Mark Mitchell Schultz (born September 16, 1970) is a contemporary Christian music artist. He has been nominated for numerous Dove Awards, winning his first at the 2006 Dove Awards when the CD/DVD Mark Schultz Live: A Night of Stories & Songs was named Long Form Music Video of the Year.
Schultz began writing songs for the youth at First Presbyterian Church and their families. He wrote personal songs of people’s struggles (He’s My Son, Cloud of Witnesses, etc.) as well as songs for certain church events (Remember Me, I Am the Way). The members of the church and specifically the mothers of the youth group helped Schultz organize a concert at the Ryman auditorium which was held in 2000. Tickets were sold at FPC and all over Nashville by the women of the church. The auditorium was full that night and Schultz’s parents were in the front row. Mark DeVries introduced him, and after the Ryman show, Schultz was offered a record deal with Myrrh Records. The songs performed at the Ryman concert made up Schultz’s first record, his self-titled debut, Mark Schultz. This virtually unheard-of feat for a new artist landed Schultz not only a record deal where he went on to sell over 1.3 million albums but also garnered him 10 No. 1 singles to date. Schultz has landed the top spot on Billboard’s Christian Adult Contemporary Songwriter list and has been featured on 48 Hours, CNN and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. In 2011, Schultz released his first instrumental album, Renaissance and his first novella, Letters From War, based on his hit song through {Howard Books} a division of {Simon and Schuster}. His 2005 release, Mark Schultz Live: A Night of Stories & Songs, was certified Platinum by the R.I.A.A. and earned Schultz his first GMA Dove Award.
On May 6, 2007, Schultz began bicycling from California to Maine in an attempt to raise money for widows and orphans. Schultz’s inspiration to make the 3,500 mile trek came from a visit that he and his wife made to orphanages in Mexico. During the trip, Schultz performed concerts along the route and all of the proceeds benefitted the James Fund, a non-profit that meets the needs of orphans and widows. In total, Schultz raised approximately $250,000.
Schultz’s album, All Things Possible, was released on September 4, 2012. The album’s lead single, “All Things Possible” was released on July 17, 2012 and the next single, “I Gave Up” is scheduled to release in mid-2013. In early 2013 Mark headlined the “All Things Possible” tour with Aaron Shust and Jonny Diaz, playing over 20 shows in 15 states.
Schultz’s latest album, Hymns was released on March 25, 2014 and includes eleven hymns, some of which include additional verses written by Schultz.
As an adopted child, Schultz believes that giving to orphans in need is part of his life’s purpose. In addition to the bike trip, he has been an advocate for orphans and adoption during his entire career. Specifically, he has been a spokesperson for Bethany Christian Services, World Vision, Compassion, Food For the Hungry, The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute and many others. More recently, Schultz has been participating in mission trips to serve orphans in Mexico with the group Good Goers.
In 2011, Schultz and his wife started the Remember Me Mission, which is a non-profit dedicated to helping orphans all over the world. Proceeds from Schultz’s music and other creative projects go toward healthcare and education for orphans at home and abroad.