Matthew Ward Biography
Millions of contemporary Christian music fans have heard Matthew Ward’s inspirational message of hope…first as the male vocalist for the legendary contemporary Christian music group the 2nd Chapter of Acts and then through his solo music albums. Matthew has also performed with numerous Christian music artists ranging from Twila Paris to Ron Kenoly. Scroll to the bottom of this page for a complete list of artists with whom Matthew has performed. Visit the “Music – Album Information” page for information on all of Matthew’s solo projects or go directly to the Online Store to purchase great music to accompany you on your spiritual journey.
”After my bout with cancer in 1994, the Lord began a work in my spirit, showing me new avenues to explore regarding ministry in music. He would make a clear path for me to reach in and help those who are hurting mentally, spiritually, and physically.”
- Matthew Ward
“Matt has been through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. He dug a well when he was there, and from that well he offers hope and comfort for those who are making the same journey. Come have a drink of living water from a well of worship.”
- Buddy Owens
Lifetime friend and Vice President, Maranatha! Music
Recent History
Matthew Ward is living proof that God uses circumstances to turn hearts toward Him. Where his My Redeemer CD was inspired largely by Matthew’s physical experiences as a cancer patient, his follow-up CD, Even Now, explored our emotional link with the God of the universe.
Throughout his recent projects, the recurring themes of God’s power and presence give a worshipful quality to the music that transports and lifts our weary spirits from whatever challenges we are facing and then sets us down gently at the feet of the Savior for an intimate visit. We feel through Matthew’s music how much God wants us to talk with Him and be in right relationship with Him.
Matthew Ward is a study in contrasts. He is intense, yet lighthearted; intellectual, but not pretentious. He loves the outdoors and the activities of the Rocky Mountain region where he lives, although he also travels into his own soul to search for the words and music that God has placed there. He is a man who has faced death and now savors every moment of life that God grants him. Matthew Ward’s music is a complex reflection of God’s message filtered through the life of a person who struggles daily as we all do.
Witty and entertaining, Matthew in concert breathes a welcome gust of fresh air through the Christian experience as he peppers the time with stories and quips that remind us not to take ourselves quite so seriously. As for his own remarkable gifts, Matthew acknowledges that he has always known where his talents come from.
When it’s all said and done, he says, I don’t want people to remember me for my ability to sing, but that I always turned their eyes to Jesus.
Diagnosis: Cancer
In January of 1994, Matthew Ward was diagnosed with not one, but three types of cancer. The word had become all too familiar to him many years before. By age 12, Matthew had lost his mother to a brain tumor and his father to leukemia.
For two frightening and uncertain years, Matthew battled the disease and ultimately experienced full remission. Now considered “cancer-free,” Matthew is convinced that God used his ordeal to move and prepare him for a new ministry: using his voice to melt walls of disbelief, discouragement, bitterness, and doubt within the body of Christ. For Matthew, music ministry is about reaching out through the power of God to heal and restore broken lives. His songs are carefully prayed over and handpicked for the express purpose of reaching all who wish to have Father God sing over them.
Today, Matthew’s ministry has expanded to include hundreds of live concerts and appearances each year at churches and events across the country. My Redeemer is the first CD of this new phase of Matthew’s career, and he followed that with Even Now.
Matthew says that My Redeemer is a direct reflection of the power of God to reach into places you think He simply won’t. It represents God’s heart toward me while I was going through one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to face.
While most of his career has been set to the rhythms of pop, R&B, and progressive rock, for My RedeemerMatthew slows things way down with ten heartfelt tracks designed to create an atmosphere of praise and meditation.
Even Now is truly a music devotional. In the past few years crisscrossing the country and visiting hundreds of churches, Matthew has been dismayed by what seems to be a trend of replacing the traditional cross in the sanctuary with other symbols of worship. His goal for Even Now is to bring our attention back to the cross and what it means.
About Even Now, Matthew says he wanted to tell his listeners that God loves us not in spite of, but because of, our humanness. We are spiritual beings having a temporary human experience.
He continues, All God’s characteristics are equal and without boundaries. We cannot diminish Him, and there is nothing we can add to Him. We need to trust God and embrace the process that is our life in Him, line upon line and precept upon precept.
Ultimately, this is what Matthew Ward’s ministry is all about: finding God’s strength to carry on through the pain and uncertainties of life, praising and worshiping Christ from the deepest resources of our beings, and by faith learning to live again.
Accomplishments
• Ministered with pioneering contemporary Christian music group, the 2nd Chapter Of Acts more than 17 years, having started at age 12.
• In 1999 Matthew was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame of the Gospel Music Association.
• Matthew has won a Dove Award.
• Helped lead 500,000 men in worship as part of the 1996 Promise Keepers praise team.
• Sang title song for the 1996 Billy Graham Christmas TV special, “Season For Peace.”
• Ward’s songs “Love” and “Perfect Union” held the No. 1 position on Christian music charts.
• Sang duet with pop diva Donna Summer, as well as background vocals on other songs including the No. 1 hit “She Works Hard For the Money.”
• Sings background vocals on Grammy-winning country artist Leann Rimes’ best-selling album “Blue” as well as “Sitting on Top of the World.”
• Ward has recorded or performed with more than 50 contemporary Christian artists, including Andrae Crouch, Annie Herring, Dennis Jernigan, Ron Kenoly, Twila Paris, and the late Keith Green.
• Has written, co-written, and/or produced songs for well-known Christian artists such as Annie Herring, 2nd Chapter Of Acts, Barry McGuire, Rick Crawford, Jamie Owens Collins.
• Has performed in all 50 state in the U.S., and in more than 30 foreign
Radio Airplay
• Even Now:
“Who Is Faithful” and “I Will Worship You” both hit No. 1. “Consume Me” reached No 3.
• My Redeemer:
“To the King” was No. 1 nationally and ended 1998 as the No. 17 song of the year. “Drink Deep” also was No. 1.
• Point Of View:
“Forever Stay, ” ” Point Of View”
• The Matthew Ward Collection:
“My Little Ones “
• Fortress:
“Since I Found You,” “Faithful and True,” “Heaven Is Calling “
• Fade to White:
“Perfect Union,” ” Far Behind,” “Then I Realized,” ” Racing for the Goal”
• Armed and Dangerous:
“Love,” “Red and Yellow, Black & White” and “Glory to God”
• Toward Eternity:
“Summer Snow,” “It’s Alright,” “Hold On,” “Till the Walls Fall Down”
• Plus several Top-Ten songs for various special projects by music labels such as Benson, Integrity, Maranatha, and Word
Interviews
Click any of the topics below to listen to an audio interview with Matthew Ward
Early Years
Learning about Cancer
Watching Matt go through Cancer
Matt’s Relationship with God
Hear Matthew talk about the early years after losing both his mother and father, how he came to live with his sister Annie and how 2nd Chapter of Acts began.
Much of Matthew’s current ministry has been molded by his brush with cancer. In several audio clips, Matthew and his wife Deanne talk about learning that Matthew has cancer and watching a loved one go through the process of chemotherapy. And Matthew talks about how his cancer helped him understand God as a loving Father and how Matthew’s relationship with God became more personal.
In a soon-to-be-released video documenting Matthew’s 33+ years of recording Contemporary Christian Music, people influential in both Matthew’s spiritual development and his singing career and many old friends talk about the development of Matthew’s ministry from the early days to the present.
Jack Hayford talks about his own role as Matthew’s pastor during 2nd Chapter of Acts’ early days. As the person credited with getting Matthew and 2nd Chapter of Acts their first record contract, Pat Boone talks about his early impressions of Matthew’s singing. Life-long family friends, Jimmy and Carol Owens talk about meeting Matthew as a child and watching him grow spiritually and professionally over the years. Their daughter, Jamie Owens-Collins adds her impressions of growing up with Matthew and talks about how Matthew and 2nd Chapter of Acts has influenced her own singing career.
Current Projects
Currently I’m working on an autobiography. Number one, it’s not as easy as it sounds; number two, it seems like such an odd thing to leaf through the pages of human memory and type out real-life things that people may, or may not, want to read. (I guess that’s why God made editors!)
If nothing else, writing continues to be a constant reminder of the faithfulness, humor, patience, grace, forgiveness, and redemption of God. I hope to have the book finished and released by February 2005 so that it coincides with my 35th anniversary of ministry.
Another thing I’ll be working on is a “coffee table book.” The book will be filled with photographs (yes, I’m a photographer as well) that I’ve taken from different places around the world. I’m not sure yet what the feel of it will be like, whether it will have stories about the photos or scriptures alongside, or both. I may even record a piece of music that goes with the book. Who knows?
Also, Deanne and I will be working together on a book of devotions. I don’t know yet if it will be a one-month devotional or if it will end up being more extensive.
More important than all the other things we have going on is the fact that we are raising three beautiful girls, which is far more a joy than anything else I could ever hope to do.
Other Artists Matthew has Worked With
(in no particular order)
• Ed Kerr
• Keith Green
• Paul Baloche
• Pat Boone
• Rita Baloche
• The Boone Girls
• The Cruise Family
• Greg X. Volz
• Terry Talbot
• Phil Keaggy
• John Michael Talbot
• Twila Paris
• Mylon Lefevere
• Donna Summers
• Larry Norman
• Leann Rimes
• Michael and Stormie Omartian
• Steve Holy
• Jack Hayford
• Jimm and Carol Owens
• Creflo Dollar
• Dennis Agajanian
• Joseph Garlington
• Rick Crawford
• David Wilkerson
• Ron Kenoly
• Annie Herring
• Sheila Walsh
• The Second Chapter of Acts
• Barry McGuire
• Mark Farner
• Love Song
• Kerry Livgren
• Sandi Patti
• Don Moen
• Steve Green
• “Voices” - a project for Word Records
• Randy Stonehill
• “Kids of the Kingdom” - a project for Sparrow Records
• Paul Clark
• Various “Hosanna-Integrity” projects
• Nancy Honeytree
• Various “Maranatha Music” projects
• Carmen
• Focus on the Family
• Bill and Gloria Gaither
• Compassion International
• Andre Crouch
• Children’s Hope Chest
• Jamie Owens-Collins
• R.B.C. (Radio Bible Class)
• Margaret Becker
• N.R.B. (National Religious Broadcasters)
• John Fisher
• T.B.N. (Trinity Broadcasting Network)
• Randy Matthews
• Knott’s Berry Farm
• Shannon Wexelberg
• Disneyland
• Dennis Jernigan
• Habitat for Humanity
• Ricky Skaggs
• Y.W.A.M. (Youth with a Mission)
• Leslie Phillips
• New Life Church - Colorado Springs,
• CO
• (Home church-Christmas program)
• River
• C.S.A. (Christian Stewardship Assoc.)
• Harvest
• The Salvation Army
• Tons of commercial work (”jingles” and the like)