For many people in our world today, hypocrisy is the last thing that they wish to see. They long for truth and to know that they are not alone, wherever they are in life. Many times, they cannot find this from Christians and for Christians who are looking for truth and want to see that other people deal with issues, they struggle to find it in the lives of the people in their church. Everyone in their church seems like spiritual giants, looking down upon them when they fail. A group of youth workers are changing that fact for everyone, singing praise and worshipping God, while being real in their lyrics and their lives.

Casting Crowns has taken the Christian music scene by storm, addressing personal issues as well as current issues of the church with their hard-hitting lyrics and life-changing focus. From hits like “If We are the Body� which addresses the inadequacies of the modern day church, “Does Anybody Hear Her� which deals with judgment within the walls of the church, to the personal struggles heard in “Voice of Truth�, Casting Crowns has decided to reach people where they are at in life, rather than stay “politically correct� in the eyes of many church members. I caught up with Mark Hall before their concert at the North Carolina state fair to talk about the music and get his advice for men as well as youth leaders.

His Life
I wanted to know about Mark’s story, as the music of Casting Crowns has been very influential to me over the last couple of years. We are both youth pastors and, having that in common, wanted to learn more about how he met God in his own life.

Q â€" Tell me your testimony.

“Remember Vacation Bible School, back in the day…they had a parade that would come through the neighborhood and all the kids were in the back of the truck yelling “Come to Vacation Bible School.� It came through our neighborhood and we weren’t churched at all. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world, so I wanted to go. I begged my parents to let me go and they did and it was a pretty sharp church because after they had us all register in that week, they came and visited us the next week after Bible school was over. So they met my parents. Some things that had happened in my dad’s life…my old friend that I used to play with at my grandparent’s house, his name was Jeff, had drown in a city pool just before all of this was going on and my dad, at the funeral, learned that Jeff and his whole family were believers, so he got to see what believers look like in a crisis. He saw a peace that he’d never seen before. Right about that time, I’m going to Bible School, then this man comes by, Mr. Blakeney, the worship leader at the church, and eventually ends up leading my dad to the Lord. My dad brought us all to church and we’d been there for about a year and a half to two years. I was nine (years old) the morning that I was sitting there realizing that I needed Jesus in my heart. I walked down and talked to the pastor. I grew up in that church, but it wasn’t until I was probably 20 or 21 that I realized that I needed that daily walk with Him. I was sort of that dormant believer for many years. Then, everything just kind of clicked for me.�

Mark went on to become a youth minister and eventually, God blessed him with the other members of Casting Crowns.

The Music

Admittedly, I didn’t jump on the Casting Crowns bandwagon to start with. I went and bought the first CD because my youth liked “If We are the Body�. After hearing “Who Am I�, I was hooked and began to listen intently to the message God had given this group. I found that many things that I had felt for a long time, they were singing about.

Q â€" Where do you get the inspiration for the music you write?

“Our music comes from the ministry we have at the church. So, if we sing a song about a girl, then it’s a song about a girl. (It comes from the) Things that are really happening all around us. We talk about and sing about things that we’re dealing with, we’re struggling with, that we’re weak in because I think transparency is what reaches people. You know, standing on top of the pulpit and firing down on the weak doesn’t exactly get it done, but when you get down there with them and say, “Man, am I the only one who’s a dork in this area?�, then everybody’s like “No, I am too!�. I just think it makes it easier to talk about heavy things when you’re transparent yourself. They (the songs) are just coming from our own lives.�

Q â€" Who influenced you musically?

“Well, when I was in high school, I listened to everything. I didn’t have a certain style I listened to. So, I’d go Euro, then Southern Rock, then I’d go over here to Pop…it didn’t really matter. Probably about age 21 or 22, I started listening to Christian music and that’s all I’ve listened to since. I don’t listen to mainstream, especially as a youth pastor. I’m trying to teach my students thought life, but how can I if I’m out there listening to everything else? To me, your music is either who you are or who you want to be. There’s a reason that you listen to what you’re listening to…there’s always a reason underneath the music.

Mark talked about how he listens to a variety in Christian music as well, from Third Day and Delirious to newer groups like Leeland and Red. He also likes the David Crowder band and Toby Mac, as well as Disciple. He said, “I don’t want to get stuck because if you get stuck, you’re in trouble as a musician. I try to always keep it to where it’s pointing me toward my walk with God and not lassoing me back to my old life. I think that’s important.�

Q â€" Praise You In This Storm â€" Is that written about something one of you guys have gone through?

“We get the most letters about “The Voice of Truth� and “Praise You In This Storm� cause everybody’s just out there dealing with stuff. It’s sort of reassuring when you say, “Hey, just because you can’t see God’s plan, that doesn’t mean there is no plan, you know, and I’m just going to trust Him.� We had a friend lose a little girl about two yeas ago and the song is about the faith and the worship of Miss Lauri, this little girl’s mom. The little girl’s name was Erin so to us, it’s just Erin’s Song.�

Q â€" What’s your favorite part of touring and your least favorite?

“My favorite part is…let’s see, favorite, I’m terrible with favorites (smiling)…I like it because my family comes with me. So we do it together. I’m home schooling right now and just came in here to meet you, then I’ll go back in and finish and then we’ll hang out during the day. So it’s still like a weekend for us because I won’t do anything until probably four or five o’clock, when we do the sound checks and stuff. So we just hang out and play all day and do school and stuff, so I really like that part of it. I like meeting new people and seeing tat God is doing stuff everywhere. I like meeting new folks.�

He said that his least favorite was rolling into church on the bus, literally 20 or 30 minutes before the service started. He said laughing, “I wish there was a little more of a buffer where I can go be with the Lord for a little bit and get ready for the middle schoolers, you know, that kind of thing!�

Q â€" What can we expect from Casting Crowns in 2007?“Right now, we’re going to take about 5 months off and not tour in the states. We’re going overseas to do a lot of youth worker training. We’ve already been to South Africa, we’ve been to Kenya, and we’re heading to Singapore and Scotland and spending time with local churches, pouring into the youth workers. (We’re) Showing them what Biblical student ministry looks like and also doing concerts in those countries while we’re there. So that’s going to be pretty awesome. We’ll be doing a lot of that, a lot of writing, and just waiting to see what God has for us next.â€?

His Advice
In talking with Mark, you could tell the deep Biblical foundation that his life is built upon. I asked him a few questions to get his take on Christianity today.

Q â€" What do you think is the biggest problem facing Christian men today?“

Well, you think you’d say media, internet, and all of that kind of stuff, but I think, as believers, the first thing Satan goes after is your time with God…your personal walk with Jesus because when you’re walking with God and you’re spending time with Him everyday, things get black and white and become very easy to understand and stay away from. When you’re not spending time in the Word and you’re not spending time with Him when things go great, that’s when things like media, music, movies, and the internet get to your thought life and stuff. So, all of those things are weapons against us, but I think the greatest weapon Satan has is trying to disconnect us from our walk with Jesus.�

Q â€" You work in youth ministry too. How do you think we can do a better job, as Christians, in reaching out to teenagers?

“I think the best way to reach teenagers, or one of the best ways, is through relationships…by hanging out with them. They’re looking at you, as an adult, thinking, “Well, what are you going to tell me to do because every adult in my life has been telling me what to do.� But when a relationship forms and they begin to understand, “Hey, this person actually likes me, then I might listen to what you have to say!� One of the biggest witness breakers for teenagers when they look at adults is inconsistency. “You tell me to do this but when I get in the van with you to go to Burger King, the music you turn on says everything opposite of what you say we’re supposed to be. Apparently, you don’t really men that or you’re just not real bright!� So, students are figuring out ways to discount you, not on purpose, but subconsciously. We earn the right to talk to people through our lifestyle, through our witness all the time, and through our relationships.�

Q â€" What has the Lord taught you through the success of Casting Crowns?

“I guess the biggest thing He’s showing me is that He can do anything He wants through anybody He wants and that leadership and influence is temporary and we’re accountable. It can be here and gone as quick as a breeze and we better make sure that every amount of influence we are granted in this little window here is pointing people to Him and not us.�

Q â€" With all that is happening in our world today â€" the big hurricanes last year, the tsunami from a couple years back â€" what do you think God is trying to say to Christians?

“I don’t think he’s trying to say anything that He hasn’t already been saying. I mean, he started a long time ago. Basically, in His own way, He’s saying, “Stop pointing fingers at wars and storms and all of those things and just realize that if My people will call on Me, if the church would just get right with Me, then I could do a lot more things.� There is so much God time spent on trying to get the church right with Him that it seems like He could be drawing a lot more people to Him. I think a lot more people trip over the church than find a way to Jesus through it sometimes. I think 2nd Chronicles 7:14 is what He’s still saying.

Q â€" What is your favorite Bible passage and why?“Oh, I’m terrible at thisâ€? Mark saying laughing. “I have a different one every time. Right now, one of my favorites is Psalm 1 â€" “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of scoffers, but he delights in the law of the Lord and on it, he meditates day and night.â€? I think that’s pretty awesome because it shows the slow dropping of a believer. The first thing they’re doing wrong is they’re walking in the counsel of the wicked, and the people you hang with, the people that influence you, you choose the wrong crowd to walk in. Then, you’re not walking anymore…you’re standing. You’re standing and the way that you live is causing other believers to go, “Maybe this is not rightâ€?, and even people that don’t know the Lord are looking at it going, “Well, he’s doing this so maybe it’s ok to do this.â€? Then, you’re not even standing…you’re sitting. You’re just that numb guy in the back row and that’s what happens when you don’t spend time with God everyday.â€?

I realized that much of what Mark said could be seen in my own life. I have, at various points, been reduced to sitting and it all started with who I hung out with and the choices that I made. Casting Crowns music calls us to become more as believers and as the church, and in doing so, break down the walls to help those in need in the world we live in. Their music is also calling us to be transparent, which I noticed that same transparency and joyful spirit in Mark in the short time we spent together. We can all learn something from the ministry and music of Casting Crowns…to call on the name of the Lord and be who He has called us to be.

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