Chris Tomlin whose compositions ”Holy Is the Lord” and ”How Great Is Our God” are among the most popular contemporary songs in the world’s churches, being sung by millions of Christians at worship services every week. Born in Grand Saline, Texas in 1972, Tomlin grew up listening to country music and learned to play guitar from his father. At the age of nine, Tomlin accepted Jesus Christ as his savior, and at 14 wrote his first song of praise.

Chris Tomlin enrolled at Texas A&M in the early ’90s to study medicine, but he became active in a campus worship and Bible study group called Breakaway, led by an ambitious young pastor named Louie Giglio. As Breakaway grew, Tomlin became increasingly active with the group, and he eventually became a worship leader as well as performing his own songs at meetings.

The Noise We Make, released in 2001, was Tomlin’s first album. In 2002, Tomlin moved to Austin, Texas, and became a pastor at Austin’s Stone Community Church, where he helped guide a congregation of 1,500. As Tomlin’s songs and recordings found a wider audience, he was nominated for two Grammy Awards for his 2006 album See the Morning, but the songwriter continued to emphasize that his mission was more important than his own music.