Brian Doerksen


Brian Robert Doerksen is a Canadian Christian singer-songwriter and worship leader.

Early life

He was a member at a local Mennonite Brethren church and graduated from the Mennonite Educational Institute in 1983. In his early twenties, Brian found himself back home in British Columbia where he joined the staff of the Langley Vineyard Christian Fellowship and spent several years there as the worship pastor in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Musical career

For many years Doerksen was part of the Vineyard Churches as well as Vineyard Music Group. In that context he has been extremely influential in the area of contemporary Christian worship music. He was a featured worship leader on many Vineyard worship CDs and has also taught extensively on worship leading and song writing. Brian's worship recordings are known for their high production values and quality songwriting.
Notable songs written by Doerksen include: "Refiner's Fire", "Light the Fire Again", "Come Now is the Time to Worship", "Faithful One", "Hope of the Nations,", and "Today ". Some of these songs have been covered by a number of artists including the Oslo Gospel Choir and Phillips, Craig & Dean.
More recently Brian Doerksen has been producing worship music through Integrity's Hosanna Music, including his albums You Shine, Today, Live in Europe, Holy God and It's Time.
Brian Doerksen received a Gospel Music Association Dove Award in 2003, only the second Canadian to be so honoured. He has also won a string of Covenant Awards during his career including four in 2005, among them: Artist of the Year, Praise And Worship Album of the Year and Praise And Worship Song of the Year. Three more Covenant Awards followed in 2006, and a further six in 2007. In 2008 he won a Juno Award for the album Holy God.
Doerksen's most recent project was to co-write a musical titled Prodigal God with playwright and worship pastor Christopher Greco. The production will have its debut performance in February 2010 in Vancouver, before going on tour.

Ministry

Brian Doerksen served as one of two co-pastors along with Dean Richmond, Janine Richmond, Irv Esau and Karin Esau at an interdenominational church they started on Mother's Day 2006, called The Bridge in Abbotsford. This church met in Matsqui Village. Brian was a teaching and worship arts pastor and oversaw the church's growing team of worship leaders.
Doerksen led Prairie Bible Institute's School of Worship Arts starting in September 2014.

Personal life

He married his high school sweetheart in 1984. The couple have six children, four daughters and two sons. His sons both have fragile X syndrome. The family resides in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.

Discography

Vineyard Music albums
Solo albums
Books
Songs in other projects
Video
Gospel Music Association Dove Award
GMA Canada Covenant Awards
Juno Awards
  • 2008 Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year: "Holy God"
Praise Awards
  • 2001 Best Worship Project: Hungry
Shai Awards'