It’s a formula they’ve followed for years and the impact upon the world is immeasurable. But when it comes down to priorities and realities, perhaps the band’s success is because they don’t measure in terms of records sold or radio charts being topped.

“We live in real people’s lives every week,” says Hall. “That can be a quippy, cool spiritual statement without a clear meaning. To us, that means that we are living life alongside those who we serve. We’ve got a very cynical generation coming up and you can easily appear to be one more paid person in their lives telling them what to do. You have to lead by relationship—not position. You have to earn the right to speak into them. All of our songs reflect something we’re teaching or going through or have gone through with a real person, a real family.”

While history lends ample weight to the notion that Casting Crowns has this ministry and music thing all figured out, humility and humanity beg a different case.

“Our students and different things that come up day to day will stump us all the time,” says Hall. “Much like planning for your future career or ministry, you want to have all the answers, but you’ve got to be okay with not knowing.”

And while the future likely bodes well for continued success in music and in their community, Casting Crowns knows as well as anyone else that despite the best-laid plans and intentions, tomorrow is unknown. Today is given and the farthest many of us can see is that which lies right before us—the very next thing, which is often as simple, profound and beautiful as what they have done from day one—walking with Jesus and taking someone else along.

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