Country music recording artist and songwriter Granger Smith has announced his summer tour will be his last one. 

Smith, 43, said in a video posted to Instagram Tuesday that he’s leaving Country music due to his “strong desire to pursue ministry.”

“And this doesn’t mean I’m going to start a church or a crusade or a revival. This means me and my family are going to serve our local church,” he explained. 

Along with the video, Smith also posted a caption, writing, “This message is so difficult to post.”

“The words for this caption are so hard to find. Not because I don’t believe in the truth of them, but because this marks the end of the longest era in my life! Touring…24 years of it,” he wrote. 

“This summer will be my last tour. I am so encouraged and hopeful and excited and joyful about the next chapter, but to a large extent, I have no idea what it will look like. I just want to glorify God the best way that I can,” the singer wrote. 

“I want to learn and grow and serve my local church and allow my pastors to equip and affirm those next steps. Lord willing, I want to be used to help people find their purpose,” Smith concluded. 

United Press International (UPI) reported Smith’s family attends a church near Austin, Texas.

The singer who has released 11 studio albums, one Live album, and two Extended Play projects, also told his fans he’s been attending Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary located in Wake Forest, North Carolina. 

Smith also said his book titled Like a River: Finding the Faith and Strength to Move Forward after Loss and Heartache will be released Aug. 1. The book is about the tragic drowning death of his three-year-old son River Kelly, and how he found hope after hitting “rock bottom.”

The singer’s Like A River tour begins Thursday in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and ends in August. 

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