In the key of GodSINGER CHRIS TOMLIN BINDS HIS FAITH WITH HIS MUSIC
The Christian music genre is booming, and Chris Tomlin is at the top of that boom. In 2006, he received two Dove Awards -- including male vocalist of the year -- from the Gospel Music Association. This year, he's up for two Grammy Awards, including best pop/contemporary gospel album.
» MORE FROM MARIAN LIU In the key of God SINGER CHRIS TOMLIN BINDS HIS FAITH WITH HIS MUSIC By Marian Liu Mercury News
- Audio: Listen to an interview with inspirational singer Chris Tomlin (MP3)
The Christian music genre is booming, and Chris Tomlin is at the top of that boom.
In 2006, he received two Dove Awards -- including male vocalist of the year -- from the Gospel Music Association. This year, he's up for two Grammy Awards, including best pop/contemporary gospel album.
Tomlin crafts songs -- with hints of country and rock -- that he says are bigger than he is, that help people connect to God.
The 34-year-old singer will perform Sunday at the San Jose State University Event Center.
He was interviewed by telephone from his home in Austin.
Q How do you describe what you do to a non-Christian?
A Words and melodies make a huge impact in the soul of every person. . . . People call it Christian music . . . but when I'm describing it to people, it's just music. But I'm trying to write music that encourages people in their walk with God and in their relationship to God.
I feel like I write songs that hopefully help people worship God and kind of give them a soundtrack for people and their lives in their worship of God.
Q Why Christian music?
It chose me. I wasn't looking for it.
I was going to school like anybody else. I was in college, trying to find my way through. I just realized that God . . . was calling me out for something. . . . I didn't know it was music as a kid, but as I got older I realized that he had given me a gift to connect with people through my music.
Q You've said before that you wanted to be lighthouse rather than a flashlight. Can you elaborate?
A I feel like it is a responsibility to people when I write songs . . . trying to help them express themselves to God in a way that is relevant, in a way that is creative.
That's a lighthouse effect where the light is going to swing. Hopefully my songs are kind of sweeping light, that are trying to grab as many people as possible. The music is as accessible as possible.
Some people might look at that, and say, ``Oh, you're a sellout,'' but that's absolutely the opposite of what I'm trying to say. It's a humbling thing. It's not about me.
Q How do you write your songs?
A A lot of them come from Scripture, or a lot of them are inspired by psalms or something I hear. . . . I don't know what it is about ``Amazing Grace'' . . . that people just hear it and they can sing it. I try to find that. How do you write it in a simple way for someone who is tone-deaf to just sing it?
Q You're known for your worship songs, but how do you define worship?
A Simply, it is giving all of ourselves to God. Louie Giglio, the guy that tours with me, he says it like this: ``It's all of me for all of God.''
That's a really simple way of saying it's both our personal life and our public life. It's all of our life. It's a gift to God, because everybody worships something. . . . Whatever you think is the most important thing in your life, that is what you worship. All of us give ourselves to something.
I want to give myself and my days to the one to the thing that lasts forever, and that is God. . . . That's more than just songs. . . . Music is an incredible way of expressing ourselves to God, so I want to write songs that musically express ourselves to God.
Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio,
Matt Redman
Where: San Jose State University Event Center Arena, 290 S. Seventh St. San Jose
When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday
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