Have you ever wondered about how some of your favorite Christian music groups formed? Have you thought about where they got their start? With this list, we are diving into exactly those questions. This is the how, where, and what that made these top 5 Billboard Christian groups/duos come together (Plus, discover the meaning behind their band names).
1. Elevation Worship
Elevation Worship, also known as the musical expression of Elevation Church, originally formed around four core individuals—Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Wade Joye, and Steven Furtick. Brown, Brock and Joye began playing guitar and singing together at the collective. Furtick however, not only birthed Elevation Church, but weighed in on their talents and lended them his as well. Furtick is the main songwriter behind most Elevation Worship tracks.
Over the years, they have expanded with a shifting cast of instrumentalists, but together they have made 11 career project albums, won two Billboard Music Awards, two GMA Dove Awards, and nominated for two GRAMMY Awards.
2. Casting Crowns
Casting Crowns all organically met as youth ministers in Daytona Beach, Florida when they were discovered by country musician Mark Miller, lead of Sawyer Brown. Together, the seven artists have sold over 10 million albums and have been the only American artist to ever be invited to North Korea for their Spring Friendship Arts Festival in 2007 and again in 2009.
The name Casting Crowns is a mystery however as to where it came from, but the most solid theory is that it derives from Revelation 4:10-11, "...And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power." The Collective now resides in McDonough, Georgia, and can be found every Sunday at Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church leading youth ministry as they plan their touring schedules around their main priority, worship.
3. for KING & COUNTRY
Four-time GRAMMY award-winning, Australian-born, and American-based brother duo for KING & COUNTRY originally began their career as "Joel & Luke" as teenagers. The brothers got their start touring with sister Rebecca St. James right out of High School as backup singers, as well as performing with several other small bands around Nashville, TN. In 2007 they decided to go out on their own, and for a brief moment had changed their name to "Austoville," before being signed by Warner Music Group in 2009 and officially becoming for KING & COUNTRY.
Always believing in something bigger than themselves, Joel and Luke Smallbone chose their official new name FK&C, as they wanted to convey a message as well as picking a band name with meaning. The name originally derives from a British battle cry of soldiers willing to lay down their lives for their king and for their country.
4. We The Kingdom
The name We The Kingdom comes from the idea that God is here among us. Ed Cash, Franni Rae Cash, Martin Cash, Scott Cash, and family friend Andrew Bergthold wrote their first song together in a hot tub at a summer camp they were participating in as worship leaders.
This last minute and impromptu collaboration led 3 generations of family members and one great family friend to find a melody that just shined. Occasionally when Andrew needs to introvert, he uses the term "I need to Cash out" when he has had enough extrovertedness from the other four Cash family members.
5. MercyMe
Lead singer of MercyMe Bart Millard was interning at a youth ministry leadership in Florida while also living at home with his parents, at the time. When his grandmother would call, she seemed to always reach Bart—not at work. Concerned he was wasting his life, she used to tell him every time she called, "Mercy Me, why don't you get a real job!"
The rock-centric worship group chose the name MercyMe to honor Millard's grandmother, but to also be reminded that one day they'll eventually have to get "real jobs." Hopefully when their musical career has come to an end, they don't go back to the odd jobs they held when the five first met. Barry Graul used to sell paint and auto parts, Nathan Cochran worked at Lowes, Michael John Scheuchzer worked for Blockbuster, Jim Bryson was a studio engineer, Robby Shaffer worked at Red Lobster, and Bart cleaned sewage treatment tanks.
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