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Canadian-born singer/songwriter Matt Maher stands out like, well, like a Roman Catholic on a Protestant record label. In the Provident Label Group lineup, Maher shares the roster with the likes of Michael W. Smith, Third Day, and Jars of Clay. And though the former music minister at St. Timothy Catholic Community in Mesa, Ariz., is best known for writing hit songs for artists like Chris Tomlin ("Your Grace Is Enough"), Bethany Dillon, and Phillips, Craig and Dean, he's making an impact of his own with Alive Again, his second major-label record, and a ministry that crosses denominational lines. Maher spoke with us about what it's like to be a Catholic artist on a primarily Protestant worship circuit, and the burden God has given him for unity in what the Apostle's Creed calls "the holy catholic church"—the church universal.

Matt Maher

How did a music minister at a Catholic church end up on a Protestant record label?

Matt Maher: I was involved in ministry at St. Tim's in 2005, and I was doing a Bible study on unity for our college group. I took the group to a Passion conference, and my heart sort of exploded with the desire for unity in the church. I didn't do anything; I just knew that was something I was called to, and it was going to be important.

That fall I signed a publishing deal with EMI and Worship Together, which meant that a lot of people I would be writing with would be from different denominations. To me it was a huge confirmation of what I'd felt called to do. For years I had been doing ministry in the Catholic church, and the songs that were impacting the kids were coming from people in other denominations. So I just thought, This is an opportunity to build relationships with those people and link arms with them for the Kingdom.

The record deal came as a result of further reflection on my calling. It came to a point where it made sense for me as a person and for my art, and Provident was very gracious. 

As you stepped into a Protestant worship circuit, what was the reaction to your music and your presence?

Maher: Any resistance I've encountered—which honestly has been extremely minimal—I know is not personal. A lot of people have been deeply wounded by the Catholic church, and I can't heal them. A lot of people have been mis-taught doctrine and have a bad understanding of Catholic teaching, and I can't convince their hearts. God is the only one who can change them.

From the outset, I came into this saying, "I'm just going to try to be a servant to everybody because I don't know their story and where they're coming from." The reality is I didn't have any negative experiences with anything Protestant. So I came into it like, everything's cool. I've had co-writing sessions with Protestants where we had that common denominator, and I've seen in a very radical way the real possibility of unity. There's definitely an element on the [Protestant] side of "Wait, I don't know anything about you." But that doesn't mean they don't want to work together.

What progress have you seen among Catholics?

Maher: For about 25 years, there's been a very slow movement in the Catholic church of people returning to the core teachings of the gospel and the sacraments and the sacramental life, all rooted in relationship. There's a whole generation of young adults, college students, and teenagers from the Catholic church who have a heart for evangelism and for building relationships.

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