Stained Glass Masquerade

This months Home Life magazine features Mark Hall with Casting Crowns. I have seen these guys in concert and they are the awesome. They really have a servants heart. On top of his recordings and concerts he remains the youth minister at Eagles Landing First Baptist near Atlanta. The thing that impressed me reading about him was that in a youth group of 400 every week he says a lot of kids don't have a clue who he is. They don't promote the group. Mark says "your in the 8th grade, your failing math, your face is breaking out, your parents are fighting - you don't want to hear about Casting Crowns".

Mark believes we need "a walking around friendship with God". Mark sums it up this way: "We're just not desperate for God. Satan's Goal is to interrupt my fellowship with God. When he does that, I stop being who God created me to be."

If we want to be the church to the world around us, we have to get serious about our personal walks with Christ. According to Mark, "You can say what you think, but you'll live what you believe."

One of Casting Crowns songs entitled Stained Glass Masquerade is so true of our church's today, take a look at these lyrics:

"Stained Glass Masquerade"
Is there anyone that fails, Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small
Cause when I take a look around Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover That I don't belong
So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them
Are we happy plastic people Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain On our stained glass masquerade

Have a Blessed Day!!!