Casting Crowns stays atop Christian charts

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.

Associated Press

ATLANTA

Four times a week, Mark Hall ministers to youth at a suburban Atlanta megachurch, working from an office where the walls are lined with vintage Marvel comic books and that also houses a stone-like desk decorated with symbols from “The Avengers.”

In Hall’s eyes, he’s a “dork.”

But when he steps away from his youth-pastor endeavors and comic memorabilia collection, the 42-year-old stars as the lead singer and songwriter of Casting Crowns, a seven-member, Grammy-winning contemporary Christian rock band, one of the most popular in the genre.

In mid-October, the group released their latest album, “Come to the Well.” It debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 200 charts, trailing only behind Adele, who has dominated the charts with her best-selling album “21.” The band’s album also topped the Christian album chart for three weeks in a row.

The band has become accustomed to leading the Christian chart. Their 2009 album, “Until the Whole World Hears,” was No. 1 on the chart for 18 weeks.

However, the success doesn’t define the band, according to Hall.

“Fame is such an illusion,” said Hall, who has been a youth pastor at Eagles Landing First Baptist Church for about 10 years. “If you look at me, I’m just a dork that I’ve always been. The way I see it, God connected with them [fans] through our song that he let me write. There’s no room for me or us to get a big head.”

Since the band’s debut album in 2003, Casting Crowns has gone platinum three times and gold twice. They’ve earned a Grammy award for their 2005 album “Lifesong,” won five Group of the Year titles at the Dove Awards — gospel’s highest honor — and they just won an award for Contemporary Inspirational Artist at the American Music Awards this month.

Not bad for a band that does music on a part-time basis.

“I’m extremely thankful for being No. 2 on the charts,” said Hall of the band’s latest achievement. “It’s amazing. I think like probably most musicians, it’s something that encourages the moment, but then you have to get back to life.”