Townend, son of a Church of England vicar in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire has three older siblings.

John Townend, was vicar of Christ Church, Sowerby Bridge from 1974 until his death in a motor accident in 1985.

[citation needed] He has appeared on Songs of Praise and worked with other Christian musicians, including Keith Getty, Lou Fellingham and Phatfish.

[citation needed] In 2005, Cross Rhythms magazine described Townend as "one of the most significant songwriters in the whole international Christian music field".

[3] The Christian website Crosswalk.com commented, "the uniqueness of Townend’s writing lies partly in its lyrical content.