Darlene Zschech


Darlene Joyce Zschech is an Australian Pentecostal Christian worship leader and singer-songwriter who primarily writes praise and worship songs. Described as a "pioneer of the modern worship movement", she is the former worship pastor of Hillsong Church and currently a member of Compassionart, a charity founded by Martin Smith.

Life and career

Zschech starred on television at the age of 10, as part of an Australian children's show, Happy Go Round. When she was 13, her parents divorced and the emotional stress of being on television and her parents' divorce resulted in her having bulimia for about four years.
In 1980, when Zschech was 15, her father rededicated his life to Christ and began taking her to church, where she also became a committed Christian and met her future husband, Mark Zschech. When they married, her husband suggested that they move from Brisbane to Sydney, which was confirmed at a small church they were visiting one Sunday when the guest speaker said in the middle of his sermon, "This doesn't happen to me very often, but whatever it is you two prayed last night, God says do it now." They began attending Hills Christian Life Centre, which would become Hillsong Church.
Zschech sang jingles for a number of international companies including McDonald's, KFC and Coca-Cola, until she eventually joined the staff of Hillsong Church after penning "Shout to the Lord". She released a vinyl album in 1987 called Make the Choice and a cassette album in 1993 called Pearls & Gold.
Zschech and her husband have three daughters, Amy, Chloe and Zoe. In 2000, she had a miscarriage after 12 weeks.
Shout to the Lord was nominated as Album of the Year for the 1997 Dove Awards and Song of the Year for the 1998 Dove Awards. In 2000, Zschech received a Dove Award nomination for Songwriter of the Year and received the International Award for influence in praise and worship.
In 2003, Zschech released her first official solo album, Kiss of Heaven. Change Your World followed in 2005. She has since released two albums, in 2011, called Simply Darlene and You Are Love. In addition to writing songs, she has written five books: Worship, Extravagant Worship, The Kiss of Heaven, The Great Generational Transition and Revealing Jesus: A 365-Day Devotional.
On 11 December 2013, Zschech was diagnosed with breast cancer. In a blog dated 30 November 2014, she wrote that she has been healed of cancer, which her doctor termed "quite miraculous".

Hillsong Church

Zschech was the worship pastor of Hillsong Church from 1996 to 2007, during which time she served as producer, vocal producer or executive producer for more than 20 albums under the Hillsong Music label and wrote more than 80 published worship songs. Under Zschech's leadership, the album People Just Like Us was the first Christian album in Australia to go Gold as well as the first to go Platinum, and the album For All You've Done debuted at No. 1 on the Australian Record Industry Association album charts. Zschech explained Hillsong Music's stance in her book Extravagant Worship in a prayer: "Father, let them quickly get their eyes off of us. We just want to point them to you, God, because you are the Author of truth. You are the only One who is to be praised."

"Shout to the Lord"

Zschech composed "Shout to the Lord" in 1993 and it has become one of the most well-known modern worship songs, being sung by an estimated 25–30 million churchgoers every Sunday since the song's release. She wrote the song during a time of personal struggle. When she presented it to Hillsong's then-worship pastor, Geoff Bullock, she was so embarrassed that she requested he face away from her as she played and sang.
"Shout to the Lord" was first recorded on People Just Like Us and has appeared on more than 200 different albums by numerous artists in multiple languages. It is also the title track for the first live album co-produced with Integrity Music featuring Zschech as a worship leader. It was Integrity Music's first album to feature a female worship leader. The album was nominated for Praise & Worship Album of the Year at the 1997 Dove Awards. The song was nominated in the 1998 Dove Awards' Song of the Year category. It has been performed for the Pope at the Vatican and for the President of the United States.
On the global impact of "Shout to the Lord", Zschech said, "I can't take any credit for its impact. God decided to put his blessing on this song."

Songs

Songs written or co-written by Zschech include:
The following is a list by year of albums or single tracks which feature Zschech as a prominent vocalist or worship leader.
YearFeatured onNotes
1987Make the Choice first solo studio album release
1988Spirit and Truth first album released by Hillsong
1990Show Your Glory
1992The Power of Your Love first live album released by Hillsong
1993Stone's Been Rolled Away wrote "Your Name"
1993Pearls & Gold
1994People Just Like Us first recording of "Shout to the Lord"
1994The song "Shout to the Lord" from Jump to the Jam
1995Friends in High Places wrote "Praise His Holy Name", "Rock of Ages" with Geoff Bullock and "Lord I Give Myself"
1996God is in the House first Hillsong Live album as worship pastor; wrote "God Is in the House" with Russell Fragar, "And That My Soul Knows Very Well" with Fragar, "Let the Peace of God Reign", "Walking in the Light" and "I Will Run To You"
1996Simply Worship
1996The song "And That My Soul Knows Very Well" on Chosen One
1996Shout to the Lord first Integrity album to feature Zschech
1997All Things Are Possible wrote "All Things Are Possible", "I Live to Know You", "I Know It" and "Glory to the King"
1997Simply Worship 2
1997Hills Praise
1997I Believe the Promise
1998Touching Heaven, Changing Earth wrote the songs "That's What We Came Here For" with Fragar, "I Will Bless You Lord", "Jesus You're All I Need" and "The Potter's Hand"
1998Simply Worship 3
1998Shout to the Lord 2000
1999By Your Side wrote "Sing of Your Great Love" and "Free to Dance"; album received a nomination for Praise & Worship Album of the Year at the 2001 Dove Awards
2000For This Cause wrote "Here to Eternity" with David Moyse and "It Is You"
2000The Power of Your Love Symphony
2000Overwhelmed wrote "Overwhelmed", "Jesus, Our Lord Jesus" and "The Lord is Good" with Reuben Morgan
2000You Shine
2000 originally published as Millennium: The Story So Far; a compilation of previously recorded songs by the Hillsong team
2001You Are My World wrote "Irresistible", "Glorious", "To You" and "Worthy Is the Lamb"; the album received a nomination for Praise & Worship Album of the Year at the 2002 Dove Awards
2001Christmas wrote "Perfect Love" with Russell Fragar and "Hallelujah"
2002Blessed wrote "Blessed" with Reuben Morgan; the album received a nomination for Praise & Worship Album of the Year at the 2003 Dove Awards
2002' a compilation of previously recorded songs; the tracks that were written by Zschech but previously recorded by a different lead vocalist were re-recorded with Zschech as the lead vocal
2002'
2003Hope wrote "My Hope", "Call" and "You Are"; the song "My Hope" was nominated for Inspirational Song of the Year at the 2004 Dove Awards
2003Kiss of Heaven
2003Amazing Love
2003' a compilation of previously recorded songs by the Hillsong team and a studio-recorded version of Zschech's song "My Hope"
2004For All You've Done wrote "You Are Worthy" and "Glorify Your Name" with David Holmes
2004Faithful wrote "Mercy Endures"
2004' Zschech and the Hillsong team joined with Delirious?
2005God He Reigns wrote "Saviour" and "Know You More"
2005Celebrating Christmas
2005Ultimate Worship
2005Change Your World
2006Mighty to Savewrote "More to See" with Mia Fieldes, Deborah Ezzy, Donia Makadonez & Nigel Hendroff, "I Believe" and "At the Cross" with Reuben Morgan; the song "Mighty to Save", written by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan, received Worship Song of the Year at the 2009 Dove Awards
2006Songs for Communion wrote "The Only Name", "Saviour", "Oh the Blood" and "Worthy is the Lamb"
2006Supernatural wrote "I Will Sing" with Gio Galanti and daughters Chloe Zschech and Zoe Zschech
2007Saviour King wrote "One Thing" with Marty Sampson
2007Lord of All
2008This Is Our God wrote "High and Lifted Up" with Mike Guglielmucci
2008Ultimate Collection Volume II A compilation of previously released songs
2009Songs 4 Worship 50featured on the songs "Shout to the Lord" and "My Redeemer Lives"
2009Faith + Hope + Love wrote "His Glory Appears" with Marty Sampson
2010A Beautiful Exchange wrote "Believe" with Reuben Morgan
2010The Very Best of Graham Kendrick: Knowing You Jesus featured on the songs "There is a Hope So Sure" and "Until the Day"
2010Con Todo Zschech sings in Spanish; the album won the award for Spanish Language Album of the Year at the 42nd GMA Dove Awards
2010One Voicefeatured on the song "Awesome Wonder"
2011God is Able wrote "Cry of the Broken"
2011Simply Darlene
2011You Are Love
2011Songs 4 Worship Ultimatefeatured on the song "Face to Face", which she wrote
2011The song "Lo Grande Que Eres Dios" on the album En Mi Lugar Zschech sings in Spanish
2011The song "Emmanuel" on the album Born is the King
2011Music Inspired by The Storyfeatured on a duet with Michael W. Smith on the track "The Great Day "
2012The song "Es Tu Amor" on the album Global Project Español Zschech sings in Spanish
201225 Songs That Changed the Way We Worshipfeatured on the song "Shout to the Lord"
2012Hopefeatured on the song "My Hope"
2012The song "Emmanuel" on the album We Have a Saviour
2013The Rescue featured on the song "It is Done"
2013Revealing Jesus Zschech's first official live solo album
2013Worship Duets featured on the song "That Name"
2013Just As I Am featured on the song "My Jesus I Love Thee "
2013In Christ Alone: 25 of Today's Most Powerful Modern Hymnsfeatured on the song "Your Name/Cry of the Broken"
2013My Hope: Songs Inspired by the Message and Mission of Billy Grahamfeatured on the song "The Cross of Christ", which she wrote
2014Only King Forever featured on the song "The Love of Jesus"
2014Heaven is For Real: Songs Inspired by the Film and Best-Selling Bookwrote and featured as lead vocal on the song "Heaven in Me"
2015In Jesus' Name: A Legacy of Worship & Faitha compilation of previously recorded songs
2017Here I Am Send Me live album