June 10, 2008

Lifesong by Casting Crowns

Ministry is what defines Casting Crowns. All of the members are still active in local church ministry in spite of the over 200 concert appearances they have made over the last 2 years. Mark Hall, in fact, is still employed as the youth pastor at his home church, although he has had to hire some additional help due to his hectic schedule "It is the ministry that creates the songs, not the other way around," states Hall. And the same is true for Lifesong, the much-anticipated sophomore release from Casting Crowns. From the anthemic title cut to the moving ballad, "Praise You In the Storm," this new album is once again an unapologetic collection of messages targeting the church. "All of life is worship. If we're not careful we will 'praise worship' and 'worship praise.' We begin to look at worship as an experience when, in reality, our corporate worship is simply the culmination of the life we should be living all week long. The songs on this new album try to look at what a life of worship looks like. Whether we are called to 'Praise God in this Storm' or simply 'Love Them Like Jesus' we must begin to see all of life as about Him and not us. That is what we want to say to the church this time around."