Armed with the mission to connect people to Jesus via music, and a mandate to raise the bar of New Zealand’s Christian music, Parachute Music was formed in 1989.

Founder Mark de Jong launched into the deep, from running large Youth for Christ concerts to starting a ministry which has now seen 20 years of growth. Still passionate about supporting musicians who sing what they stand for, Mark believes, “There’s power in a song to touch the human spirit when words are simply not enough.”

Parachute Music quickly grew into a national organisation, filling the gap between artists and record companies. Hosting one of the largest music festivals in the Southern Hemisphere, Parachute has created a platform for local and international artists, which has become a ‘must’ on the Kiwi calendar and an evangelical highlight – with a high percentage of unchurched attending the annual event.

Now run by a Board of Trustees, 20 staff, interns, a Festival Executive team, and thousands of volunteers and financially committed Supporters, Parachute Music is a charitable trust with a long haul mentality.