Stuart Townend

Stuart
is known and respected around the world as one of the leading worship
songwriters of his generation. The depth of lyrical and theological content in
songs such as In Christ alone, How Deep the Father’s Love, The Power of the Cross and Beautiful Saviour have caused some to
draw comparisons with the greats of previous generations such as Watts and
Wesley; while the marriage of great lyrics with wonderfully accessible melodies
(largely through his successful writing partnership with Keith Getty) means his
songs bridge different musical and cultural genres, and reach into every corner
of the globe.

Stuart
is also a gifted worship leader, musician, recording artist and seminar
speaker, and spends a good part of his year leading worship at major Christian
events, doing concerts, and recording studio albums. He has featured on
numerous live worship albums, and his own albums include There is a Hope (2008)
and Creation Sings (2009).  His
latest album The Journey is due for global release in May 2011.

Stuart
was born in 1963, and grew up as the youngest of four children in a Christian
family in West Yorkshire where his father was a Church of England vicar. From
an early age Stuart played music with his brothers (one brother, Ian, went on
to become a member of the group Heartbeat), beginning to play the piano at the
age of 7, and teaching himself the guitar as a teenager 

It was while living in West Yorkshire that at the age of 13 he made his
Christian commitment. Then at 18 he moved to Brighton to study literature at
the University of Sussex. It is here he met Caroline, whom he married in 1988,
and they now have three children; Joseph, Emma, and Eden. Stuart is a member
of, and regularly leads worship at CCK in Brighton, one of the new Frontiers
network of churches headed up by Terry Virgo. The church is also home to a
number of well-known figures in the area of worship, including Paul Oakley, Lou
Fellingham, Phatfish, Simon Brading and, until recently Dave Fellingham, who
has played a significant role in mentoring Stuart.

But
it is as a songwriter that Stuart has had the greatest impact on the worldwide
church, and it is this that is closest to his heart. “It is so important that
our lives are built not on our feelings or circumstances, but on the word of
God, and songs can really help us to meditate on and retain truth. I know from
the correspondence I regularly receive that if you can express in songs the
profound truth of the gospel in a poetic yet accessible way, they really can
have an impact in people’s lives.”