Jessica Morris Tomlin Research Paper

Chris Tomlin: Worship Night in America ‘It's a prayer for God's revival in our churches’
By Jessica Morris
Chris Tomlin’s worship songs have been sung my millions of people all over the world; in fact Time called him “Most Likely the Most Often Sung Artist Anywhere.” Songs like “Everlasting God,” and “How Great Is Our God,” have been quintessential to the language of the church, overcoming denominational difference to bring us together in one voice. So what is next on the agenda for the Grammy Award winner? Well, he’s bringing Worship Night in America to three major cities across the nation this summer, and it’s more than a feel-good concert.
“The idea is bringing the church together, from the Catholics to the charismatics in the USA in a
special way,” shares Tomlin, about what he hopes will be the first of an inaugural event. “I feel like we have so many different doctrines, so many different flavors of our churches and the way we do things. What's amazing though is we're singing a lot of the same songs across these denominations, across these different streams if you will.”
Bringing together some of the most well-known worship leaders and pastors of our time, including Matt Redman, Hillsong’s Reuben Morgan and Kari Jobe, as well as Matt Maher, Kim Walker-Smith, Phil Wickham, the Rend Collective and Grammy award winner Israel Houghton, Tomlin is uniting them as one band to deliver the songs they penned and lead a country towards revival.
“I thought what would it be like to bring some of my friends together who are writing some of the most influential songs around the word today, and songs that are being used in church. What would it be like for us to come together in one night?... Have one band, and have all these different leaders up there together singing song to song to song and leading together as one.”
Aside from leading people in worship, teaching will also play a fundamental role in the nights as Max Lucado and close friend Louie Giglio deliver the Word.
“Worship Night in America to me is another step in a sense of we're going to be praying for the nation and our country. That doesn't just start with praying for the nation. I feel it starts with individuals, our own selves, our own hearts, and our churches.”
In light of the precarious political and spiritual events that have been taking place in America, Tomin acknowledges that God has his hand firmly on the event. “I just feel like in God's providence this is so on point. I feel it just riveting, amping up and momentum growing like crazy for this because of this moment in our nation.” Coming up with the idea for Worship Night in America 2 years ago, he says God’s timing has been pivotal. “I just feel like these nudgings from God, from the Holy Spirit has just been right on at every step, at every single place.”
With a love for American history and the values of the Founding Fathers, Tomlin feels the weight of the task. Starting in Madison Square Garden on August 8, the event is literally bringing Christ into the centre of American culture. “I'm really carrying these trembling hands because I feel like, again, this is not just the normal going onto a city and doing tour...Who knows what's going to happen these days, but it's going to be very, very
powerful.”
Coming off the spring leg of his Love Ran Red Tour (which is coincidentally Tomlin’s biggest to date), Tomlin has also been working at a global level with CURE international.
“We've raised plus a million dollars for these kids. I would have never dreamed that. I've never done anything like that on a tour. I've toured for 15 years and never done anything like that in my life.”
Joining the board of CURE International with his wife last year, Tomlin can’t speak highly enough of the organization’s work. “They share the love of Christ with the families, and the love of Jesus and the Good News and the grace of God,” he shares.” They've already seen over two and a half million kids around the world for surgery in their hospitals. It's unbelievable.”
The Love Ran Red Tour will continue this fall as Tomlin’s friends the Rend Collective join him again. “They bring a great joy to the stage. They bring a great atmosphere. They engage the audience so well.” Bringing them over from Northern Ireland several years ago, he remains one of their closest supporters in the US.
“They just fit perfectly with my music because they're very different to me…It's very different, but the same heart of worship. We had this huge spring leg together. I felt, let's keep this going in the fall. I'm looking forward to being out with them
again.”
In what has been a very big year for Tomlin, it was topped off at the K-LOVE Fan Awards when he received the award for Male Artist of the Year at the Grand Ole Opry House in May. “Awards are tricky anyway in the genre of music, especially when you're in worship music…I really appreciate them so much, I think K-LOVE awards especially, because it is through people, through just the people who love the music. It's not a company. It's not an industry. It's just people that hear the music, and it's their vote.”
In this, Tomlin sees the value of his craft, “It means so much. It means more than anything. I'm very honored by that. I was full-hearted, thankful. It just tells me that the music means something to people.”
Starting at Madison Square Garden on August 8, before heading to an already sold out show at Denver’ Red Rocks on 13, and finishing at Sacramento’s Sleep Train Arena on August 15, Worship Night In America will be a pivotal and poignant event for a country striving to seek God.
“I think what I want people to hear more than anything, is this isn't a stand. This isn't a time to take to the stage and say, "Look at what the world is doing. Look at the mess the world is in." No, it's like, "Look at what a mess the church is in. Look at what a mess we're in ourselves with our walking away from God."”
By uniting some of the most iconic names in Christian music and teaching, Tomlin hopes to unite a country. “It's a prayer for God's revival in our churches and not just be status quo, but to really follow him.”