Jars of Clay is a four-member Christian band formed at Greenville College in Greenville, IL. The band has been praised for the unique mix of pop, folk, rock, and mild electronica, as well as for the graceful way they communicate their beliefs through their music. The religious overtones, acoustic guitars, and programmed drum loops of their early work have led people to refer to them as a Christian Rock band, in spite of the band's lack of a drummer and bassist.
Jars of Clay is: Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Stephen Mason and Matthew Odmark. The band has no permanent drummer or bass player, though these roles are currently filled by Joe Porter and Aaron Sands in their live concerts.
The band's name is derived from the Bible verse II Corinthians 4:7 New International Version, which states: "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." This verse is the namesake for their song "Four Seven" (a hidden track on the CD release of their first album), which paraphrases the verse.
