Story & Photography by Woody Woodard

Chris Tomlin—15-time Dove Award winner, Grammy Winner and one billion digital radio stream artist! Tomlin spoke of his dad giving him a guitar and telling him to listen to Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. As a teenager, opportunities kept coming to him to use his voice, and one summer he sang at a week-long youth camp. At the end of the camp, he was prayed over with a prayer of world music in his future. Still in high school, that seemed impossible to Tomlin. But his worship music is sung all over the world in multiple languages today! Anointed to spread music for the heart and soul, Chris is still the mild-mannered person of his youth, seeking no glory for himself, but giving all credit to his maker. Union’s Annual Scholarship banquet was another great success!