Good Friday with RISE
Taking Back Ground
"Ground was taken back when Jesus died on the cross—evil was defeated in that moment."
Thank you to everyone who tuned in for our 5th Annual Good Friday program, “Taking Back Ground.” We pray it encouraged you to take back ground in your life.
If you missed the program, you can still watch it on Facebook and YouTube!
A huge thank you to Jason Crabb and Megan Woods for sharing stories, songs, and truth.
Jason Crabb - Christian Music Artist
Crabb’s electrifying stage presence, powerhouse vocals and magnetic personality have endeared him to millions across the world – through extensive personal appearances, media coverage, and social media including over 20 million views on YouTube.
Since his first solo release in 2009, Jason Crabb has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious stages such as Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry, the Brooklyn Tabernacle and Billy Graham’s final crusade in NYC. He has also shared the stage with artists such as Gloria Gaynor, Kari Jobe, Vince Gill, Mary Mary’s Erica Campbell, Donnie McClurkin, Wynonna, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Michael W. Smith, Jamie Grace, Sandi Patty, the Oak Ridge Boys and more. He has appeared on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” and alongside Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson.
Crabb has been featured and covered by many media outlets as well – including: People Magazine, Fox News, Country Living, The Huffington Post, Billboard, USA Today, Entertainment Tonight, and Country Weekly, among others, and was named one of Nashville’s Most Beautiful People by Nashville Lifestyles Magazine. Crabb is also frequently seen on television hosting on TBN, appearing on awards shows and television specials for a variety of networks.
Megan Woods - Christian Music Artist
Megan Woods is from a small town in Northern Massachusetts where God planted a love for music in her at a really young age. Even though she grew up in a Christian home with an amazing Christian family, she didn’t have a personal relationship with God. ?Throughout her entire life Megan had always struggled with self worth and believing she was worthy of love. She felt like no matter where she turned she was never good enough, which led her to the lowest point in her life. In that very moment she got a phone call from one of the closest people in her life, and they had just had a near death experience happen to them. They said to her word for word, “Megan, Jesus Christ is real.” In her lowest, most desperate moment Jesus saved her life.
Megan then got herself in church, in the Word, and she started leading worship at her home church and God changed every single last thing about her life for the better. Shortly after, God spoke to her and revealed that singing for Jesus was what she was supposed to do with her life. Megan explains, “It was the most intense feeling I’ve ever experienced. It wasn’t like God was poking me, he was grabbing me by the shoulders and calling me to something larger than I could even imagine. Now I want nothing more than to tell people about Jesus through my music and share the story of the work God has done in my life.”
Developing her relationship with Christ through her songwriting began the process of healing. Leaning into God’s love after coming from a place of worthlessness shows up in all the songs she writes. “I hope people come to know Jesus how I’ve come to know Him,” Woods says. “A lot of people talk about how we need to love God, but I want people to realize God loves them! Sometimes we forget that He loved us first.”
Woods’ debut single “The Truth,” a driving piano ballad that showcases her powerhouse alto vocals, is a deeply personal proclamation. “This song is my life story,” Woods says. “I wanted to write a song that’s a reminder for people every day of who they are in Jesus. We don’t belong to the lies, we belong to God – that’s the truth. When the lies are closing in, this song can remind them of the truth.”
Megan Woods signed a record deal in 2022 with Fair Trade Services (MercyMe, Phil Wickham), signed with booking agency Platform Artists (Chris Tomlin, TobyMac), and is managed by Jason Davis and his team at Noble Management (Austin French, Emerson Day).
Rob Roozeboom - Speaker
Rob is sought out to share his story and bring Jesus’s message of hope to communities, businesses, and prominent events nationwide.
Living life with muscular dystrophy has given him a relatable perspective on walking through adversity and holding onto your faith. His authenticity connects with and encourages people wherever he goes.
Through these engagements he’s helped change the lives of thousands of people–and there’s still many more to reach.
Rob is the founder and president of RISE Ministries, Inc. in Sheldon, Iowa. In 2005, he and his team launched RiseFest, a Christian Music Festival that showcases the nation’s top Christian artists and speakers and hosts more than 19,000 people over 2 days.
In 2020, Rob and the RISE team created a podcast called Enjoying the Journey which features real-life stories of people overcoming adversity through Jesus. Rob has interviewed pro athletes, authors, psychologists, evangelists, pastors, and more. Rob and the team also produce an online video series called, "Stories of Strength," and annual TV broadcasts for Christmas and Good Friday that now reach thousands of people.
This year, Rob and the RISE team want to make history in the town of Sheldon, Iowa, by breaking the record for the most people ever gathered for an event (a record that’s currently held by a KKK event that happened in the 1920s). Our dream is to have 25,001 people at RiseFest 2024!