Music

Coming together for good: Contemporary Christian musicians bring their Grammy-winning skills —and their hammers — to our Habitat

By Adam Jones
Star Staff Writer
06-12-2003

Third Day members Mark Lee, left, Tai Anderson, Brad Avery, Mac Powell and David Carr are old Habitat hands who’ll be on site Friday hammering by day and performing by night. Photo: Courtesy Third Day Third Day has “come together” for Habitat for Humanity International. The Christian rock band is hosting a benefit concert after the closing ceremonies of the Jimmy Carter Work Project at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Jacksonville State University’s Paul Snow stadium. “We wanted to do a little bit more than just pitch in,” guitarist Mark Lee said in a telephone interview. And they have. The band has raised more than $280,000 for Habitat and is a co-sponsor of a home at JCWP 2003, having contributed $25,000 toward building materials. On last year’s “Come Together” tour, which is the name of their Grammy-winning gold record, a dollar from every ticket was donated to Habitat. Lee said the band heard about Habitat just by living in Atlanta. In January 2002, the band decided to build a relationship with Habitat. “The focus they have really lines up a lot with ours,” Lee said. Third Day will perform a few songs at the closing ceremony, which starts at 5:30 p.m. in the same location. The ceremony is an “intimate event” for homeowners and volunteers, said Karen Lienau, marketing manager for Habitat, and JCWP participants will leave the stadium for dinner after the ceremony. After the ceremony, the stage will be transformed for the concert, which is open to the public. All proceeds from ticket sales will support Habitat’s building efforts. Tickets are $15 and are available at Family Christian Stores in Anniston, Gardendale and Gadsden; Joy Christian Supply in Jacksonville; and Lifeway Christian Store in Birmingham. They are also available by calling 1-800-791-3309. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $17. Volunteers and homeowners get special seating and free admission. “We wanted to have something special for all their hard work,” Lienau said.

Powell takes hammer to siding at a 2002 build. This is the first benefit concert held at a JCWP, Lienau said. The idea came from Third Day. “We just thought it was a wonderful idea, and we took them up on the offer,” Lienau said. Band members have worked on Habitat houses on weekends and tour breaks since early 2002 and has sponsored eight Habitat houses, three in the United States and five internationally. Lee and bassist Tai Anderson went to Durban, South Africa, for the 2002 work project. The two were there the full week. Lee said he didn’t understand what Habitat was until the JCWP. “You don’t really get it until you’ve done one of these things,” he said. Being with a house from a bare foundation until the door is unlocked by the new owner let him understand the purpose of Habitat. “It opened our eyes to a lot of the amazing things that are being done at Habitat,” Lee said. The band wasn’t able to work the full week this year, but the five members of Third Day will be at work Friday on the house they are co-sponsoring. Lee said the band wants to do humanitarian projects. “As believers in Christ, he’s called us to live out his purposes on earth and help out those that aren’t as fortunate,” he said. Although he said they are not better than anyone, people do look up to the band. He said the band wants to use their position to help and to show others how they can help. A concert is great, but they want to do more. “If that’s all we’re doing, then it will ring a little bit hollow if we don’t use that position for good,” he said. Habitat’s openness to all people is one thing that attracted Third Day. Even though Habitat is a Christian organization, it’s not exclusive to Christians. “It’s a neat sampling of people on those projects,” he said. Third Day tries to do the same. The band is a Christian band, but it likes performances to be open to anyone. “We don’t want to always be within the walls of the church.” The benefit concert will be normal show, Lee said. The band “will pull out all the stops” for the benefit concert, including lighting and staging aspects of a tour show. The concert isn’t just for Christians, Lee said. Third Day wants to reach all the audience. “I hope that where ever you are,” he said, “we’ve drawn you a little bit closer to God,” Wanna go? Tickets to the Third Day fund-raiser for Habitat for Humanity are $15 and available at Family Christian Stores in Anniston, Gardendale and Gadsden; Joy Christian Supply in Jacksonville; and Lifeway Christian Store in Birmingham. They are also available by calling 800-791-3309. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $17.

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