Louis Brittz, a 40-year old lawyer by training, is a trend setting South African singer/songwriter of Christian Music, worship leader, music producer and public speaker (on worship-related topics). He is the CEO of Merchant Music, a South African record label that records, markets and distributes quality local music. He is also co-owner of Urial Publishing. Apart from his many performances, he has recently produced albums for The Soweto String Quartet, Laurika Rauch and Retief Burger (Luidkeels).
He became a Christian in his first year at University, and received his calling to be in ministry a week later at a Campus Mission's Week. Through the remainder of his studies he wrote songs and started leading worship . His gifting as a songwriter, evangelist, mobiliser and worship leader became known quickly, and after working for two years as a Candidate Attorney, Louis went into full-time ministry, performing and leading worship across South Africa. This year marks his 15th year in ministry, and his 3rd year as CEO of Merchant Music.
Louis has recorded 11 CD's containing self written songs in English and Afrikaans as well as well-known praise and worship material. His work has been nominated for and won local music awards, and many of the leading South African gospel artists have recorded songs written by Louis. One of S.A's leading mainstream female artists (Laurika Rauch) picked up on Louis' songs and recorded it during 2002. She has subsequently recorded a number of his songs and books him as producer on her shows, CD - and DVD recordings. Louis also writes articles and columns for Christian magazines, has published his first book and is completing work on his second one.
Through the years Louis' writing style has ripened and become unique. From one of his previous albums, Louis' song 'Shine on me' became the only song by a local artist to hit the number 1 spot on local Christian Radio during 2001! In the year 2000 Louis' song 'Unashamed' was the only gospel track to make the Top-100 Playlist of a huge local secular radio station. Tracks from his recent albums have been played on Brittish and Canadian Christian radio. He has been rated high and interviewed by Cross Rhythms Magazine in the UK, and CCM Magazine in the USA called him "South Africa's Sting".
Louis performs approximately 40 shows per annum with a band made up of professional musicians. They deliver a dynamic performance built on worship and accoustic rock music, with African, Europian and American influences. It's a unique style and is the main reason why Louis Brittz has been touring in England, Scotland, America, Canada and Namibia for the past 8 years. Louis and his band haved also toured to Belgium, Bosnia, Turkey and the Ukraine a number of times, living out an evangelistic calling to reach the lost. Louis loves using his gifting on this platform!
Louis has performed with Steven Curtis Chapman, Kirk Franklin, The Newsboys and Sonic Flood on their tours to South Africa. He has led worship at numerous national conferences, working with Drs. Loren Cunningham, Tony Campolo, Bruce Wilkinson, Duffy Robbins, George Verwer and almost every South African Christian speaker of note.
Louis has worked closely with South African youth ministries as a project leader, producer and evangelist, but is especially known as a mobiliser of young adults towards radically relevant Christianity, firmly integrated in society. He is a firm believer that our generation has a key-role to play in establishing God's Kingdom; that apart from being saved and healed by the inworking of the cross of Christ, we are to take up our mantle as wounded healers who take the Message and the Love of Christ to a world that has heard so much, but has seen so little of the Christ who lives in his body of believers today. With his dedicated team of musicians and assistants, Louis has had the priviledge to see thousands saved, called and envisioned to apply their calling to daily life. This a Holy Spirit-inspired ministry for which Louis and his team give God all the glory!!
Louis also developed a course in leading praise and worship and has trained more than 300 worshipteams from 14 denominations in Canada, America, England, Scotland, The Ukraine, Malawi, Namibia and South Africa during the past 5 years. Churches have a desperate need for training in this area, and Louis seems to be gifted to communicate what he has learned over the many years he has been leading worship. This course has been recorded on DVD in Afrikaans with the aim of providing Afrikaans churches with a training tool to equip their worship teams and pastors.
Louis is married to Hettie and they have three small children, Idalise, Pero and Simoné. Hettie is a Speech Therapist who has pioneered and Development Centre for needy children in one of their city's poorest areas. She teaches seminars on parent-child relationships, and her first book on this topic has appeared.
Louis can be reached at +27 83 456 6966 and at louis@louisbrittz.com His offices can be reached at +27 11 316 8002 |
