ABBOTSFORD, B.C., CANADA — (3:20 p.m., PST) – Brian Doerksen, Christian songwriter and recording artist, has died at the age of 60. The “Come, Now Is The Time To Worship” singer battled stage 4 cancer for months before he succumbed to the illness on Tuesday (Jul. 21).
Doerksen’s family friends took to Instagram with a final update on his condition. “On July 21st, at 6:45AM, our Beloved Brian passed away peacefully in his sleep at his family home, surrounded by those who loved him most,” the announcement read. “Thank you to the entire community around the world that prayed, gave, and sent incredible messages of love.”
Fans learned of Brian Doerksen’s condition earlier this month. Family friends revealed that the recording artist suffered with “severe pain from undiagnosed medical issues for months.” As it turned out, Doerksen was battling cancer.
“We have just been informed that Brian has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer,” family friends shared with social media fans last Friday (Jul. 17). “The doctors are still working to determine the specific type of cancer it is,” the update read. “The medical team is moving forward with treatment, as well as pain management.”
Doerksen’s condition declined furthermore at a rapid pace as he experienced kidney failure before doctors informed his family to “make him feel as comfortable and loved as possible.”
Brian Doerksen became popular in the United States after releasing his hit single, “Come, Now Is The Time To Worship” in 1998. The song quickly became a favored pick for Sunday morning worship services.
During his final interview with 100huntley, Brian Doerksen delved into his motivation to continue writing and recording songs.
“As I go through life, I’m open to what I call seeds of inspiration,” the artist shared. “The way I also process both difficulties and joys in my life is I write out of those experiences. And I guess there’s just been enough encouragement from some of the earlier efforts that I did that [I think], ‘Oh, maybe this is something I can do. Maybe this is something that helps people.’”
“I guess I just keep on taking the risks to be vulnerable, to try something new. And it’s the blend of, for me, singing the older songs, maybe, that some people know more because they’ve been around for thirty plus years, and then singing songs I wrote last week. And [I] just keep on going through life like that.”