“No one’s heard it.”
It’s easy to chalk things up to coincidence, to believe in happy accidents and happenstance. Chris Tomlin could have very easily credited chance — random serendipity — for his timely connection to an upcoming Christian movie. But he doesn’t; instead, he sees it as divine, predestined providence.
The famed recording artist and worship leader is stepping into a new role: executive producer.
Tomlin, 52, is seated in the producer’s chair for the new movie, “The Last Supper,” set to debut in theaters nationwide March 14. The film, from Pinnacle Peak Pictures, the distribution studio launched nearly 20 years ago by David A.R. White of Pure Flix fame, centers on the days leading up to wayward disciple Judas’ betrayal of Jesus as the Savior’s closest followers gather for a final meal before His impending crucifixion.
When he was first approached by the creators of “The Last Supper,” Tomlin said they asked if he had a song — or could write one — that would work for the film.
“I played a couple songs [and I said], ‘I’ve got this one I just wrote and no one’s heard it — literally, no one’s heard it,'” he recalled of his conversation with the filmmakers. “[I] played it for them and I had not seen the movie when I wrote this song and it just went perfectly with this movie. And I was like, ‘OK, this feels like something that’s right.'”
Finding the song tied to a theatrically released movie was certainly not on Tomlin’s radar when he wrote “No Greater Love” alongside Tyler Hubbard of the country music duo Florida Georgia Line during a writing retreat at 20th century novelist Ernest Hemingway’s home in Ketchum, Idaho.
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Hubbard and a couple other country songwriters told Tomlin they wanted to write a worship song with the “Holy Forever” singer, explaining they wanted the theme to focus on John 15:13, which reads, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (NLT).
“Line for line, [I was] like, ‘Wow, this fits so perfectly,” he said. “It was just one of those moments you’re like, ‘OK, we’re in the flow. … God is in this.’ He’s like, ‘I’m putting the pieces together. You didn’t even know I was putting these pieces together, but I’ve got this little plan.'”
“So much of my life,” Tomlin reflected, “is like, ‘Wow, I did not see these pieces coming together like this,’ but you’re just trying to be faithful and follow and walk with God, and it’s amazing what happens.”
Tomlin’s life — and career as a worship leader — has been a sequence of “pieces coming together.”
Of his role not only writing and recording worship music but traveling the world to lead people in worship, Tomlin said he feels the immense responsibility of the calling God has placed on his life.
We asked Chris Tomlin what “worship” means to him. Watch our conversation to hear his answer:
“I always pray this prayer: ‘God, if your presence does not show up, then there’s not going to be any real lasting [impact],'” he said. “What I mean is I always pray for the presence of God to touch people. “
The singer-songwriter referenced the Old Testament passage Exodus 33:16, as Moses was leading the Israelites out of Sinai and toward the Promised Land. In the verse Moses said to God, “How will anyone know that you look favorably on me — on me and on your people — if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth” (NLT).
As he picks up his guitar and plays the chords to his songs, Tomlin said his prayer is those who hear him “sense God’s presence.”
“There’s nothing like the sound of the people of God singing the praises of God in the presence of God,” he reflected. “And when that happens, it’s so powerful.”
Tomlin went on to say his concerts should be distinguishable from secular shows, not because he’s a better artist but because “your soul is singing to a living God” when you sing worship songs.
“What we’re doing here is eternal,” he said.