Committing to serve as a missionary doesn’t necessarily mean living in a remote region of the world where there is no running water and the only mode of transportation is the local wildlife.

It might mean traveling solo in a van all over America, singing and preaching at churches, conventions, retreats and festivals to audiences ranging in age from junior high to college.

At least that’s what it means to traveling worship leader and speaker Peder Eide.

By the end of this year, Eide said he will have led worship and preached in front of 50,000 students.

Although 50,000 may be the tally at the end of his 170-day road trip, it’s hard to estimate how many people attend an average concert.

“There can be anywhere from 10 to 12,000 people at a concert,” Eide said. “Both of [those sizes] I like. They both have neat dynamics.”

Because his audience size is so unpredictable for every concert, Eide has had to devise worship strategies that appeal to all types of crowds.

He often performs a few of his original songs from his four albums; however, most of his concerts revolve around interactive worship.

“I’m really someone who likes to concentrate on participation,” Eide said. “I try to break down the barrier between the audience and the worship leader.”

And Eide will do just about whatever he needs to do to get his point across to audiences. Unlike most speakers who have a running topic they preach about and a regular list of songs they rely on, Eide said the direction of his concerts varies, depending on the message he is trying to get across to the audience.

“I’m there to serve them,” Eide said. “I’ll do whatever I can to accomplish the goal [the sponsors] want.”

Message topics may be different, but Eide said the overall theme is always the same.

“Jesus is the only way, truth and life,” he said. “And I’m not just saying that stuff because as a Christian artist you’re supposed to say that stuff.”

He said after his concerts, his prayer is that his audiences will cling to one very important truth.

“There is no greater life than life in Christ,” Eide said. “God created [life], so he knows what the best is going to be. And it’s not just an earthly life, it’s a life that lasts forever.”

Eide admitted that “there will be hardships and hard times, but there will also be lots of joy — joy that can’t be found anywhere else.”

Eide will speak and lead worship tonight at 7 at the First Evangelical Free Church of Ames, 2008 24th St. The concert is free to the public.