E. Pettersen has been transforming church sanctuaries into concert venues across Virginia, offering contemporary Christian performances that operate on a unique model—accepting only voluntary love offerings rather than charging set admission fees.
The singer-songwriter, who has been involved in Christian music for over five decades, performs original compositions alongside covers of popular contemporary Christian songs. His repertoire includes more than 30 copyrighted songs, with one particularly notable composition, “Ground Zero,” having been featured at the National September 11th Museum and Memorial in New York City.
Pettersen’s musical journey began at age seventeen as a founding member of Almost Heaven, a contemporary Christian group that toured throughout the United States. Despite never receiving formal musical training, he has developed into an accomplished performer who now serves multiple roles in the Christian music community—as a solo artist, producer of the gospel group Streets of Gold, and music director at his local church.
His concerts incorporate multimedia elements, including self-produced videos that display lyrics to assist hearing-impaired audience members. Between songs, Pettersen shares the inspiration behind his original compositions and his selection of cover material, creating what attendees describe as a complete worship experience.
“Sometimes the spirit of the Lord reaches us through other people’s efforts and talents. Such a time was the night of 03/14/2025 when we listened to E. Pettersen perform at Wesley UMC in Hampton Va. Each song he performed was a sermon but with the added emotion of music that came from the Lord and Ed’s heart. Each song had us singing, and brought us all together as a family with the Lord,” said David Roane, who attended a recent performance.
The Virginia-based Christian musician has released three albums—The Mission, Songs from Apartment 316, and Sanctuary—with a Christmas album titled Believe scheduled for release in November. His music is available in both CD and USB drive formats.
Charles West, another concert attendee, emphasized the impact of experiencing Pettersen’s performances firsthand. “If you haven’t had the opportunity to see Mr Pettersen in concert, you really should do so at your first opportunity. Mr Pettersen’s concerts include a number of his original compositions as well as covers of several hits by top contemporary Christian artists. Mr Pettersen’s songs are wonderfully orchestrated and performed with videos which he produced that help the hard of hearing to understand the words of the song. He shares his inspiration for either writing the song or selecting the cover in a manner that completes the worship experience for the audience.”
The love offering model allows churches of various sizes and budgets to host concerts without the financial burden of guaranteed performance fees. This approach aligns with Pettersen’s ministry-focused philosophy, making his music accessible to congregations throughout Virginia regardless of their financial resources.
Tommy Clohessy, who has followed Pettersen’s career for nearly four decades, noted the transformative nature of the live performances. “It’s impossible to try to fully describe E. Pettersen and his music. Yes he has a vocal range. Yes, he has a lyrical and musical depth like few others, but, perhaps most importantly, there’s an intangible element about him and his music. It’s plain just by listening that there is power in his voice and his lyrics and his music. But seeing him live… That’s something else.”
Clohessy continued, “For nearly 40 years, I have watched audiences become enraptured, not only by his singing, his lyrics and his music, but by the way he talks about human beings. About Jesus. About love. About all he has seen and felt over the nearly 7 decades of his life so far on earth. By the end of each concert, we not only stand and applaud, we feel enlightened, empowered, filled with love… and hope. That is a profound, immeasurable gift.”
Churches interested in hosting concerts can find more information about Pettersen’s music and booking details through his website. In addition to live performances, the site offers his complete catalog of recordings for those unable to attend concerts in person.
The combination of original compositions, carefully selected covers, and multimedia presentation has created a distinctive concert experience that resonates with Virginia congregations. As Pettersen continues developing new material, including his upcoming Christmas album, his love offering concert model provides churches with an accessible way to bring contemporary Christian music to their communities.
For pastors, worship leaders, and choir directors seeking to enhance their church’s music ministry, Pettersen’s contemporary Christian concerts offer a tested format that combines worship, entertainment, and community building without the constraints of traditional concert pricing structures.