Casting Crowns
Casting Crowns breaks records in Christian music BCF grad remains true to first call
GRACEVILLE (BCF)–Long before awards and accolades, Casting Crowns lead singer Mark Hall was a 20-year-old student at The Baptist College of Florida where he says his ministry began as a struggling music major.
Casting Crowns is a record-breaking Christian band with chart-topping songs like “If We Are The Body” and “Who Am I” to their credit. Hall is the driving force behind the seven-member group whose second album, Lifesong, debuted in August to much praise.
It was a little over a decade ago, however, when Hall and his wife of one week, Melanie, made the move from Montgomery, Ala., to rural Graceville to attend BCF. “All I knew was that I felt God was calling me to ministry and also knew that I sang in church. So, we ran with it and came down here and came to school,” explains Hall.
It wasn’t all fun and games for Hall, who faced two challenges in his pursuit: his only musical experience was singing in his local church and an ongoing battle with dyslexia. These thorns would not stop the student from achieving his goals. According to the now acclaimed artist, his success was much to the credit of patient professors who always found a way to encourage him–even as he struggled.
“I knew God was calling me to something, but at the same time, I didn’t think I was sharp enough or good enough…and what I learned [at BCF] is that ministry is about people. It’s about living God out in front of people and loving on them with everything you do,” he explained.
The training received at BCF, he says, gave him the tools needed to fulfill the calling on his life. “God used the professors [at BCF] to mold what was in my heart to where it would come out in my hands and feet,” says Hall.
Now a successful Christian recording artist by any standard, fame hasn’t changed Hall’s focus on ministry. The passion for “loving on teenagers” began almost immediately after he enrolled at BCF over a decade ago. This strong call to student ministry made him question his chosen major in music ministry, but because of the strong foundation of theology, Bible, and missions courses included in the major, he decided to stick with it.
Hall says the decision to stick with the major now makes perfect sense, with the musical training he received at BCF now clearly the beginning of his skyrocketing musical career.
Several of the group’s record-breaking songs, including the multi-week chart-topping songs “We Are The Body” and “Voice of Truth,” were written by Hall in the chapel and practice rooms at BCF.
Traveling with BCF’s Male Chorale, an all-male touring ensemble, was where Hall says he learned one of the most important lessons of music ministry. The poignant moment came in a moment of irritation with singing the same set of songs at each venue. The young Hall vented that he was tired of singing the same songs over and over again.
Chorale director Dr. J. T. Owens made a statement that Hall carries with him still today. “Dr. Owens told us, ‘Guys, it’s not about you. They are the same songs to you, but they are brand new to the people. The people out here are the reason you’re doing it,’” Hall remembered.
“To this day, any time when I share my testimony and sing the song “Voice of Truth” or any other song of ours, it’s a brand new song because of that,” he explains.
These days Hall has many opportunities to put that lesson to good use as Casting Crowns continues to be one of the hottest names in Christian music, just coming off a tour with Steven Curtis Chapman last spring. The group’s debut album, a self-titled collection, has gone platinum with sales of over one million copies. Hall was also the recipient of seven awards at this year’s GMA Music Awards. Among those awards was songwriter of the year for many songs that got their start in the halls of BCF.
As the group’s sophomore release, “Lifesong” hit the stores to early praise, Hall and the whole Casting Crowns gang returned to his alma matter in Graceville for a homecoming concert of sorts. “It’s so cool to come into this place now…to see all of the things that are happening, and to read in the Echoes what God is doing,” explained Hall during his recent visit to the BCF campus.
“It’s just awesome to know that [BCF] is taking people in who feel called to something and taking all that passion…and channeling it through God’s Word into a ministry that benefits, not just people so they can have a neat ministry…but so they can be plugged into the Body of Christ and doing what God has called them to do.”
“That’s what I appreciate so much about this school.”
