Matthew West shares video of inspiration behind chart-topping hit 'Grace Wins'

West launches nonprofit organization popwe.org

In his career, Matthew West, a multi-award-winning artist and songwriter who is well known for sharing others' stories through song, has received thousands of stories from people all around the world. Compiling many of the stories into three impactful albums, West has written songs of loss, abuse, redemption, heartbreak and recovery.

One of these very stories inspired West's current single, "Grace Wins," from his latest album release, "Live Forever." West was moved to pen the tune when he heard the story of Robert Muir who, while addicted to heroin and in desperate need of help in 2014, attended a West show. There with his mother, Muir knew he needed to make a life change. At the show, he found out about popwe, a nonprofit organization West co-founded with his father, Pastor Joe West.

popwe connected Muir to Teen Challenge, a Christian-based drug and alcohol recovery program, and helped him with the tuition for the 14-month recovery program. Today, Muir is employed by Teen Challenge and is helping others recover from addiction.

Thanks to the thousands of stories that keep coming in, West is broadening his mission of storytelling more than ever before with the official launch of popwe.org, a ministry created for people to share their stories for God's glory.

"Stories, just like Rob's, have served as the inspiration to all of the songs I've written, but they've also served as an inspiration to much more - it has become a life-changing journey," West said. "Now I know my mission is to take this idea of story even further."

He continued, "I've had a front-row seat to see how God can speak through each of our stories, and when one person stands up and tells their story, another person finds out that they're not alone. It's time to go from me to we. That's why we started popwe."

popwe is made up of a collective group of believers gathering as a community learning how to craft, share and live a more meaningful story with each of our lives, while spreading the unending message of hope. Stories inspire and they encourage, yet stories are only powerful when they are shared. To hear more from West as he shares his heart about the ministry, visit popwe.org.

After wrapping his co-headliner gig at this year's Winter Jam Tour, West jumped on The Bible Tour throughout April. This summer and early fall will take West to numerous music festivals around the U.S.

In October, he will set to sea on his 2016 "Storytellers Cruise" to the Caribbean. Running from Oct. 23-30, special guest artists and speakers, including Pastor Greg Laurie, Selah, Angie Smith, Mr. Talk Box and Pastor Joe West, will offer music, worship and special opportunities to learn to "craft, share and live" out stories while drawing closer to God.

Visit MatthewWest.com for more information.