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A country rock Christian band from Saskatchewan with family ties has turned their miracle story into a means of sharing the gospel through song.
"Me and my wife got married very young," says Joel Ivey, the co-lead singer and guitarist of Collect Assembly. "I was 20 and she was 18. I knew Morgan, her little sister, since she was very young. The calling to do music together was there."
Collect Assembly was created by Ivey and his sister-in-law, Morgan Groenewald. Their latest single, "Echo," was written during an Easter family gathering, according to Ivey.
"It was supposed to be a worship collective. I was in a farm accident about five years ago, and I felt that calling back to music after that accident to share the good news, the gospel, and that life is so meaningful."
The members are all from Saskatchewan. During the spring and fall, Ivey helps the local farmers to combine their fields, taking time off from touring. He also runs a diesel performance business.
Near-Death Experience while Farming
"I got trapped in the back of a combine. I broke my spine, had internal bleeding, and collapsed a lung; really scary stuff. I was in the hospital for a week."
Ivey recalls being in rough shape and feeling certain this was how he was going to die.
"At the time of the accident, I had a special time with God. I thought that I was going to die. At first, I was angry at God. I felt like I had two minutes left. My wife was pregnant with twins due in two weeks. I was angry, but then there was this overshadowing of joy for this life that I was given and lived. I was so thankful for life insurance in that moment, that my family would be looked after. I knew my family would surround them. There was a special moment that I got to have with Jesus. I don't think it's something I will ever get over."
After the incident, Ivey suffered with back pain for 3-4 years, but he says now he's pain-free, even though his back never fully healed.
"It's probably something I should share with people more than I do. I don't share it as much because I don't want people to feel like they need to have that special experience. Jesus is there whether you're trapped in the back of a combine or whether you've been in the combine for 24 hours straight, just trying to get the crop off."
Ivey and his wife have a nine-year-old daughter, and their twins are heading to school in the fall as they are now five.
"A big part of our message is to share the joy of the Lord. A lot of our stuff sounds dark and heavy but it's more upbeat. We try to take the deep things that we struggle with, even the revelation of God to us as humans, and release the pressure."
Their new album, Outlaw Gospel, was released on July 25, 2025, and it features 10 songs.