Elementary education freshman Jana LoBello uses Christian music as a evangelizing tool.

"We're called to outreach, to bring others to Christ," she said. "Music and media is a great way to witness, because it is something everyone can relate to."

The increasing exposure of Christian artists in secular radio and movies allows bands and their fans to display a message of faith to non-Christians.

"I Can Only Imagine," a single by MercyMe, held the No. 1 spot on pop chart Billboard's Top 100 Singles Sales last week.

The vocals of 17-year-old Stacie Orrico also have spanned the airwaves of mainstream media. Her new single, "(There's Gotta Be) More to Life," has reached its peak on the Billboard Top 100 at No. 31.

Many artists, however, have met with mixed thoughts from the public if identified as Christian.

Stotz Thoda of Christian record label Ardent Records said Christian music never should have separated itself from the main music industry - it's all music in general, he said.

"Going mainstream allows bands to reach a much broader audience than if they were stifled to just the Christian industry." he said. "The Christian industry has kept itself from reaching far beyond where it does reach.

"These days the more subtle (the lyrics) are, the more attractive it becomes," Thoda said. "A lot of these bands are not speaking from the point of view of 'you're doing wrong,' but instead talking about how we all struggle. They live lives of action and not talk."

Some students recognize these Christian messages in some groups' lyrics and perceive negative effects from those messages.

"P.O.D. is really mainstream, but they're obviously Christian," English sophomore Amy Dutil said. "Sometimes there's a backlash to that, and a stigma associated with Christian bands."

P.O.D.'s Web site says they are not a Christian band - though the band members are Christians.

"It's stupid to label a band as Christian rock," she said. "Why can't it all be rock?"

It can all be rock, according to MercyMe publicist Velvet Rousseau Kelm. Rousseau Kelm said that radio stations play songs based on listener response, even if the song is "Christian."

Rousseau Kelm said MercyMe has goals similar to other groups, yet with a twist - they are guided by God.

"They just want to be who they are, and who God has called them to be," she said. "They just write songs from what happens in their lives and from what God has done in their lives. They don't write for Christian radio or pop radio, but obviously they are Christians, and that shows through in their music."

Other students, as well as Thoda, identified factors that define Christian music.

"Christian music mentions God or Jesus or talks about religion," human biology sophomore Paul Toste said. Although he recognized some names, he wasn't aware that some crossover bands were Christian bands.

"Maybe Christian music is becoming mainstream," he said.