Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Chris Tomlin is venturing into new territory with his latest musical project, partnering with the upcoming film “The Last Supper,” releasing March 14, in a unique collaboration that blends faith-based storytelling and Tomlin’s contemporary worship music.
The collaboration was prompted by Tomlin’s original song “No Greater Love,” which he describes as a providential creation.
“I wrote this song maybe a month or two ago that I’d not played for anybody,” Tomlin said. “When I played it for the production team, they were like, ‘This is perfect.’ The crazy thing is, I didn’t know about the film when I was writing the song. It was just one of those moments that felt like a God wink – like, ‘Hey, I’m putting all this together.'”
The song draws inspiration from John 15, focusing on Jesus’s sacrificial love. “There’s no greater love than this, and they would lay down his life for his friends,” Tomlin noted. The lyrics explore Christ’s journey from heaven to earth, “leaving glory, leaving that crown for a crown of thorns.”
The film, from Pinnacle Peak Pictures (“God’s Not Dead,” “The Case for Christ”) offers a unique perspective on the biblical narrative, focusing primarily on the internal struggles of Peter and Judas during the Last Supper. Tomlin was particularly struck by the movie’s nuanced portrayal of these characters.
“Jesus is obviously in the story, but He’s not the central thing,” he said. “You see the wrestling of Judas and Peter, which is powerful.”
A key marketing message for the film – “All are welcome at the table” – resonated deeply with Tomlin. He emphasized the profound inclusivity of Christ’s message, highlighting how Jesus gathered people who were fundamentally imperfect: “He knows none of us have it all together. . . It’s not like you have to get it together to get to the table.”
“I think the message of that is so powerful because of Jesus standing there right in that moment, breaking the bread, and ‘This is why I came’,” he said. “He’s looking at his friends that are still trying to figure this out . . . ‘I’m going to be broken, but my blood’s going to be spilled, and I’m doing this for you.’ And when he’s saying that, He knows that one is going to betray him. One’s going to deny him.”
Tomlin’s journey in faith-based music has been transformative, not only for him but also for the Christian music industry. Reflecting on his early career, he recalled how challenging it was to break into the contemporary Christian music scene. “I tried two records before [‘Indescribable’] to get radio play, and stations would say, ‘We don’t play this music. This is Sunday morning praise’,” he recalled.
With the release of “The Last Supper,” Tomlin’s first foray into film, he’s “excited” for audiences to see the new perspective that he hopes will impact lives in the same way the music has.
“When you think of Jesus, you think of the cross, the resurrection . . . and you focus leading up to that, all that means is it’s powerful,” he said. “I can’t wait for people to see it.”
“The Last Supper,” directed by Mauro Borrelli and starring Jamie Ward, Robert Knepper, Henry Garrett, and James Faulkner, releases in theaters on March 14 through Pinnacle Peak Pictures. Watch the interview with Chris Tomlin and DeWayne Hamby below.
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