Published: January 25, 2008 08:48 pm            

Grammy award winner launches tour with stop in Brownsburg

BROWNSBURG, Ind. — For Steven Curtis Chapman, the notion of living in the moment was once foreign and seemingly impossible. The five-time Grammy award winner is an icon in the world of Contemporary Christian music and has sold more than 10 million albums since his singer/songwriter career began back in the late 1980s.

This in addition to balancing television appearances, taming a busy tour schedule, and raising a family. But despite his previous successes and the sometimes overwhelming prospect of future endeavors, Chapman now says that a missed opportunity to spend time with his daughters has yielded him an entirely new perspective.

He recalls a particularly stressful night in which his daughters were acting up before their bedtime. In a hurry, Chapman whisked the kids into bed, issued an abrupt "good night," and hastily returned to his work. It was then that the Paducah, Ky., native said he had a revelation.

“When I got back to work, I realized that I had just missed this precious moment, and I didn’t want to do that again,” Chapman said.

Chapman credits that revelation to the release of his newest album “This Moment,” as well to the “Live in this moment ... An evening with Steven Curtis Chapman” tour which resumes in early February and will make its way to Hendricks County on March 1 at the Connection Pointe Christian Church in Brownsburg.

“It’s always bittersweet,” Chapman said. “I’m excited to get back out on the road, but with three kids back home, I know it brings added stress on my wife.”

Though his wife and youngest children will remain at home, Chapman still has plenty of reasons to be excited about the “Live in this moment” tour. Two of those reasons are sons Will Franklin, 17, and Caleb Chapman, 18, both of whom will accompany Chapman as special musical guests during the 50-city tour.

“It’s a blessing,” Chapman said. “Caleb’s really coming into his own as a songwriter and they are really two of my best friends.”

Concert goers who attend Chapman’s shows will have an opportunity to change the life of a local family. Shaohannahs Hope, a foundation created by the Chapman family, is asking fans to bring along their spare change to donate. The foundation, which provides grants for families who are interested in adopting an orphaned child but struggling to meet the cost of adoption, will donate 100 percent of the money collected to a local family who is already in the midst of the adoption process. Chapman says that presentation has been one of the most moving parts of this particular tour.

“It’s been amazing just to see the family so grateful and so blown away,” he said.

Still, Chapman says that his main goal in live performances is to incite faith in his listeners.

“You know in every show there’s always been an overarching hope that when people leave they say ‘I really believe I was in the presence of God,’” he said.

Chapman says that his sons have high hopes of following in their father’s footsteps and the 45-year-old has every intention of continuing in the Contemporary Christian genre.

“I feel like God has given me these gifts and as long as I’m doing that and it’s honest, then I’m very excited about that,” he said.

To purchase tickets to the “Live in this moment” concert in Brownsburg, call 852-2221 or visit the website at www.connectionpointechurch.org.



Brian Kern writes for the Hendricks County Flyer in Avon, Ind.

        

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