Posted: 11/16/07
| Charlie Hall and his band. |
Singer/songwriter shares
life story through music
By Leann Callaway
Special to the Baptist Standard
ARLINGTON— While leading worship at this year’s Focus Conference for students and Texas Baptist Youth Ministry Conclave, Charlie Hall shared his life story through songs.
Through times of soul-searching, personal struggles and trials, Hall offered a personal message to youth and college students.
“I love people who question things and are trying to figure things out. That’s one of the reasons I love leading worship for youth and college students,” Hall said.
During his own wayward teenage years, Hall said he turned away from the church. But while he was in high school, he made a profession of faith in Christ and that turned his life around.
Hall started “reading the Scriptures like mad” and developed an intense desire to make an impact on people for God’s kingdom.
He even thought about becoming a pastor, but while he was attending a worship event in Oklahoma City, he felt God leading him toward a music ministry.
“I saw that when people’s hearts interacted with God through songs, that something awesome happened,” he said.
Soon after, Hall began to lead worship at his church, and he started writing songs. He also began meeting with a small group of college students for prayer, Bible study and worship.
About that time, Louie Giglio heard some of Hall’s music and invited him to lead worship at Passion worship gatherings and conferences for college students.
As a songwriter, Hall is known for the authenticity and vulnerability expressed in his songs. From his days as a young Christian, to his struggle to find a place where his love for music and ministry could meet, to the subsequent growth of recent years, Hall uses those experiences as a way to minister to others.
“Somewhere in the beginning of 2003, disappointments were culminating for me,” Hall said. “Some of my relationships became confusing, my sister died from cancer, some of my songs were being rejected. … It made me question my calling, my artistry—everything. All my crutches were being kicked out from under me.”
With little left to lean on, Hall relied on God during those difficult times.
“It was hard, but the bottom line is that God was in all of that, preparing me for the next step,” he said. “My heart is now set on a pilgrimage towards God—no matter what. I want to help people desire God and not just humdrum through their faith. Through pain and dark, joy, ups and downs, losses, I’m going after God, and I want to help connect people to him.”
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