2 of 2

What has really excited me has been the response we've read through e-mails. I've gotten e-mails from pastors and their wives talking about what the song's doing in their youth group with their students. People are writing to us from California to Finland. That's incredible, because I wrote that song for 25 kids in Alabama. I was just trying to say, "Look, you've been in church all your life, but you need to understand what the church looks like when the world comes in. They've never been here before and it looks like a big old happy circle that they're not a part of."

The other night we played for 4,000 students in Gatlinburg. To see those students singing the song shook me a little bit. But it doesn't go to my head, because I've got enough limitations in my life where I'm scared to death to take the reins on my own.

So God is, for some reason, deciding to use us right now. I don't think we're saying anything new that any pastor, Sunday school teacher, or youth pastor isn't already saying. I think it was just God's timing and he decided to use the song. And if he decides not to use the next one, that's fine with us. We're just happy to be a part of it.

Mike Weaver of Big Daddy Weave says he sees God using his band in different ways whether they're at the top or bottom of the charts. Sounds like you have a similar view of the "importance" of your chart position.

HallYeah. I don't read reviews, I don't know what people are saying [about the album], and if I hear about the charts it's because somebody told me. I've got to stay down here where things are real. I say that because if you're looking around for people to say good things about you, you'll feed off that. The problem is, what if they're not saying good things about you? You've got to be careful that you're listening to the right voices.

As far as reviews go, good grief! That's one person's musical taste in a magazine for millions of people—I've never understood that. We've got to stay unplugged from all of that stuff.

So yeah, I'm on the same wavelength as those guys. They're neat guys. We got to hang out with them a few times already.

You've said you weren't chasing a record deal. What would you say to someone who's tempted to do so?

HallI've got a lot of e-mails from young people who are getting started. They want to know what to do in order to get into the music industry. I tell them, "Sometimes you can get so consumed over what may happen in a year, that you'll trip over what God has for you right now." Ministry is for today and calling is for today—right now. God has a place and a purpose for you right now.

I've never had God tell me what he wants me to do a year from now. Because where you are is where you're planted, and you've got to bloom where you're planted.

Ambition will get you down. If you need a recording contract to validate what you're doing, then you'll be let down when it doesn't happen.

I've always felt that if God wants me somewhere, he'll take me there. That doesn't mean I'm not motivated. It just means I'm motivated to bloom where I am. And I'm gonna pour everything into who I'm with at the time. We've been in some amazing places as a band because we've let God work in that exact way.

Check out http://JumpStartResources.com/ to learn more about Mark and the band's new online effort to assist youth pastors in dozens of practical ways.

For more about Casting Crowns, including our review of their self-titled debut, visit our artist page for the band. Check out Christianbook.com to listen to sound clips and buy music

first page |  2 of 2