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If you watched the first season of American Idol, you couldn't miss RJ Helton's huge smile. After RJ became one of Idol's top 10 finalists, it seemed people were talking about his pearly whites almost as much as his great voice.

While RJ certainly didn't mind the compliments, he hopes people also noticed something much deeper about him—his heart for God.

During his American Idol days, RJ shared his faith whenever he got the chance. He'd talk about his beliefs with reporters. He'd invite other finalists to sing worship songs with him. And on the American Idol website, he let fans know that his faith is the one thing that will last "forever and will forever remain constant."

But talking about God was nothing new for RJ. He had plenty of practice in high school.

"Whenever I performed in my high school's talent shows, I would always sing a song by Christian artists Clay Crosse or Steven Curtis Chapman," RJ says. "I got a lot more respect for speaking out and not hiding my faith and beliefs."

After graduating from high school, he decided to move to Nashville, Tennessee, the heart of the Christian music industry, thinking it might improve his chance of being noticed. RJ attempted to form a Christian boy band there, but that didn't work out, either.

Then he heard about the American Idol auditions. Broke and discouraged, RJ thought Idol might be the opportunity of a lifetime. It was. Suddenly, millions of TV viewers heard him sing.

These days, RJ is still using his voice to share his faith. After finishing in fifth place in Idol's first season, RJ received recording offers from several secular companies. He turned them all down to sign with the Christian label B-Rite Records. His first album will be available in early 2004.

For those who have big dreams, RJ has some simple advice: Go for it!

"If your passion is music—that's what you wake up in the morning thinking about, and you sing or play all day long—then that's what you need to be doing," he says. "If you're great at karate, by all means, do karate for the rest of your life.

"Just do what's in your heart and follow that dream, and put God at the center. He will guide you."

For more about RJ, check out christianitytoday.com/go/rjhelton.

Copyright © 2004 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Campus Life.

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