Attendees of the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) were welcomed last night with worship performances and testimonies from industry suppliers, retailers and artists at two music events last night.

Author and Colorado resident Philip Yancey spoke about climbing 14,000-foot peaks, where he was able to get a glimpse of a “God's-eye view.” Yancey also spoke of learning to pray for his enemies after he was invited to the USSR in 1991 by Mikhail Gorbachev to “restore morality.” Visiting the KGB--the former Russian secret police and intelligence agency--offices, Yancey said he was surprised to hear an official speak of the need for repentance in the post-communism country. “What if we each adopted a member of al-Qaida to pray for them?” Yancey proposed.

David Foster of Nashville's Bellevue Community Church, author of November release A Renegade's Guide to God (Faith Words, formerly Warner Faith), spoke of Jesus as “a renegade: He pushed back against convention,” and said “culture hasn't rejected Christ; they've rejected those who've taken Him and turned Him into something He never was.” A “revolution of the human heart” was what Foster urged, that Christians should “recover the belief that we can change the world.”

Jared Anderson of Colorado Springs, Colo.'s, New Life Church worship band, Desperation Band, kicked off CBA's Worship Now! Event; other performers included Scott Wesley Brown, White Heart founder Billy Smiley and classical guitarist Christopher Parkening.

An offering was taken to benefit Denver-based Whiz Kids Tutoring Inc., a nonprofit tutoring organization with 38 sites that have the capacity to reach more than 800 elementary-age kids.

In addition, last night the Gospel Music Association (GMA) hosted The Power of Music, a musical showcase interspersed with inspirational stories from retailers and suppliers. Texan Ana Laura opened with “Water” from her self-titled Reunion Records debut and shared a testimony of God's grace in her life.

Following Ana Laura, former Wellspring Christian Resources music buyer Randy Ross, now music merchandising specialist for Parable Christian Stores, told how songs can impact a person's life, a theme running throughout the event. Working in retail, Ross had helped a grieving family find the appropriate song for their baby's funeral, giving his own personal copy when the store did not have the title in stock. He later learned how the grandmother of the child had described it as “the kindest act she'd ever seen a Christian do.”

Other performances included Salvador, The Mike Bowling Group and Leigh Nash, the former Sixpence None the Richer singer who will release her first solo project, Blue on Blue, this fall from One Son Records/Provident-Integrity.

Bebo Norman, with a broken leg due to a recent Wiffle ball incident, closed out the evening, with music from his upcoming album Between the Dreaming and the Coming True (Essential/Provident-Integrity), his first new project in two years.