Christian rockers' iTunes success helps church with Apple Valley branch

The week after Easter turned out to be a good one for the Christian rock group Go Kids Music. The local band's first album hit No. 2 in the iTunes children's music section.

Vocalist Evan Thomas John, 21, said the band's music has a modern feel that a lot of Christian music is lacking. With Go Kids Music, they try to reflect a style closer to current teen idols like Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, John said.

At the same time, they avoid some of the more mature content some parents may not want their kids to hear quite yet, said Justyn Smith, a family pastor at the River Valley Church in Apple Valley who co-wrote some of the songs.

He said he's heard good feedback from non-Christians as well. "They've said, 'Hey, this is really good.' "

Profits from the album, produced in three months entirely by church interns and staff members, will be pumped back into church projects.

Ryan Williams, a creative arts pastor at the church, called the band the perfect intersection of what the church values: kids and creativity. Their target audience is kids ages 4 to early teens.

"They love it," said Williams.

"They can't stop jumping," Williams said.

But as they prepare for rehearsal at the church's Apple Valley branch, one of the congregation's six locations, the band members don't seem to be jumping at a chance for stardom.

While they welcome the sudden success, they shy away from the idea of fame being a motivating factor.

Still, Williams said, "If Jay Leno called us, we'd be excited." □