Cory Asbury

Cory Asbury is an American Christian singer, songwriter, worship leader and worship pastor best known for his contemporary worship music and the global success of his song “Reckless Love.” Born Cory Hunter Asbury on October 15, 1985, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he grew up in western North Carolina, where music became an important part of his life from an early age. He began leading worship as a teenager and eventually built a career that brought together songwriting, church ministry and contemporary Christian music.

Asbury first gained professional experience through the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri, where he joined an internship in 2005. His early years in worship ministry led to recordings with other worship musicians and eventually to his first solo album, Let Me See Your Eyes, in 2009. After serving with New Life Church and becoming involved with Desperation Band and New Life Worship, he joined the Bethel Music collective in 2015.

His breakthrough came with “Reckless Love,” a song that became one of the most recognizable contemporary Christian worship songs of the late 2010s. The song topped the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart for 18 weeks, while the album Reckless Love reached No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart. The song earned Asbury two GMA Dove Awards and a Grammy nomination, establishing him as one of the prominent worship songwriters of his generation.

Quick Facts

Early Life and Background

Cory Asbury grew up in western North Carolina, where music had a strong influence on him from childhood. He has spoken about how deeply music affected him while growing up, describing the experience of finding music that moved him and listening to it quietly on his own. His interest eventually developed into songwriting and worship leading.

Asbury began leading worship at his local church as a teenager. By the time he was 17, he was already taking an active role in worship ministry. Rather than pursuing music through a conventional commercial route, his early development was closely connected to church life and Christian ministry.

After graduating from Franklin High School in 2004, Asbury initially considered attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His plans changed after friends who had completed the Onething internship at the International House of Prayer encouraged him to consider the program in Kansas City.

Beginning of His Music Career

Asbury began the Onething internship at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City in January 2005. He remained connected with the ministry for several years, developing as a worship leader and songwriter while appearing on recordings associated with IHOPKC.

One of his early significant recording projects was Holy, a 2008 collaboration with Matt Gilman. The following year, Asbury released Let Me See Your Eyes, his first solo album. The project formally established him as a recording artist and included contributions from other Christian musicians.

His Kansas City years also gave him opportunities to participate in worship recordings and ministry events. Those experiences helped shape the intimate, congregational approach to songwriting that would later become a defining part of his work.

Career and Breakthrough

In 2012, Asbury moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he joined New Life Church. He became involved with New Life Worship and Desperation Band, expanding his experience as both a worship leader and songwriter.

A major turning point came in May 2015, when Asbury joined the Bethel Music collective. He subsequently appeared on Bethel Music’s Have It All, released in 2016, and became increasingly known within the contemporary worship scene.

The defining moment of his career arrived with “Reckless Love.” Released as a single in 2017, the song became a major Christian radio and streaming success. It was followed by the album Reckless Love in 2018, which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart.

The song’s success extended well beyond the worship community. “Reckless Love” spent 18 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart and became one of the most prominent Christian songs of the decade. Its success also brought Asbury major industry recognition, including two GMA Dove Awards and a nomination for the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.

Musical Style and Influences

Asbury’s music is rooted in contemporary Christian worship, but his songwriting often has a personal and conversational quality. Rather than focusing exclusively on traditional congregational declarations, many of his songs explore personal experiences of faith, doubt, surrender, hope and the relationship between God and the individual.

“Reckless Love” became particularly influential because of its emotionally direct description of God’s pursuing love. Asbury has explained that the song developed out of his growing understanding of the Father’s love and his own experiences of fatherhood. He wrote the song with Caleb Culver and Ran Jackson.

His songwriting continued to explore similar themes on later projects, although his music increasingly incorporated elements of modern Christian pop, singer-songwriter music and Nashville songwriting.

Notable Songs and Albums

Asbury’s early recordings include Holy, his collaborative 2008 project with Matt Gilman, and Let Me See Your Eyes, released in 2009.

His major breakthrough album, Reckless Love, arrived in 2018. Alongside the title track, the project helped establish songs such as “Endless Praise” and “Water and the Blood” within his broader catalogue.

In 2020, Asbury released To Love a Fool, an album that followed the enormous success of Reckless Love. Its best-known song, “The Father’s House,” became another major Christian radio success and reached No. 1 on multiple Christian music charts. Other songs from the project included “Sparrows” and “Dear God.”

He later expanded his musical direction through projects including Pioneer, released in 2023, which brought together Asbury and Nashville-based songwriters. His more recent releases include Still Pretty Good, Cheap Seats and the Pioneer (Deluxe) edition.

Awards, Recognition and Recent Work

The success of “Reckless Love” brought Asbury several major honors. At the 2018 GMA Dove Awards, the song won both Song of the Year and Worship Song of the Year, while the Reckless Love album won Worship Album of the Year. He also received K-LOVE Fan Awards recognition for the song.

At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019, “Reckless Love” was nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. The song was credited to Asbury, Caleb Culver and Ran Jackson.

Asbury has continued recording and performing after the peak of “Reckless Love.” His official catalogue currently includes Pioneer (Deluxe), Cover to Cover, Good For Nothing and recent releases such as “Outsing the Angels.” His continuing work has broadened his catalogue beyond the single that first brought him widespread recognition.

Personal Life and Legacy

Asbury married Anna in 2007, and the couple have children. Family life has remained an important part of his story and has influenced some of his songwriting, particularly the themes surrounding fatherhood that informed “Reckless Love.”

Beyond its commercial success, “Reckless Love” became one of the defining worship songs of its era. Its central theme, accessible melody and highly personal lyrics allowed it to move between contemporary Christian radio, church worship settings and personal devotional listening.

Asbury’s career reflects the close relationship between modern worship ministry and Christian music recording. He began by leading worship in local church settings, developed through ministry communities in Kansas City and Colorado Springs, and eventually reached a global audience through Bethel Music and his solo work. While “Reckless Love” remains his signature recording, his later albums and collaborations have continued to establish him as a songwriter whose work sits at the intersection of personal faith, church worship and contemporary Christian music.