Songwriting with Tomlin

Tomlin grew up in East Texas on country music. His fourth grade talent show performance was "On the road again." As he became a teenager and had the opportunity to sing in church, he found himself desiring to sing songs that the congregation knew and could sing along, rather than the typical "special music" of the day. He didn't realize that God was creating in him a passion that would hallmark his writing and make his music accessible to church musicians around the world someday.

At seventeen, Tomlin was invited to a small town outside of Texarkana to lead worship at a youth event. He had no experience in leading worship. When the speaker from the event called and asked, "What songs are you thinking about doing?" Tomlin truthfully replied, "Well, I know three songs." After a long pause, the speaker asked, "What songs are those?" Tomlin decided to through out his coolest song first. "I know Pharoah, pharoah." There was a longer pause before the speaker asked one last question, "Do you mind if I send you a tape of some songs to learn?"

Tomlin opened his mail to find a cassette tape by Louie Giglio. He thought "That's a weird name." Then he played the tape and heard worship music for the first time. He fell in love. He spend hours transcribing the words and chords for the music onto note cards. At the youth event, he spread those notecards across the stage. He stood behind the first card, and sang the song. Then he stopped, moved his mic stand to the next song, and sang it. Then he stopped, moved his mic stand to the next song, and sang it. This continued until the set was over, and he found himself at the other end of the stage.

After the event, the pastor sat in the car with Tomlin to share a word from the Lord, "You have no idea what you’re doing. But you also have no idea how God is going to use you in the world. God, would you make Chris a Psalm writer for his generation."

In college, Tomlin was majoring in physical therapy when he had the opprotunity to lead worship at a youth event where Giglio was speaking. After Giglio spoke on Rev. 4, Tomlin went back to his room and began singing through the angels' song. He came up with a catchy little tune, "We fall down, we lay our crowns, at the feet of Jesus." He thought it might be good enough to use the next day in worship, but he needed some affirmation, so he rushed to Giglio's room at 2 in the morning and beat on the door. He played the song for Giglio. When he finished, Giglio just stared. Tomlin thought, "He hates my song." But then Giglio spoke, "Chris, I think the whole world is going to sing that song." Chris replied, "I was just hoping we could do it tomorrow."

Tomlin then shared a wealth of songwriting tips from his vast experience:

1. The best songs are inspired from scripture. You must spend time immersed in scripture. – It will make your songs powerful, and always theologically correct - Tomlin often sits down and sings with with his guitar through scripture that he is studying. Many of his songs are born out of personal worship time with God.

2. Inspiration often comes from godly friends – he has gotten many of his ideas from Giglio.

3. Songs come from life circumstances. Write in the midst of your joys, confusions, and sorrows.

4. “It is an amazing gift of responsibility to give people a voice for what they want to say to God.” Write songs from your own community. Surround yourself with a community. Make sure you are in a congregation, listening to their needs and writing to those needs.

5. Write with others. Tomlin has built a writing team in his home church. Chris rarely writes entirely alone. He uses a dry erase board in his living room to brainstorm ideas with the team. Break into small groups of 3 or 4. Brainstorm ideas and then resume as a whole group and play ideas for each other.

6. Let people speak into your music. Be open to critique. Other people may have that second verse that you just can't find, or they may tweak your melody and take it from good to great.

7. Write songs that teach people about God. Rich Mullins, “You probably can’t stand and recite a John Wesley sermon, but you can probably sing his hymns.” Setting truth to melody helps people remember truth. You are building people’s theology.

8. Make your song singable. Think through: How can I best write this song so that people can sing along – How can I make it easy for a congregation to follow. If people can’t sing your song, you haven’t given them a voice.

9. You are noot trying to write the next top 40 song – you are Hejust trying to respond to God’s greatness. You don’t wake up one morning able to play an instrument. You don’t wake up one morning a songwriter. He estimated that he has twice as many songs that are not publishable than those who are.

10. The process is varied in different circumstances. Songs can be written quickly – in less than 5 minutes like, “We fall down,” and “How great is our God.” But most songs come together from a lot of little pieces. He had the verse “his love endures forever” since college – It was 4 years later before he found the chorus. So save what you’re working on because it may become part of something great later on in life.

11. How do you develop lyrical skills? Look through hymnals - those lyrics have had hundreds of years of staying power. Stay immersed in scripture - it is obviously well written.

12. Sing song often enough with your congregation that they no longer need the powerpoint to sing – but not so often that they become stale.

13. Melody comes naturally to Tomlin, but he did share one tip. On the verse play the 1 chord – chorus play on the 4 chord. The chorus needs to rise and create energy, but it also needs to be very singable.


This was an incredible session to see the heart behind the man that has written many of the greatest worship songs of our age. I was absolutely impressed that he knows that his ability is all from God. I love seeing that God is still in the business of using ordinary people to do great things.