Chris Tomlin

Chris Tomlin Bio

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 and is recognized for worship anthems such as “How Great Is Our God,” “Our God,” “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies),” and “Holy Forever.” In 1997, Tomlin partnered with Louie Giglio to found the Passion Conferences, and he has since become one of the most performed artists in churches around the world.

Tomlin’s career has spanned more than three decades, beginning in the early 1990s, and has included multiple studio and live albums that have topped Billboard Christian charts. Time magazine once called him the most often sung artist anywhere, and CCLI reported in 2012 that his songs were performed more than 3 million times in churches globally. He is married to Lauren Bricken and is the father of three daughters.

Early Life and Background

Christopher Dwayne Tomlin was born on May 4, 1972, and raised in the small town of Grand Saline, Texas. He began singing at Main Street Baptist Church in Grand Saline at the age of 13 and wrote his first worship song at fourteen. During his high school years, Tomlin learned to lead worship through his youth group, an experience that shaped his lifelong calling as a worship leader.

After graduating from Grand Saline High School in 1990, Tomlin enrolled at Tyler Junior College with plans to pursue a career in medicine or physical therapy. He graduated from TJC in 1992 and then enrolled at Texas A&M University, where he initially studied medicine. While at Texas A&M, he joined a campus Christian group called Breakaway, and his involvement there redirected his path toward music ministry.

Tomlin graduated from Texas A&M University in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. During his time at Breakaway, he joined a Bible study led by Louie Giglio, the founder of Choice Ministries. That relationship would later lead to one of the most important partnerships in modern worship music.

Path to Christian Music

Following college, Tomlin served as a worship leader at various camps across Texas, including the Dawson McAllister Youth Conferences. These early ministry roles allowed him to refine his craft as a songwriter and worship leader, while also connecting him with broader networks within the Christian music community. In 1995, he released his first independent project, Inside Your Love, followed by Authentic on Sparrow Records in 1998.

In 1997, Tomlin partnered with Louie Giglio to found the Passion Conferences, a movement that would help launch the modern worship music movement and introduce songs to a generation of college students. Three years later, in 2000, Tomlin signed with Sixstepsrecords, a label associated with the Passion Conferences. His first nationally released solo project, The Noise We Make, arrived in 2001 and featured the song “Forever,” which became one of his most enduring worship songs.

Over the next several years, Tomlin released additional studio projects, including the live EP 545 and the album Not to Us in 2002. His 2004 album Arriving became the first to chart on both Billboard’s Hot Christian Albums chart and the Billboard 200, signaling his growing influence within the contemporary Christian music scene.

Chris Tomlin Career

Early Career (1993–2003)

Chris Tomlin launched his professional music career in 1993, initially working as a worship leader in Texas. His early independent release, Inside Your Love, came out in 1995 and was followed by Authentic on Sparrow Records in 1998. These early projects established him as a rising voice in worship music and laid the groundwork for his later commercial success.

His signing with Sixstepsrecords in 2000 marked a turning point, leading to the release of The Noise We Make in 2001, the live EP 545 in 2002, and Not to Us in 2002. Songs like “Forever” began to spread through church networks, and Tomlin’s reputation as a songwriter and worship leader grew steadily during this period.

Breakthrough (2004–2015)

The release of Arriving in 2004 became Tomlin’s first project to chart on Billboard’s Hot Christian Albums chart and the Billboard 200. Over the following decade, he topped the Hot Christian Albums chart six times, and his 2013 album Burning Lights became only the fourth contemporary Christian album ever to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200. These milestones cemented his place as one of the leading artists in his genre.

During this period, Tomlin released additional studio albums and two Christmas albums in 2009 and 2015, both of which topped Billboard’s Holiday albums chart. He toured with leading Christian artists including Delirious?, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, and MercyMe, and he headlined his own tours in addition to participating in Passion Conferences across the United States and internationally. In 2007, his version of “Indescribable” was used as the official wake-up call for Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester on Space Shuttle mission STS-117, a unique honor that reflected the broad reach of his music.

Notable Works and Milestones

Tomlin’s signature songs include “How Great Is Our God,” “Our God,” “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies),” “Holy Forever,” “Forever,” “Holy Is the Lord,” “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone),” and “Indescribable.” In August 2007, he held five spots on Christian Copyright Licensing International’s list of the top 25 worship songs in the United States, including the No. 1 position for “How Great Is Our God.” In 2017, he became the fourth artist ever to receive the SoundExchange 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 streams on that platform.

Chris Tomlin Award Nominations

Throughout his career, Chris Tomlin has been nominated for more than 50 GMA Dove Awards, with at least six of those nominations coming from collaborative efforts. He has also been nominated for two 2009 Visionary Awards, including Male Entertainer of the Year and Song of the Year for “Jesus Messiah.” These nominations reflect the consistent recognition he has received from both Christian music industry organizations and broader worship audiences over more than two decades.

Chris Tomlin Awards Won

Chris Tomlin has won 23 GMA Dove Awards across his career, making him one of the most awarded artists in contemporary Christian music history. In 2017, he received the SoundExchange Digital Radio Award for surpassing a billion digital radio streams, becoming only the fourth artist to earn that distinction. The following year, in 2018, he became the first Christian artist to receive the Billionaire Award from Pandora, marking one billion streams on the platform.

Chris Tomlin Family

Chris Tomlin grew up in Grand Saline, Texas, where he began singing at Main Street Baptist Church as a teenager. His formative years in the small East Texas town shaped his early development as a worship leader and songwriter, and he later credited his youth group experience with teaching him how to lead worship.

Beyond his immediate family, Tomlin has built a long professional partnership with Louie Giglio, with whom he co-founded the Passion Conferences in 1997. That collaboration has remained a central part of his ministry and music career for nearly three decades.

Personal Life

Chris Tomlin married Lauren Bricken on November 9, 2010. The couple has three daughters together and resides in the United States. Tomlin has continued to balance his career as a recording artist and touring worship leader with his role as a husband and father.