Christian music fans are probably familiar with Robert Beeson through Essential Records, the christian music label he started. His idea was to have a place for youth christian music and has signed groups such as Jars of Clay and Third Day since the start-up of the label.

Yet today he again feels there's another gap in christian music and that gap is the tween genre. These are kids who claim songs from the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana as their anthems. They aren't little kids, yet they're not quite teenagers.

So Beeson decided to start the IShine Live tour, a faith-based concert geared toward the tween audience. It features performers Luke Benward, the Rubyz, Robert Pierre and speaker Paige Armstrong.

"These kids need to understand how valuable they are and how important they are and not just be entertained," Beeson said.

Saturday, the tour stopped in Cincinnati.

The show was kicked off with a performance from Luke Benward and his back-up dancers. The crowd sang and danced as the actor and singer from the Disney Channel performed.

Next up was the Rubyz, a singing trio ranging from ages 13-17. They sang up-beat songs with a focus on Christ.

"No matter what it is I'm going through, no matter what this world is coming to, you will always be the one to get me through" they sang as they performed "Thirteen."

Their message is not to grow up to fast.

"God has you right where you're supposed to be for that time," said Alexis, 15, one of the Rubyz. "He doesn't want you any older or any younger, he has you right where you're supposed to be. So in order to fulfill your walk with him, he's got you where he wants you, so there's no need to grow up too fast."

Then Paige Armstrong spoke to the audience about her story and finding identity in Christ. Armstrong was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer, when she was eleven. She went through chemotherapy and surgeries and was in the hospital for about a year. Through this time, she really grasped onto her faith in Christ.

"Having cancer changed my perspective on life completely," she said. "It opened my eyes to how valuable our lives are and how precious our time is here on earth."

She overcame the disease and through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, she recorded a christian album in Nashville, Tenn. and has been performing and speaking ever since.

Her talk Saturday had the central idea of a V.I.P. which normally stands for Very Important Person. Yet she used it to talk about how important people are in Christ. The V stood for "Valuable," the I was for "Identity in Christ" and the P stood for "Purpose."

She hoped the audience realizes that they should go and live their lives for the purpose of Jesus Christ.

"I hope they walk out of these doors remembering that this world does not define them," she said.

Robert Pierre ended the show by performing and leading the audience in the worship song "Mighty to Save." He broke up his performance by banging on a large drum with a few people from his back-up band.

Pierre has recorded two albums. He's toured with Christ In Youth and now the 16-year-old from Orlando is performing with IShine. Pierre was excited to be performing for the message of God.

"That's our goal, that he would just use that how he wants to," he said.

Sarah Foster, 11, from Cincinnati, found out about the show from a friend. She watches the Disney Channel, so she was excited.

"I think it's going to be really awesome and great to learn about God," she said.

Alli Chaney, 12, from Cincinnati, came to support her friend Alexis from the Rubyz. Chaney attends church with Alexis at Four Corners Church.

"I thought it was a very good message that you don't need to be defined by the world," she said.

All in all, Beeson said the event has had an incredible response. The IShine Web site, www.ishinelive.com, has been flooded with positive e-mails, he said.

Beeson is glad that the performers aren't really the focus of the show.

"It's not about launching an artist, it's embracing an audience," he said.