Summer Concert Series: Casting Crowns Songs
From humble, yet focused Christian outreach beginnings, to today’s still humble but clearly superstar status in the Christian music world, Casting Crowns delivers on being a top Christian band with significantly meaningful, and personally impactful, messages in their songs, while still staying true to their Christian outreach commitment.
The group began as a student worship band in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1999. Led by singer, songwriter, and youth pastor Mark Hall, the group initially included guitarists Juan DeVevo and Hector Cervantes, violinist Melodee DeVevo, and drummer Rob Cervantes (a.k.a. Chavez). The group relocated to Stockbridge, Georgia, in 2001, adding Chris Huffman on bass, Megan Garrett on keyboards and accordion, and drummer Andy Williams. The original version of Casting Crowns released two independent albums on CD, both of which were well received in the Atlanta area. Both independent albums were efforts on the part of Mark Hall and the rest of the group as outreach projects for youth in the area. Although the group was not searching for a record label, one of the group's albums found its way into the hands of Mark Miller, lead singer for country group Sawyer Brown, who was struck by Casting Crowns' driving pop/rock style and Hall's vocal delivery of his hard-hitting but devout songs. Miller signed Casting Crowns to his fledgling Beach Street Records, a division of Reunion Records with distribution by the Provident Label Group, making Casting Crowns the first artist signed to Beach Street Records.
Mark Miller took the group into the studio along with co-producer Steven Curtis Chapman, himself a popular artist on the CCM musical scene. The resulting album, appropriately names “Casting Crowns,” was released in 2003 on the Beach Street imprint. The album quickly made them one of the fastest selling debut artists in Christian music history. The album's third single, "Voice of Truth", spent a record-breaking fourteen consecutive weeks at No. 1 beginning in 2003. Even though this clearly launched Casting Crowns into megastars on the Christian music scene, the group remained true to their commitment to share the message of Jesus and to continue their outreach efforts. In keeping with The Great Commission, Hall himself describes their music as a "ministry of discipleship".
Hall today serves as youth minister at Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, Georgia, while the other members are active in their respective churches. They do the band part-time around their full-time work of raising families and church service. They often tour from Thursday to Saturday so that they can be home for church on Sunday morning and Wednesday night.
Their music is very genuine and stays quite true to their mission. They have topped the Christian charts 14 times with number one songs and have had a staggering 40 out of 49 singles released reaching the top ten on the charts. This is as of this writing as I believe their most recent release, “Scars in Heaven,” is destined to clearly be in the top ten, if not their 15th number one hit.
There are so many hits that we could write pages about this great group. But we will focus on just a handful of great songs.
The afore mentioned “Voice of Truth” is clearly a huge hit, on album “Casting Crowns,” and is so brilliantly written. Following their first number one hit, “Who Am I,” which is also another super song and message, in its own right, “Voice of Truth” points out that the world and our society tell us many things to strive for, to struggle with, and to worry about. But Jesus and God tell us a different story. Everyday we are bombarded by thoughts that we cannot achieve certain things and that we often fail and that we never win. But Jesus tells us to not be afraid and that what we need to do, in this world, is to bring glory to Him, not to satisfy the voices of this world. What a truthful and beautiful reminder of our true purpose on this earth and in this life. Above all, we need to only listen to Jesus; the voice of truth!
“Until the Whole Earth Hears” is the next huge hit, from the album of the same name, that conveys another great message. This song features a harder driving sound and full instrumental compliment, which is quite catchy and moving. The song depicts a growing group of believers sharing the Word of good news from Jesus, in such strength and passion to spread the Word like a radio station. That we Christians need to spread this good news constantly and never stop spreading the word until the whole world hears the message and can rejoice in the good news of Christ. Another great hit tune and message!
The next hit on this album, is “Glorious Day.” The song reminds us of Jesus death and the true reason he went to the cross – for us. How Jesus went through all this pain, sacrifice, and died, just to be raised from the dead to save us. The song tells us: That Jesus coming to earth to live with us shows He loved us, His dying saved us, His being buried carried our sins away, His rising from the dead justified and freed us forever, and His coming and return will bring us the glorious day when we get to be in heaven with him and all our loved ones. Such a beautiful song!
Their last album contained two hugely successful and meaningful songs: “Only Jesus” and “Nobody,” featuring Matthew West. Both songs were chart toppers and have different yet somewhat related messages. “Only Jesus” tells us that legacy and making our mark on this world should not be our first priority and that Jesus and working towards the good news of the Bible should be our only objective, because we should not care if the world knows or remembers us, we should only care that the world knows and remembers Jesus. An empty world and empty dreams cannot satisfy, like only Jesus can!
“Nobody,” featuring Matthew West, tells us the story of how the world tells us we can never measure up. That we are nobodies trying to influence a world of nobody’s. With references to the meekness of King David, the shyness of Moses, and the ineptness of the chosen twelve disciples, the song reminds us that we are nothing without Jesus and God and that we need to be living for the world to see “Nobody” but Jesus. The songs remind us that we are just (a): “Nobody, trying to tell everybody, all about somebody, that saved my soul. Ever since you rescued me, you gave my heart a song to sing, I’m living for the world to see, nobody but Jesus!”
Finally, I want to point out a new song which you may not have yet heard; “Scars in Heaven.” Just released on June 4, 2021, this is one of the finest and most moving songs I have ever heard. The song starts with a moving portrayal of a lost relationship, even though we don’t know who or why. The lyric “Now, what I'd give for one more day with you,” clearly depicts the anguish and regret, apparently do to some traumatic event causing serious scars to that loved one. But, because this loved one is now in Heaven, they no longer have to suffer because the only scars in heaven are on the hands, of Jesus, that now hold that loved one. YOU ABSOLUTLEY HAVE TO HEAR THIS SONG! It is so beautiful and reminds us that loving someone, no matter how painful it is, and we all know it is heart wrenching, that their scars, their hurts, their pain and anguish are all gone when they go to heaven to be with Jesus. Because of Jesus’s scars, these loved ones are now at peace and that we can all be saved. I honestly cannot listen to this song without a tear of both sadness and happiness, coming to me as I think of all the loved ones that have gone before. Such a wonderfully loving and moving song!!! I encourage you to Google, or search YouTube, for the song and listen to it – I have pasted the lyrics below in case you have not heard it before.
On a personal note, Sarah and I have not seen Casting Crowns, but it is on our list of next bands to see, as soon as the opportunity arises!
If you love, true, meaningful, caring, loving, and clean music, you cannot go wrong with music from/by Casting Crowns. This band, and their songs, are truly Christian based and they simply want to share Gods love and message without being pushy or righteous know-it-all religious fanatics. They are everyday humble people, like you and I, with a simple talent to share God’s love, in a very unique musical way.
***Disclaimer – The above interpretations are my feelings of what these songs mean. I honestly don’t know what messages the writers intended to convey, but these are my feelings when I hear these songs.
The lyrics to “Scars in Heaven” by Casting Crowns:
If I had only known the last time would be the last time I would've put off all the things I had to do I would've stayed a little longer, held on a little tighter Now what I'd give for one more day with you 'Cause there's a wound here in my heart where something's missing And they tell me that it's gonna heal with time But I know you're in a place where all your wounds have been erased And knowing yours are healed is healing mine
The only scars in heaven, they won't belong to me and you There'll be no such thing as broken, and all the old will be made new And the thought that makes me smile now, even as the tears fall down Is that the only scars in heaven are on the hands that hold you now
I know the road you walked was anything but easy You picked up your share of scars along the way Oh, but now you're standing in the sun, you've fought your fight and your race is run The pain is all a million miles away
The only scars in heaven, they won't belong to me and you There'll be no such thing as broken, and all the old will be made new And the thought that makes me smile now, even as the tears fall down Is that the only scars in heaven, yeah, are on the hands that hold you now
Hallelujah, hallelujah Hallelujah, for the hands that hold you now
There's not a day goes by that I don't see you You live on in all the better parts of me Until I'm standing with you in the sun, I'll fight this fight and this race I'll run Until I finally see what you can see, oh-oh
The only scars in heaven, they won't belong to me and you There'll be no such thing as broken, and all the old will be made new And the thought that makes me smile now, even as the tears fall down Is that the only scars in heaven are on the hands that hold you now
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: John Mark Hall / Matthew West
Scars in Heaven lyrics © Essential Music Publishing