Matt Brouwer
Growing up in the eastern Canadian town of Truro, Nova Scotia, Matt Brouwer is the sixth of seven kids born and raised on a dairy farm. When he was three years old, his father was killed in a car accident, leaving the family to run the farm. “My family has been a huge spiritual influence in my life,” says Brouwer. “I’ve seen firsthand how suffering and brokenness can unite people to lean on God for strength.”
Music and spirituality were always connected in Matt’s family as he grew up singing and playing in church. But it wasn’t until he reluctantly agreed to sing in a high school drama production that music began to be his passion.
As he went on to college, music was affirmed more as an interest to pursue. At Prairie Bible College in Alberta, Canada, Brouwer and a number of friends started Monday Night Worship (mnw). “It began with a conversation about our hunger to not only know about God, but to begin a journey of actually knowing Him personally,” remembers Brouwer. “We knew there were depths in worship that we had not yet experienced.” What started out on Monday nights with just 20 people soon grew to hundreds of students showing up every week, longing to experience God in a fresh way.
When Matt graduated from college, mnw hit the road for a tour that lasted a full year, leading worship events at colleges and churches. Before long Brouwer signed a solo deal with Reunion Records in Nashville, Tenn., and Imagerical quickly became a worship favorite in churches across North America. The album received two Vibe Awards (Canadian People’s Choice Award), was nominated for a Juno Award for best gospel album and produced two top 10 singles.
Even with the acclaim, a sense of grounding and authenticity remained a priority. In 2002, Brouwer moved from Nashville to the Houston area to work at a dynamic worship service called “The Harvest” alongside Chris Tomlin. It was here that Matt met his current band - John Stanley (drums), Joe Degelia (guitars) and Russell Wedelich (bass). Together these musicians have become an important part of Brouwer’s ministry, not only through the music but also in practical ways of bringing the good news of Christ to a lost world.
