Chris Tomlin

Biography

Christopher Dwayne Tomlin (born May 4, 1972) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, and worship leader from Grand Saline, Texas. He is signed to Universal's Capitol Christian Music Group. His best-known songs include "How Great Is Our God", "Our God", "Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)" and "Holy Forever×Holy Forever15 July 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Holy Forever5:082Always4:093YAHWEH (No One) (with Elevation Worship)4:514I See You (with Brandon Lake)3:51".

Early life

At the age of 13, Tomlin began singing at the Main Street Baptist church in Grand Saline. He wrote his first worship song at age 14. During high school, Tomlin learned to lead worship in his youth group. After graduating from Grand Saline High School in 1990, he entered Tyler Junior College (TJC) planning for a medical or physical therapy career. Tomlin graduated in 1992 and enrolled in Texas A&M University to study medicine. He grew active in a campus Christian group called Breakaway, where he became the worship leader. In 1994, Tomlin graduated from Texas A&M with a bachelor's degree in psychology. After college Tomlin participated as a worship leader at various camps in Texas, including Dawson McAllister Youth Conferences. While at Breakaway, Tomlin participated in a Bible study led by Choice Ministries founder Louie Giglio. In 1997, Tomlin partnered with Giglio to found Passion Conferences.

Career

In 1995, Tomlin released Inside Your Love, which was released independently. In 1998, he released Authentic on Sparrow Records.
In 2000, Tomlin signed onto newly founded Sixstepsrecords, a subsidiary of Passion Conferences. His first nationally released solo project, titled The Noise We Make, was released in 2001, featuring the song "Forever". He released the live EP 545 and his second studio album Not to Us×Not to Us13 September 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Everything3:512Enough4:213Not to Us4:444Wonderful Maker5:005Famous One4:186Come Let Us Worship4:247The River3:498Unchanging4:529Come Home Running3:4510Overflow4:35 in 2002.
Since his signing onto Sixstepsrecords, Tomlin has released nine full-length studio albums. 2004's Arriving was the first to chart on Billboard's Hot Christian Albums chart and the Billboard 200. Tomlin has topped the Hot Christian Albums chart six times, and his 2013 album Burning Lights×Burning Lights4 January 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks1Burning Lights1:042Awake My Soul3:553Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)4:284Lay Me Down4:455God’s Great Dance Floor3:396White Flag4:347Crown Him (Majesty)5:138Jesus, Son of God4:289Sovereign4:3510Countless Wonders3:2211Thank You God for Saving Me4:2612Shepherd Boy4:34 topped the Billboard 200, making the album only the fourth contemporary Christian album to do so.
Tomlin has also released one live album, recorded in Austin Music Hall, and two Christmas albums (2009, 2015), both of which topped the Holiday albums chart on Billboard.
Tomlin has toured with many contemporary Christian artists, such as Delirious?, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, and MercyMe. Tomlin has headlined several tours, and has also joined Passion Conferences for national and global tours and events. Tomlin has also participated in various other conferences festivals including Grand Saline's annual Salt Festival in Texas, Hillsong's 2007 conference, and the SoCal Harvest in Anaheim.
On June 14, 2007, Tomlin's version of the song "Indescribable" was used as the official wake-up call for Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester on Space Shuttle mission STS-117. Chris Tomlin left Sixstepsrecords in 2015 and signed to Capitol Records CMG and River Music Holdings in 2016
On September 21, 2025, Tomlin led worship for the memorial service of Charlie Kirk held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The assassination of Charlie Kirk occurred in Utah on September 10, 2025.
On July 1, 2026, Tomlin's performance at the United States Semiquincentennial event in Washington, D.C. was met with widespread ridicule due to a lack of fans and a mostly-empty event established by the White House Task Force on Celebrating America's 250th Birthday.

Personal life

Tomlin married Lauren Bricken on November 9, 2010. They have three daughters.

Awards and achievements

According to Christian Copyright Licensing International's list of the top 25 worship songs in the US in August 2007, Tomlin held five spots with songs he has either written, co-written or performed: "How Great Is Our God" (No. 1), "Forever" (No. 5), "Holy Is the Lord×Holy Is The Lord2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Holy Is The Lord4:15" (No. 7), "We Fall Down" (No. 12), and "Indescribable" (No. 22) (written by Laura Story). In 2008, Tomlin held 6 spots on 20 The Countdown Magazine's top 20 praise and worship songs: "We Fall Down" (No. 14), "Forever" (No. 10), "Holy Is the Lord" (No. 8), "Indescribable" (No. 6), "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" (No. 3), and "How Great Is our God" (No. 1). In 2012, CCLI reported that his songs were performed more than 3 million times in churches around the world. Time magazine has called him "most often sung artist anywhere" in 2006, and in 2013, he was also pronounced the most sung songwriter in the world. In 2017, he became only the fourth artist to receive the Sound Exchange Digital Radio Award for surpassing a billion digital radio streams, and in 2018, he became the first Christian artist to receive the Billionaire award from Pandora for reaching a billion Pandora streams.

GMA Dove Awards

Throughout his career, Chris Tomlin has been nominated for more than 50 Dove Awards (at least 6 of them collaborative efforts) and won 23 of them.

Denotes a collaborative effort or a song contribution to a "Various artists" album.
1 The song was performed by Tomlin, but written and produced by Laura Story.
2 The song was performed by LaRue Howard, but written by Tomlin.

Others

Tomlin was nominated for two 2009 Visionary Award: Male Entertainer of the Year and Song of the Year for "Jesus Messiah".