The most-sung Christian artist in the country and the leading nominee for gospel music's Dove Awards later this month can now be counted among the growing number of recording artists that call Atlanta home.
Since the late 1990s, Christian singer, songwriter and worship leader Chris Tomlin has worked from his native Texas with Atlanta's Louie Giglio, whose Choice Ministries launched the youth-oriented Passion conferences.
Finally, after years of talking about it, the two decided in 2008 to start a new church in Atlanta. They had the first monthly service last February, drawing some 3,300 people, Tomlin says. Although they haven't found a permanent residence for the church, they do have ambitious plans — which Tomlin sat down and discussed before his sold-out Good Friday concert.
Q: So why does a Texan who's established a formidable career and church there up and decide to move here?
A: "Well, the reason I moved here was to help be a part of this church — the Passion City Church. And you know, our record label and Passion and all that stuff have always been headquartered here in Atlanta. So I've been here a lot. I know the city. ... And, I'm going to be leading the church. So for me, it wasn't like, 'Oh, yeah, I'll help you get that started.' It's like, 'This is what I want to give my life to.' So I didn't want to be just flying back and forth on Sundays or whatever, that doesn't make any sense. I wanted to live here and pour my life into it."
Q: And ultimately achieve what?
A: "It's gonna be just church. We're not trying to reinvent anything. We're trying to just come alongside and help people and love people and hopefully be a light in this city. And help people understand the goodness of God, the greatness of God and the grace of all of those things."
Q: How do you know when you're doing those things?
A: "Like, specifically, on our first gathering, well, I had found a single mom that needed transportation in Atlanta."
Q: How did you find such a person?
A: "We just have people here in our leadership team who go around, and through our contacts, find people in need. ... So, in the first offering at that gathering, we took up money that went to buy a van for this single month.
"We're also expanding through our OneMillionCan.com Web site (a multipurpose campaign to raise resources for things such as clean water in African villages, aid for sex slaves in India). ... Louie and I both have a vision for this church to really have ripple effects that start in this city and move throughout the world."
,b>Q: Time magazine reportedly referred to you as possibly "the most often sung artist anywhere," and Christian Copyright Licensing International says you are the most sung Christian artist. Good start. [Tomlin laughs.] So, most-sung artist, what were you last singing along to?
A: "You know, it's hilarious. ... I know this is going to sound like me being a smart marketer, but it was my friend Matt Redman, who came here with me. That's who I've been listening to. And then I listen to a lot of country music. I grew up on country. And then ... [Tomlin hesitates] probably my favorite, when I'm just wanting to have fun, it's Michael Jackson."
Q: Have a favorite Michael Jackson song?
A: "How can you? There are so many. I love, I love Michael."
Q: And when you're in the car alone, the Michael Jackson song you sing along to at the top of your lungs ...
A:
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