on the main stage! Both are phenomenal speakers, and they are definitely worth listening to. For more info about each of our speakers keep on reading.

Meet Mark Goins.

Rev. Mark David Goins, 25, was born in 1985 to Rev. David & Sheila Goins of Alton, Il.   His family resided in a community which exposed Mark to a variety of different cultures including people, churches, and a diverse selection of music venues.

Mark attended the public school system in Alton, Il., and graduated from Alton Sr. High in 2003. After high school Mark went on to Greenville College, where he accepted The Call to Ministry in 2004.

Mark began to lead bible studies on campus and at church on a weekly basis. Also, he founded the first all men Midnight Prayer Group for Greenville College. As a member of his college town worship team, he played the drums and worked closely with the music coordinator on the music arrangements for each service. In addition, Mark began writing and co-writing worship songs. Then in 2007, Mark graduated from Greenville College with a double BA in Sociology and Psychology.

Mark has been ministering in word and song at various venues throughout Illinois and the surrounding area. He has a sincere desire to minister and reach the hearts of those who are lost and dying spiritually. Mark founded the band, Mark David and Surface Deep, which recorded and released their first CD demo in 2009.

The Lord’s favor continued to shine on his life as he wasmarried on August 29th, 2009 to his lovely wife, Marqueta
Stewart-Goins. Mark is known by his peers to be a very kind, passionate, likable, and professional Man of God.

Meet Ben Woods.

What led you to begin speaking to youth groups? How long have you been doing this, and what drives you?

I have a passion to help people to know that they are loved. I toured nationally as the front man of a rock band called Slingshot57 for over 8 years, performed over 800 dates and have spoken that message to thousands of people. I want to inspire people to do something that matters with their life…I want to see people use their God-given gifts and God-given passions to expand His kingdom through the opportunities that He sets before them.

How would you describe your journey of faith thus far? Do you think that that’s something that’s helped you connect with the youth?

I grew up in a strong Christian home where I was encouraged to dream. That’s shaped so much of who I am today. I’m not a go-with-the-flow kind of guy…I’m just unconventional. I believe wholeheartedly that God equips us to be creative and to serve Him with our gifts and passions. That can and will look entirely different for everyone. My ministry today looks entirely different from what it did a year ago, but my message is the same…do something that matters. For me, whether I was touring and performing or hanging out with college students I was encouraging them, “God desires to use you…let Him take you into the unknown” while trying to live that out in my own experiences. My story is, like everyone else, God has made me unique… with a unique part to play in His purpose. And His faithfulness is way bigger than my brokenness so He can still use me in creative ways to impact my world.

What sorts of things have you chosen to discuss Saturday afternoon, and why do you think those are important issues?

I want to challenge the complacency and jadedness of this generation. I want to encourage them to find the place where their gifts and passions collide for the Kingdom…no matter what it costs.

Do you see yourself doing this for the next ten years?

I’m just trying to be obedient to what God has called me to…to respond to the opportunities He places before me and serve Him humbly. Currently, I’m a campus minister at the University of Illinois where I have the freedom to teach, preach, disciple, mentor, lead worship, be involved with foreign missions and interact with people of all walks of life. And I’m loving it, but my hope is that I’ll always go where He sends, trusting He’ll equip me with what it takes.

Just for kicks, who’s your favorite musical artist? Favorite tv show? Favorite food?

Artist… that list is long… but at the top are Foo Fighters and Bleach. For TV shows 24, LOST, Arrested Development, and Scrubs. When it come to food, well, festival food is pretty hard to beat… those sweet action curly fries and strawberry shake-ups are particular favorites.

Everybody likes a FREE concert right? If you like concerts and you like FREE, you should come and hang with Main Stage Artist Random Hero on March 28^th! Our good friends in Random Hero have agreed to come down and get the AgapeFest season off to a good start!

We also have Second Stage artist Burning Yesterday from Nashville coming and Augustine Theory from Greenville College.

So tell your youth leader to put it on the calendar or get some friends together and come kickoff the AgapeFest season right. We are currently working on getting another band or two to come play as well.

• When: Sunday March 28^th at 7:00 p.m.
• Where: Campus of Greenville College- LaDue Auditorium
• (317 E. College Ave. Greenville Illinois, 62246)
• Why: To celebrate the fact that AgapeFest is only a month away!
• How much: FREE
• With who: Random Hero, Burning Yesterday, and Augustine Theory

(This event is open to the public)

P.S. Random Hero is giving out free music for a limited time. You might also know Random Hero from this episode of MTV’s “MADE” http://www.mtv.com/videos/made-season-10-ep-9-punk-rocker/1608863/playlist.jhtml

Random Hero on Stage 2 at AgapeFest 2009

It’s time to sign-up for Battle of the Bands! Go here to do so:  http://www.agapefest.com/bands/battle-of-the-bands/.

AgapeFest hosts a Battle of the Bands on the Greenville College campus. The winners of this first round proceed to battle again on Second Stage at the festival on Friday afternoon. Two champions are then selected and they receive a full set on Main Stage Saturday morning. So go sign-up for this great opportunity!

Also, don’t forget to get your early bird tickets! Get your discounted tickets here: http://www.itickets.com/events /237332/Greenville_IL/AgapeFest_2010.html.

Make sure you head over to their MySpace and take a listen. Leave them a note about how excited you are to see them at AgapeFest 2010!

Hit the jump to see the lineup so far.

Friday:

Mark David & Surface Deep

Me In Motion

Downhere

Above the Golden State

Addison Road

Sanctus Real

David Crowder

Saturday:

The Great Romance

Thi’Sl

Random Hero

Philmont

Stephanie Smith

Remedy Drive

Paper Route

Run Kid Run

Family Force 5

Skillet

Coffee House:

Brian Lee and His Orchestra