Casting Crowns – If We Are The Body

Starting as a student worship band, lyricist and youth pastor Mark Hall began what is now a 20-year journey.  It’s hard to believe that Casting Crowns has been around that long!

I first heard their music on the radio, promoting the Sherwood Pictures film Courageous and enjoyed many of their tunes since, including Jesus, Friend of Sinners, East to West, and yes, If We Are The Body.  I often hear I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day during the Christmas season, almost certainly bringing tears to my eyes.

Casting Crowns released several albums and one EP, including:

• Casting Crowns (2001)
• What If the Whole World Prayed (2002)
• Casting Crowns (2003)
• Live from Atlanta ( 2004)
• Lifesong (2005)
• Lifesong Live (2006)
• The Altar and the Door (2007)
• Peace on Earth (2008)
• The Altar and the Door Live (2008)
• Until the Whole World Hears (2009)
• Until the Whole World Hears… Live (2010)
• Come to the Well (2011)
• The Acoustic Sessions: Volume One (2013)
• Thrive (2014)
• A Live Worship Experience (2015)
• Glorious Day: Hymns of Faith (2015)
• The Very Next Thing (2016)
• It’s Finally Christmas (EP, 2017)
• Only Jesus (2018)
• New York Sessions (2019)

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

This song is meant to challenge believers on their own behavior regarding building God’s Kingdom and obeying Christ’s commandments.  Their piercing questions penetrate the heart, begging for repentance and stirring within us transformation.  That the Holy Spirit will use this song to convict the Body of Christ in sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).  We sometimes spend too much time ignoring the plights of others and think we have the right to judge others.  Nothing can be further from the truth.

My Christian mother in a recent conversation reminded me that those who attend church are often the worst people: gossips, judgmental, and unkind to those to whom they disagree.  We’ve both seen the ugly side of church, putting a big, black bruise on Christ’s eye.  Casting Crowns does a great job speaking out against that ungodly behavior.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

All of the lyrics are in agreement with the Bible.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

It’s crowded in worship today
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces
The girls teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

The word “they” refers to the body of Christ as indicated by the Chorus.  Though not entirely clear, the girl described is probably not a Christian, sneaking into church hoping not to draw attention to herself.  The other girls make fun of the girl who walked in, not realizing that their behavior helps shape a negative opinion about church and Christianity in the mind of this girl.

As a side note, the word “girls” in line 3 should contain an apostrophe at the end given that the girls possess their teasing laughter.

[Chorus]

But if we are the body

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 and Ephesians 4:1–16, the Apostle Paul likens the fellowship of the Saints to a single human body with many parts that work together, granted gifts by the Holy Spirit to equip and minister to the world.

Why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren’t His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way

Excellent questions!  Why does it seem that the Body of Christ become idle, disobedient to the commandment of Christ to make disciples of all nations, as laid out in Matthew 28:18-20?

We must be careful not to become hypocritical in our thinking, blaming other believers for not taking action while lazily sipping upon lemonade, watching the latest Netflix disc that rolls into our collective mailboxes.  Jesus did not take kindly to such hypocrisy, according to Matthew 7:1-6.  Paul takes it much further in Romans 2:1-6, warning us that stubborn and unrepentant hearts will not escape God’s judgment.  Rather, let us listen to the words of Casting Crown as a reminder that we could all do more good to further God’s Kingdom.

[Verse 2]

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgemental glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road

This reminds me of James 2:1-7, where the Apostle James warns his audience of the sin of partiality.

[Bridge]

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come

Lest we become judges with evil motives (James 2:4) and usurp the throne of God.  It is not for us to judge another person’s salvation (James 4:12).  Yes, we are called to be fruit inspectors (Matthew 7:15-20), but ultimately, God judges the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

And we are the body of Christ

See commentary in Chorus, line 1.

[Outro]

Jesus is the way

See John 14:6.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Those who do not yet follow Jesus will appreciate Casting Crowns for speaking out against church hypocrisy.  That is, if they understand what is meant by the “body of Christ”, an unlikely scenario.

Verse 2 specifically will catch the eyes of those who know the weight of the stares and judgments of Christians.  Specifically, Muslims, members of the LGBTQ community, leftists, Democrats, and pro-choicers, among others, knows that I am talking about.  Perhaps it will invoke research on the meaning of the Chorus.

Score: 7/10

4. What does this song glorify?

Fighting against the tide of popular Christian thought, Casting Crowns glorifies God by reminding His Bride, the Church, about our marching orders: to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Casting Crowns’ If We Are The Body is a great reminder that Christ followers have a long way to go, bolstering us to make Christ followers of others and bring Him glory.  Though the first Verse is ambiguous, the rest agree with the Bible.  Though unbelievers may not understand the phrase “body of Christ”, its second verse makes an emotional connection that may lead to further inspection.

Let this song remind us to become obedient servants of God.  After all, it is our love for one another that will demonstrate we are Jesus’ people (John 13:35).  It is kindness that will lead them to repentance (Romans 2:4).

Final Score: 9.5/10

Artist Info

Track: If We Are The Body (listen to the song)

Artist: Casting Crowns

Album: Casting Crowns (2003 edition)

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2003

Duration: 3:58

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t be shy or have a cow!  Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

*Copyright © 2003 My Refuge Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) / Be Essential Songs (BMI) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

06/19/2020 – Reworded intro to include an unnumbered list of albums and one EP that was not included in my initial post.

05/10/2019 – Commentor Timothy King pointed out an error within the lyrics.  I copied them from the Genius website, which contains a mistaken apostrophe that perhaps attempts to correct Casting Crowns’ grammar.  Timothy is correct in that “girl’s” should be “girls”; however, Casting Crowns still has incorrect grammar.  It should say “girls’.”  The girls possess their teasing laughter.

Regardless, Timothy offered a correct analysis based on this word change, causing me to update my review for section 2 and changing the overall score from 8.5/10 to 9.5/10.