Blogs

i just want to say thank you for the encouraging words spoken to the youth pastors at your concert in dayton ohio on 4-1-10.my wife and I was ready to step down and in deep concern for our youth at the same time and through your singing and testimonies and speaking behind stage it has givin us the answers we needed to stay where we are thank you for your faithfulness to the ministry 

I am doing some research and would like feedback from Youth pastors or leaders. May even want to open this up for discussion at your next youth meeting.  I have a Christain Band that plays at youth gatherings. I am trying to get some answers from leaders as to when you bring in a band what are you looking for from their presentation. Do want  individual testimony, just music or a combination there of. As kids-- what do they like to hear when they go to a Christian concert. a simple tie in with the song, or a testimony of what God has done in someones life, or would they just like the music to speak to them.?      you can respond to mushiac at gmail.com. or  keep it here for all youth leaders to Hear =)

Thank you for your responses feel free to leave them here. Lots of great info to share with other leaders, all of your ideas are great and creative. If you sent an e-mail and I did not respond could you please resend...had a computer glitch and accidently deleated your response. Blessing to all and Leaders keep on leading the hands and feet of the future.

Thanks

Thanks for creating this place of encouragement for those of us who do our best everyday to share the wonderful good news of Christ with our young people!  It can be a very lonely and misunderstood Ministry at times and this will be a great place to come and hear how others are doing, to encourage each other, and to pray for each other.  Because even though we know we are doing what we do because we love our Lord and love kids & teens, we also know that this work can be mentally, physically, and very emotionally draining.

I'm excited to be able to have this resource to go to when I need my spirit lifted and recharged!  Thanks so much for having the forsight to add this to your web-site!

Blessings to you!

Michelle, Youth & Education Minister

Mark, first of all thank you for all you do for the glory of God. Second, thank you for this blog. My husband and I are youth leaders at our itty bitty church in Chamberlain SD, and we appreciate all the resources we can get. (Especially the free ones:) Third, I felt like a total moron after the concert Saturday night. (I am the redhead who showed you the picture on my cell phone.) I missed out on a perfect opportunity to encourage you in your ministry. You guys are a blessing for so many, so thank you so much. I'm sure you hear this all the time, but your music has made me a better follower of Jesus. I hope you will come back to South Dakota and not be too scared of the crazy cell phone lady. My kids kept telling me that you probably think I am a stalker. They were so embarrassed, which is really the only satisfaction I got out of that whole scenario (Oh, and the autographs, of course!). Thank you and God bless Casting Crowns!!!!  Amy Byers

Hi Mark!

Saw you at Xcel Center Sunday and it was my first time seeing Casting Crowns and it was awesome.  I really felt that you and your friends care about youth and others.  My question is probaly unusual and I hope you can help us.  We (3) are following a calling with a faith based rehab center for addictions.  It's a long story, but we know/believe it is a God thing.  When we started we were told to be aware that many of the students regardless of age have emotional imaturity due to their drug use.  They told us that basically the men emotionally stopped growing at about the age they started using.  We love these guys and have new men coming in on weekly basis from detox or by word of mouth.  This is what makes them youth, as many of them started using or experimenting with IV drugs in their early teens and became addicts.  None of us have experience with youth and sometimes it seems like we are not connecting.  We love them and walk beside them. From one week to the next there can be 50-60 students.  We had one recently who shared with us that he learned that there are white guys who love black men and it was awesome and he is a young awesome christain.  But, at times we feel so far over our heads and out of our league we struggle and doubt what we are doing and if we are doing it right.  This may be normal?  I was wondering if you all have done any ministry with addicts and if so do you have any advice?  Thanks for caring about the least and the lost and if you have any suggestions or advice or encouragment we are willing to learn.

Vaya Con Dios my friend!

Trent

Hey my name is Adrian and I am a youth pastor and a singer. I'm also like you and I want to get started in the music industry. It would be really really cool if we could meet and talk or maybe you can help me get started on a song. I often get writers block. lol.I live in Houma, La. Houma is about 45 mins. south of New Orleans. I am a very humble person but bold when it comes to the things of Christ. Thanks for reading. God Bless

Hi Mark!  I recently purchased your book "Your Own Jesus - A God insistent on making it personal" to use for our Youth Bible class (next series of lessons).  We will be using the discussion guide included in the book.  However, I was wondering if there is a study guide for the Youth to use as well? 

Thank you

I am 16 years old, and I was reading and watching your videos, and well I kind of have some questions of my own, you see, I am really interested in making the whole world hear about the name of Christ because I see a lot of people as I´m walking down the streets and they´re just existing and not living, and really when I heard your song "until the whole world hears", that was the first thing that crossed my mind and in the church that I attend, I feel that I want to do something to help, but I dont know in what, I just wanted to know if you can give me some advice or something, I´ll be praying for you seriously, and I hope you can respond.