Darlene Joyce Zschech is an Australian worship leader and singer-songwriter. She was born in Brisbane, Australia in 1965. At the age of 14, she began playing keyboards for the local church and by her late teens, she was writing original music for the church.
Darlene has made music an integral part of her life since she was a child. From the age of ten she performed in a weekly children's television show, singing, dancing and hosting segments. As a teenager Darlene continued in music, fronting various local gospel bands in Brisbane, Queensland. She then started on the session scene in Sydney, working on jingles for McDonalds, Special K, KFC and Diet Coke.
Over recent years Darlene Zschech has gained recognition across the world as a worship leader (Hillsongs Church, Sydney, Australia), a singer and songwriter. She has written many songs including the world famous 'Shout to the Lord'.
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”.
Although she has achieved numerous gold albums and her songs are sung in many nations of the world. Darlene’s success simply stands as a testimony to her life’s passion for serving God and people with all her heart. Alongside her husband Mark, they are the Senior Pastors of Hope Unlimited Church (HopeUC) on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.
Many years ago Mark and Darlene made a life commitment to do whatever they could to bring answer and relief to human suffering. One of their great joys in life has been to work with Compassion International, serving the world’s poorest of the poor children.
Darlene and Mark live in the beautiful Central Coast of New South Wales with their three daughters, Zoe, Amy and son-in-law Andrew, Chloe and son-in-law Hosanna, and beautiful grand-daughters Ava Pearl, Ruthie Feather and grandson Roman Emmanuel Mark. While they travel extensively and have the honour of working and ministering alongside amazing friends around the globe, the family remains Darlene’s delight. Darlene says, “First and foremost I am a woman who simply and wholeheartedly loves Christ, and serves Him through loving my family, serving the church, and speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
