Interviews

1) On his recent visit to Stoke-on-Trent, top worship leader CHRIS TOMLIN was quizzed by Chris Mountford on Crossrhythms, September 2007

America's top selling worship leader Chris Tomlin made a lightning visit to the UK on 16th August when he played at Stoke-on-Trent's Victoria Hall. Cross Rhythms broadcaster Chris Mountford met up with this most unlikely of recording stars before his concert and threw him some questions. Here's a transcript of their chat.

I hear you had a few problems getting into the UK?
Yeah, it was pretty funny. That was a first for us. We've never been detained at immigration before. I guess we got the wrong guy at customs. They held us for about four hours and initially said we can't come to the UK; we can't come in until we get the right paper work and stuff. Then they gave us extension after extension and finally last minute we got the right paperwork. So we played last night in Belfast and here we are tonight in Stoke. We're excited.

Tell us a bit about when you first learned to play a guitar.
I was a bored little kid and when I was about nine, 10 years old dad started teaching me during the summer. I started picking it up, really off country songs. Actually my dad plays in a little country band and I started learning some country songs and I started loving music. I taught myself to play piano after that. I had this really intense love for music and a passion for it. Probably when I was 13, 14, I could sense that God was really leading me to follow him more closely. I didn't know it would be music or anything like that - I just really sensed God starting to do something in my life. I had no idea God would put that together with music. So it's pretty incredible.

How did you come to develop into songwriting?
I loved writing songs even when I started employment. I tried to write songs - they were all horrible! They were really bad but, I still tried to write them. Then I started realising that God had given me a gift to connect with people just through the songs. I would enjoy it when people sang with me in church. I didn't even know what that was. I didn't know what worship leading was, I didn't know what worship music was. But I really enjoyed it when people engaged with me and not just listened to me sing. So I started trying to write songs in a way that would help people sing to God. It started from a really simple place - just sensing something from God and responding back to him. I've always felt the sensitivity that God has given me a gift to connect with people and so I want to write songs that help people express themselves to God.

How has it developed from there to where you are now travelling around the world and your songs are known by so many people?
A big part of it was being involved with this movement called Passion. Louie Giglio, who is head of this movement, was the one who really started believing in my songs. We were doing this little college worship event, well it's not little actually, it's pretty massive now, but this college worship movement in America called Passion and a lot of my songs were used there. This became a platform for these songs. I now feel like I'm chasing my songs around, you know - the songs have gone way past me - and that's beautiful. It's not the personality but the songs that mean so much to people. Whether they know I wrote them or not - what does that matter? It's incredible just to play these songs and watch people rise up. Like, 'Ah that's my song.' That's real humbling and quite an honour to carry. So the last several years have been quite an explosion of where we've been; just awed at what God is doing. Beginning to travel all over the world with these songs is just incredible.

Can you explain what Passion is?
It's kind of a movement among college students. It's a little over 10 years old now and the heart of it has been for college aged students, university aged students aged 18 to 24. Basically it's based in the verse of Isaiah 26:8 - Everything you see with passion. A 26:8 generation and at the heart of passion is this verse - Isaiah 26:8 'Yes Lord, walking in the way of your truth we wait eagerly for you, for your name and renown are the desire of our souls.' And music is a part of that; teaching is a part of that; but the biggest heart of that is that people would live for the name and renown of God. That's what we're here for and who we're doing the conference for. Actually next year we are doing a world tour, we're actually coming to London - the first time in taking Passion overseas, out of the borders of the United States - so we're really excited about that. We're going all over the world with this conference. It's gonna be really something. You can find out more at http://www.268generation.com/

As well as all the opportunities that you have had around the world, I understand that you are still very much plugged into local church.
Around five years ago we helped set up a church in Austin and I've been part of that church ever since, leading in different areas. Wherever I've lived I've always been part of leading a church. We'll be back this Sunday. We'll play here tonight, Netherlands tomorrow then back to the US and be back in church for Sunday. It's pretty crazy!

With all the success you've had is it difficult to remain focused on what worship music is all about - and that's about worshipping God and honouring him?
You know I've been surrounded by people who really get it and I'm always trying to focus my heart there as well - so I don't really lose that focus honestly. People will say what they want to say they give you awards and accolades, and I'm thankful for them. But at the end of the day I need to be faithful to what God wants me to do and that is to bring worship to him. The world can really pull you in, taking that praise for yourself and saying, 'Yeah maybe I am that good.' You start thinking all those weird thoughts and the flesh starts pulling you. But you need to remember this is all for God. We need to keep humbling ourselves before God saying, 'Lord this is for you' - and I want to lead people in that way.

What do you think is the most important key to developing a successful and anointed local church worship ministry?
I think there are so many keys. One of them is humility before God and that is saying, "God, we're dependent upon you and your Spirit. We're not trusting in our own strength, we're not trying to have the coolest, greatest new programme with the greatest lights and greatest whatever! We want to just trust you Lord!" That's a key - humility. I think you see it in King David in the Scriptures - his humility before God. He's a good role model.

Can you tell us the story behind a couple of your most successful songs, for instance "How Great Is Our God"?
That's been the craziest one ever! That will be a life song. I had no idea such a simple song, a simple chorus I wrote in my room, could reach so many people. It's based on Psalm 104:2 which starts, "Oh Lord you are very great, you are clothed in Majesty, you wrap yourself in light as with a garment." That little Scripture started that song. I started singing that chorus out one day - "How great is our God" - and I had no idea how it would be used. The stories of how God has used this song - in weddings and funerals and every part of life, in sickness and in the best of times and the worst of times - is truly amazing. I always tell people there's no publishing company or marketing plan that's good enough to circulate songs around the world - it's the favour of God. I write songs that bring the renown of God to the people and that's what we tried to do with "How Great Is Our God".

I understand you didn't actually write "Indescribable" but you certainly made it well known. Tell us a bit about who wrote it and your connection with that.
We were finishing our CD called 'Arriving' and were actually done and our producer Ed Cash called me and said, "I think there's room for one more song." I was like, "Man you're crazy, we've done everything we can - I think the record's finished." He said, "No, there's room for one more. I woke up this morning and I'm just hearing you sing this song that I've had demo'd here in the studio for two years and had forgotten about. It's by this girl named Laura Story and it's a song called 'Indescribable'." I was like, "Really!" And he said, "Yeah! I'd just love people to hear it." So I said okay. The first time I heard this song I thought it was incredible. So I said, "Oh yeah, we need to record this song." It was one of those great little surprises from God that I didn't see coming. We talked to Laura and asked, "Hey can we record this, can we make this our own and make a few little tweaks here and there?" She was really gracious about it and we are really thankful to have that song because it opened up a lot of doors for us.

2) Chris answers some questions from Wesley Owen, December 2006

How would you describe yourself as a person?
This is never too easy to answer. If I have any self-awareness at all, I would say that I am a risk taker by nature... Can be somewhat impulsive. I am constantly thinking in terms of songwriting. I think that I am a merciful person. I am not a loner...I enjoy my friends...

How do you like to spend time relaxing?
I enjoy being at home in Austin. I am active person, so I really enjoy running, playing tennis, golf, whatever. If I get the chance, I always look forward to a trip to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado as well.

Have you always had an interest in music?
Yes. My dad enjoyed playing the guitar and listening to country music, so I picked up in my youngest years. Taught myself to play piano soon after.

Where is your favourite place?
I guess that would be the Colorado mountain towns.

What is your favourite Christian Album?
The first Delirious "cutting edge" albums have had a big influence on me...

What is your favourite Bible verse?
Numbers 14.24 it follows the story of Joshua and Caleb truly believing and trusting that God was leading them... I like how it says that Caleb "followed the Lord wholeheartedly and had a different spirit." I would hope that could be said of me someday. That's the goal at least!

Do you listen to secular music and if so, what kind?
I listen to it all... I grew up on country music, so that still is a part of me, but I love it all from U2 to Michael Buble...

Who are your biggest musical influences?
I would say that Steven Curtis Chapman had probably the biggest influence on me in my formative years... now, I am mostly influenced by some of my peers in worship music.

Do you have a motto in life?
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

How would you most like to be remembered?
That I used the abilities and gifts that God gave me to bring Him glory... That i was a good "neighbour," in that I cared for and loved people. And that I finished the race running, not limping...

How did you start writing songs?
I really got serious about writing songs when I discovered that God had given me a gift to connect with people and to really lead them somewhere with my music. So I started trying to write songs that would help people connect to God in worship. At the time, I was not familiar with the term worship leader or anything like that, I just wanted to write songs that were more "sung than heard."

Do you enjoy touring?
I love it. The travel gets to me sometimes, but my favorite thing about music is actually playing "live." For some they like the writing process or the studio process. I really love to see the songs affect people in different ways in different cities.

What is your favourite song you have written?
I guess at the moment it would be "How Great Is Our God." It's just special when you can come across the song that seems to cross cultures and generations. And joins all people with the timeless truth of the greatness of our God.

Talk about "How Great is Our God" and how God has used that song around the world?
If I have a legacy song, "How Great Is Our God" will probably be it. I remember when I stumbled upon that simple chorus. I had a feeling it would be easily sung and embraced, but never had any idea that it would go around the world like it has. That's just the favor of God. There is no marketing or publishing plan that does that. I know it is God's favor and I am humbled to be a little part of it.

Talk about the meaning of "See The Morning"
"See the Morning" is hopefully a title of hope and faithfulness. Hope that though the night seems like it will never end, the light of morning is always breaking through. And the truth that God is as faithful as the rising sun. Lamentations 3:22..." morning by morning your mercies are new every day, great is your faithfulness..." Isaiah 9:2... " the people walking in darkness have seen a great light..." This great Light is Jesus... Jesus said himself , " I am the Light of the world." "I am the Bright, Morning Star"
I pray that in some way when someone hears this new recording, that they sense the hope and faithfulness of God in their lives.T

What is your favourite song on "See The Morning"
Right now it would have to be "How Can I Keep From Singing" ... Matt Redman and I adapted this song from an older hymn by the same name. The bridge section was something special. It rarely happens like this for me, but it seemed that as fast as i could write the words down, they just fell on the paper. I think this is a song that will be ministry and encouragement to people in the struggles and hardships of life. It's a challenge in my own life... to worship God in the midst of it all; when things seem to being going my way and when I find life to be unfair.

What is the inspiration behind "Uncreated One"?
This song was written with a good friend, John David Walt... we wrote this song in the midst of one of our Passion conferences in 2005... I feel this is one of the strongest songs for the church body as a whole on this new record, "See the Morning." It is sung and written in a very traditional, hymn like manner and filled with rich theology.

How does See The Morning differ from your previous releases?
To be honest, I was hoping it would not differ too much. I feel that God has gifted me to write songs that give "voice" to people in their worship to our great God. I feel a responsibility to that when I put together an album of new songs. I want anyone to be able to pick it up and worship along with the songs. That hopefully some of them can be adopted into worship gatherings anywhere, regardless of preference or style. That's not to say that I don't want to be constantly growing in skill and creativity, but my greater goal is hopefully write and record songs that inspire and help people in their worship.

How long did See The Morning take to make?
I believe it was about 4-5 month process once we hit the record button...of course, the songs come a much longer span of time. I am constantly writing and tweaking songs, so it's a process.

What projects do you hope to get involved in, in the future?
Just started an online community for worship leaders, youth bands, singers, pastors, musicians, etc called "frequency." You can find it at www.worshipfrequency.com ... do hope this becomes a place of inspiration and encouragement for leaders around the world.

I am currently involved in an upstart project called "the special life network" that is enabling kids with special needs to have a place at church gatherings. For these children and their families to find community.

I am interested in ways to help in poverty and justice issues as well. Especially fond of the International Justice Mission and Word Made Flesh...