Thérèse Motte is a French worship singer-songwriter from Nord-Pas-de-Calais. With her husband, she serves in small churches in the region, him in preaching, her in singing. Her compositions appear in the JEM songbook, and her recent albums, Au trône de la grâce and Maranatha, are shared on TopChrétien and YouTube.
Thérèse Motte, also known as Thérèse Motte-Louart, has been writing worship songs since the 1980s, at first without quite realizing she was really composing: the melodies were born in her personal relationship with God, sung among a small circle before being taken up by the congregation. Married and a mother of four, she serves with her husband in small churches in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, in the Hauts-de-France region, him carrying the preaching and her the worship.
Several of her songs were selected for the JEM songbook, J'aime l'Eternel, used in many French-speaking evangelical congregations, including Tu es merveilleux and Il est vivant. After a period of pause, she returned to writing with two albums, Au trône de la grâce and then Maranatha, available to stream freely on TopChrétien and on her YouTube channel, where she also shares sheet music and the stories behind her songs.
- Origin
- Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France (France)
- Style
- French-language worship and adoration, hymns written for the congregation
- Active since
- writing since the 1980s, albums Au trône de la grâce and Maranatha (2022)
- Good to know
- songs featured in the JEM songbook (J'aime l'Eternel), including Tu es merveilleux and Il est vivant
How did Thérèse Motte get started?
Thérèse Motte did not take up worship out of musical ambition. The songs first came within her life of prayer, without her thinking of sharing them more widely. It was while serving alongside her husband in small churches in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, him in preaching, her in worship, that her compositions began to circulate beyond her congregation.
Some of these songs, simple and easy to sing together as a group, ended up joining the JEM songbook, J'aime l'Eternel, widely used in French-speaking evangelical churches. Tu es merveilleux and Il est vivant are part of that, two songs born from a season when Thérèse Motte wrote above all to nourish her own local community.
What makes Thérèse Motte distinctive?
Unlike many worship artists, Thérèse Motte is not aiming for the stage: her songs are designed to be sung by the congregation, with deliberately accessible melodies. On her website, she offers sheet music and recordings for free, and tells, album after album, the story behind each song. With Pastor Matthieu Lemaire and the association Psaume 103, she also leads songwriting workshops for other Christian hymn writers.
Where should you start to discover Thérèse Motte?
The most natural starting point remains Maranatha, her 2022 album devoted to consecration, gratitude and waiting for the Lord's return, carried notably by the title track Maranatha and by Tout est accompli. Au trône de la grâce, her previous album, digs into more intimate themes such as healing and trust, with songs like Ta présence me suffit.
Her official YouTube channel, Therese Motte Louart, brings together all her songs as well as videos where she looks back on the origins of certain songs, a good complement for anyone who wants to understand the journey behind each composition rather than just listen.
songs
Maranatha !
The title track of the 2022 album, centered on the theme of waiting for the Lord's return.
Tout est accompli
Taken from the album Maranatha, a song centered on the finished work of the cross.
Ta présence me suffit
Taken from the album Au trône de la grâce, a worship song on trusting God's presence.
Discography
- 2022Maranatha ! Louanges et prières· 12 tracks, arrangements by Samuel Olivier
- Au trône de la grâce· 10 tracks, arrangements by Samuel Olivier
- Dieu de toute grâce
- Soleil de justice
Read also
Frequently asked questions
Who is Thérèse Motte?
Thérèse Motte is a French worship singer-songwriter from Nord-Pas-de-Calais. With her husband, she serves in small churches in the region, him in preaching, her in singing. Several of her compositions appear in the JEM songbook and she has released the albums Au trône de la grâce and Maranatha.
What is Thérèse Motte's best-known song?
Tu es merveilleux and Il est vivant, both included in the JEM songbook J'aime l'Eternel, are among her most widely sung songs in congregations. On her latest album, Maranatha and Tout est accompli are especially popular.
Where can you listen to Thérèse Motte's songs?
Her albums Maranatha and Au trône de la grâce are available for free on TopChrétien Musique as well as on her official YouTube channel, Therese Motte Louart, where she also shares sheet music and the story behind several of her songs.
Is Thérèse Motte an evangelical Christian?
Yes. Thérèse Motte writes for French-speaking evangelical congregations and serves, with her husband, in small churches in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. Her songs are designed to be sung by the congregation rather than performed on stage.
Has Thérèse Motte written for other artists?
She writes mainly for her own worship ministry, but with Pastor Matthieu Lemaire and the association Psaume 103, she also leads workshops to train other Christian hymn writers.
What is Thérèse Motte's latest album?
Her latest album, Maranatha ! Louanges et prières, came out in 2022. It includes twelve tracks devoted to consecration, gratitude and waiting for the Lord's return, with arrangements by Samuel Olivier.