The Christian rock group Sanctus Real will replace Newsboys on the 2025 Canadian tour, Faith Live, the Christian ministry and promoter behind the event, has announced.
“We know the recent changes around the Newsboys tour have been difficult. After prayerful consideration, we chose obedience over comfort and stepped away from that partnership — trusting God to lead the way,” Faith Live wrote on its Facebook page Monday.
“We’re honored to announce Sanctus Real will now be joining the tour. This isn’t just a replacement — it’s a calling. Their heart for worship, honesty, and ministry is exactly what this moment needs.”
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The announcement came just days after Faith Live founder Sheena Hennink announced the decision to cancel the Newsboys tour — originally scheduled to run May 31 through June 16 — “after prayer, wise counsel, planning, financial sacrifice and an unwavering desire to see lives transformed through worship and community.”
Hennink said the abrupt change in the band’s lineup in January, when lead singer Michael Tait unexpectedly stepped down, created confusion among ticket holders and a lack of clarity that Faith Live was not prepared for.
“This is something that we were not informed of in advance,” Hennink wrote. “Since that time, additional information regarding the nature of his exit has surfaced. This information has come from sources we consider credible and trustworthy, and while we will not speculate publicly, we can say with confidence that what has come to light has raised serious concerns for us as a faith-based organization.”
Hennink also said the Newsboys team failed to provide “any meaningful support or artist engagement” to help audiences connect with new frontman Adam Agee.
“The handling of that transition really lacked clarity and transparency, leaving both our team and the general public in a difficult position,” she added, noting that Faith Live was also instructed not to address questions about the lineup change—a stance she said compromised their integrity with fans.
While acknowledging Agee as “undoubtedly talented,” she emphasized, “this was not the individual that audiences had connected with over the years.”
Shortly after Faith Live’s announcement, Newsboys released their own statement, expressing “deep disappointment” and laying the blame on the promoter.
“Unfortunately, despite repeated efforts to hold this tour together, Faith Live has materially breached the agreement and failed to meet core obligations necessary to responsibly execute these events,” the band said, citing unfulfilled financial and logistical responsibilities such as artist deposits, technical coordination, and ticketing management.
“We are heartbroken for our Canadian fans,” the band wrote. “We truly believe in what God is doing across Canada — and we remain committed to returning when the right doors are open and trustworthy partnerships are in place.”
In another social media post, Faith Live said it’s been “flooded with excitement” over the shift and asked for prayer.
“Leadership often means making hard calls — and sometimes, realizing you needed to make them sooner. We acknowledge there were moments we could have moved faster, communicated better, or navigated differently. We’re learning. And we’re listening.
This isn’t about blame. It’s about stewardship — of relationships, resources, and trust. And while this outcome was heartbreaking, we believe God is already at work redeeming what was lost and rebuilding what matters most,” the group said.
Faith Live urged prayer for its team, the Newsboys and “the Body of Christ across Canada.”
“The enemy thrives on division, but we believe this moment can be a catalyst for healing and greater collaboration in the future,” the statement reads.
Newsboys’ canceled tour had been billed as part of the band’s “Worldwide Revival” initiative and marked a major North American run following Tait’s exit and Agee’s promotion to lead vocalist.
In a social media post in January, Tait, who had led Newsboys for 15 years, said his decision came after “prayerful reflection” and a sense of clarity. In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Agee said the former DC Talk singer simply told the band “he was going to focus on himself.”
“I know that he left and he just gave us a few reasons why he was stepping down, and he just said he’s going to focus on himself,” Agee shared. “Other than that, I don’t really know, because we didn’t really discuss it further. Hopefully, he’ll make some kind of a statement soon, but that, again, is just up to him.”
In a recent interview with CP, Sanctus Real opened up about their new music and holding fast to biblical truth despite the ups and downs of the Christian music industry.
Mark Graalman, the band’s drummer and another founding member, reflected on the long road the band has taken since their formation in Toledo, Ohio, in the mid-1990s.
“We literally put it in our band name: we want to be real,” he said. “We’re not spiritual giants. We’re just guys who still need grace.”
“In a world of filters and hype, being real matters,” Graalman said. “We want people to see God’s strength in our weakness.”
The group also voiced their excitement about getting back on the road.
“What humbles me still to this day is, you know, it doesn’t matter the size of the show,” lead singer Dustin Lolli said. “Almost every night, somebody comes and says, ‘Hey, that song you guys wrote wrecked me or changed my life.'”
Graalman added, “It’s just amazing that these songs get written and released. It’s like throwing a rock in a pond and watching the ripples. You don’t know how far it’s going to go,” he added, reflecting on the account of the young boy who awoke from heart surgery singing one of their songs. “That song gave him hope.”
