Matt Redman

Matthew James Redman, professionally known as Matt Redman, is an English Christian worship leader, singer-songwriter, musician and author whose songs have become part of the worship repertoire of churches around the world. Born on February 14, 1974, in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, he is particularly known for writing congregational worship songs that combine biblical themes with accessible melodies and personal expressions of faith. His best-known song, “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord),” co-written with Swedish songwriter Jonas Myrin, became an international worship anthem and earned Redman two Grammy Awards.

Redman began leading worship while still young and became closely associated with the British youth worship movement Soul Survivor. Over the course of his career, he has worked with artists including Chris Tomlin, Jonas Myrin, Tim Hughes and others, while also contributing songs such as “The Heart of Worship,” “Blessed Be Your Name,” “You Never Let Go,” “Our God,” “Better Is One Day” and “Son of Suffering.” Alongside his music career, he has written extensively about Christian worship and continues to lead, write and teach in the worship community.

Quick Facts

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Redman grows up in Hertfordshire and becomes a Christian at the age of 10 after attending a Luis Palau evangelistic event at London’s QPR football stadium. He later becomes involved with St Andrew’s Church in Chorleywood, where he learns to play guitar and begins developing his abilities as a worship leader. His early musical development is closely connected to his involvement in church rather than to a conventional commercial music career.

As a teenager and young adult, Redman is mentored by church leader Mike Pilavachi. Their partnership eventually leads to the creation of Soul Survivor, a Christian youth movement that begins in 1993 and grows into a major annual gathering for young people. Redman becomes one of the movement’s central worship leaders and serves with Soul Survivor Church in Watford for several years.

Soul Survivor and the Start of His Career

Soul Survivor gives Redman an important platform for developing his songwriting and congregational worship style. By his early twenties, he is already leading worship full-time and recording music. His early recordings during the 1990s establish him within the British contemporary Christian music scene, while his work at Soul Survivor introduces his songs to a growing audience of young worshippers.

In 2002, Redman records Where Angels Fear to Tread during a sabbatical in the United States. The album becomes an important step in his wider international career and is his first release to appear on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. Around this period, he also moves to Brighton and becomes involved with the Newfrontiers church movement and later with a church plant called The Point in West Sussex.

Career and International Breakthrough

Redman’s songwriting becomes increasingly influential in the early 2000s. One of the defining moments of this period comes with “The Heart of Worship,” a song that emerges from a season of reflection on the purpose of worship and becomes widely used in churches. His songs are subsequently recorded or performed by numerous Christian artists, helping establish him not only as a recording artist but also as a songwriter whose work reaches far beyond his own albums.

In 2008, Redman and his wife, Beth, move with their children to Atlanta, Georgia, where they help plant Passion City Church alongside Louie Giglio and Chris Tomlin. His association with the Passion movement further expands his influence in contemporary worship and leads to several collaborations with other prominent Christian songwriters and worship leaders.

Musical Style and Influences

Redman’s songwriting is strongly rooted in Scripture, congregational worship and the language of Christian devotion. Rather than treating worship simply as a performance, his songs are generally written with the participation of a congregation in mind. This approach allows relatively simple melodies to carry substantial biblical and theological themes.

His musical influences also extend beyond Christian music. Redman has identified Mike & the Mechanics’ “The Living Years” as an important song from his teenage years and has spoken about the influence of its emotional honesty on his own songwriting. He has also described the Psalms as a major model for writing songs that can express both joy and struggle, combining theological truth with genuine human emotion.

Notable Songs and Albums

Redman’s discography spans several decades and includes studio recordings, live worship projects and collections of his songwriting. Among his significant albums are Where Angels Fear to Tread, Facedown, Beautiful News, We Shall Not Be Shaken, 10,000 Reasons, Your Grace Finds Me, Unbroken Praise, Glory Song, Let There Be Wonder and Lamb of God.

His most internationally recognized composition is “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord),” which he co-writes with Jonas Myrin. Inspired in part by Psalm 103, the song becomes a major contemporary worship standard and reaches No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart. Redman’s other widely recognized compositions include “The Heart of Worship,” “Blessed Be Your Name,” “You Never Let Go,” “Our God,” “Better Is One Day,” “Do It Again” and “Son of Suffering.”

Awards, Writing and Collaborations

Redman’s work earns significant recognition within contemporary Christian music. At the 55th Grammy Awards in 2013, “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)” wins both Best Contemporary Christian Music Song and Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance, giving Redman his first two Grammy victories. The Recording Academy currently lists him with two wins and five nominations.

He is also a multiple Dove Award winner and has received recognition for both his songwriting and worship recordings. His collaborative work has included regular partnerships with Chris Tomlin, Jonas Myrin and other prominent worship writers. Beyond music, Redman has authored several books on worship, including The Unquenchable Worshipper, Facedown and Mirror Ball, extending his influence into discussions about theology, songwriting and the purpose of Christian worship.

Current Work and Legacy

Redman continues to work as a worship leader and songwriter and is based in California with his wife, Beth, and their five children. His official biography describes him as a double Grammy Award-winning worship leader and songwriter whose ministry has taken him to audiences across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North America. He also hosts WOR/TH, an initiative focused on bringing together worship leaders, songwriters and theologians to explore biblical and thoughtful approaches to worship.

His recent work includes Coming Back to the Heart, released in 2024, as well as the later Coming Back to the Heart (Live Collection). His catalogue also continues to receive new recordings and collaborations, demonstrating that his influence remains active rather than being limited to the songs that established his reputation in the 1990s and 2000s.

Redman’s lasting contribution to contemporary Christian music lies particularly in his ability to write songs that function both as recordings and as congregational expressions of faith. From “The Heart of Worship” to “10,000 Reasons,” his songs have crossed denominational and national boundaries and become familiar parts of worship services worldwide. His combination of biblical songwriting, accessible melodies and an emphasis on the spiritual purpose of worship has made him one of the significant English-language worship songwriters of his generation.