'American Idol' Christian Crew Pumps Up the Church
By Kevin Jackson, Christian Post Reporter


HOLLYWOOD, Mar. 26, 2007 (www.christianpost.com)  -  Christian singers are continuing to show success in the sixth season of American Idol as three Gospel Music Association (GMA) favorites - Jordin Sparks, Melinda Doolittle, and Chris Sligh - moved on past the vote last week.

Among the contestants, one more vocalist has emerged as having a gospel music background – Phil Stacey, minister of music at First Coast Christian in Jacksonville, Fla.

This places four Christian artists among the final 11, encouraging viewers that this year’s winner may represent Christian talent.

Besides his connection with the church, Stacey also attends Liberty University, an independent fine arts Baptist university located in Lynchburg, Va.

Despite the fact that he passed this week’s vote, Stacey was one of the bottom vote-getters and may have to struggle to stay alive in the competition.

The GMA has been strongly supporting the four contestants, making them a large part of their weekly GMAil - a weekly industry email newsletter that contains weekly charts, news, links to resources, and information about upcoming industry events, available to GMA members only.