Barefoot 'n' Sandals is a rock group from New Palestine with Christian values.

Though band members -- Megan Stiffler, 17, Mike McCall, 17, Forrest Craig, 18, Adam Speicher, 17, and Chris Ballard, 17 -- don't fit the stereotypical rocker image, the musical influences are sound.

"Just because (we) don't fall into the temptations that most rockers do, that doesn't make it any less rock," Stiffler said.

While there long has been a youth band at Brookville Road Community Church, members have come and gone. These five band members clicked and play Sunday nights at the church and other times elsewhere. They also write many of their own songs. Recently, they made a CD, "The Stronger Side of Weakness."

Inspiration for band members comes from a variety of musical groups. Speicher prefers ska music, particularly the Aquabats. Stiffler listens to Christian musicians such as the Newsboys and Michelle Tumes. Ballard finds inspiration in punk rock music and is a fan of Sum 41 and Blink 182.

"After I joined Barefoot 'n' Sandals, I started getting into the heavier stuff, and then I started listening to more Christian music," Ballard said.

He said that unlike secular rock, Christian rock is uplifting. "It's a better use of your time, 'cause when you're in a secular band, you're talking about stuff like 'my girlfriend left me.' Everything is lame, you know. You're succumbing to everything, basically. And when you're in a Christian band, you're only succumbing to one thing, and that's to God."

To Craig, secular music is depressing because the focus is on self. "They sing about a lot of poor-me kind of stuff," he said.

Stiffler said Barefoot 'n' Sandals uses rock music mainly as a tool to spread the word of God. "Christian rock is just a way to take very good music that everyone listens to and figure out a way to give a good testimony and glor ify God in the process," she said.

"It's a good way to witness to people," agreed Speicher. "It's a good way to use your God-given talents in a positive way."

Everyone in the band agrees that the most important part of their music is the lyrics, which they try to make relevant to people their own age by concentrating on such themes as forgiveness. They do try to vary their mes sages. However, "from the first day that we started, we kept on saying we don't want to mention Jesus in every single one of our songs," Ballard explained. "We said that over and over and over, and we still somehow do it."

They also try to tie their music to current events. Ballard said that he wrote "Carry the Cross" after seeing the movie "The Passion of the Christ," and "Lower Than Heaven" after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

While it is important to the members of Barefoot 'n' Sandals that the crowd enjoys their performance, they also make sure that the focus is on Chris tianity.

"The whole point of it being Christian is it's supposed to be different. We're supposed to be separated from the world, and if it looks exactly like the world, including the costumes and stuff like that, then we're ruining our whole point of it being Christian," Stiffler said.

Before going on stage, band members often say a prayer. They also pray as they play. Said Stiffler, "Usually I'm just thinking, 'Lord, I hope you're pleased with my music, and I hope that I'm giving you praise. And please, please help me do this right.' "

They also pray with the crowd during their performances. "It's a really good feeling to be able to be up there on stage playing and then see all these people . . . and just all of a sudden there they are right in front of you, kneeling and praying and crying," said McCall.

Those moments are the best part of performing, band members said. Ballard said one of his favorite concerts was at New Palestine High School, which he attends.

"About 20 minutes after we were off stage, we were signing shirts and stuff, and this girl pulled me aside. I guess the song 'Lower Than Heaven' really touched her, and she told me that she really appreciated what I was doing. She gave me a huge hug and told me that I really helped her out on some things that she was confused about."

Band members said performing brings them closer to God.

"You can just feel God's power moving, and it's so cool just to feel. I think God is pleased with us." Stiffler said. "I especially felt it when we were singing 'I Could Sing of Your Love Forever.' It was just like the song was ringing true at that particular moment."

Ballard also said he feels the presence of God when he performs. "When we're playing a super-emotional song on stage, you can feel the hair on your neck stand up and like every note is right and the song just works out and you know that God was there, telling you what chords to play. I think that's what's most rewarding for me," he said.

While band members have enjoyed playing and the recognition, they don't plan to make a living with their music. Already Stiffler and McCall have had to drop out of the band because of school and family commitments.

"We want to stay together, but we've got to start thinking of our careers," Ballard said.

ASSISTANT EDITORS: Zoe Hayes, 17; Collin LaMothe, 15.

REPORTERS: Max Dean, 13; Katie Stergar, 14.

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