Chris Tomlin talks his new single "No Greater Love - As Featured in the film 'The Last Supper'"
In a world where artists seldom venture beyond familiar territory, Chris Tomlin is boldly embracing a season of firsts. Widely recognized as one of our generation’s most influential worship leaders, Chris is stepping into new ground as executive producer for the highly anticipated film, The Last Supper. In a recent conversation with Logan Sekulow, Chris shared his excitement about his involvement with the film and the profound inspiration behind his latest song, “No Greater Love.”
For Chris Tomlin, it all began, unsurprisingly, with music. Initially invited by filmmakers to contribute musically to The Last Supper, Chris had no idea how deeply he’d become involved. “This is crazy. I’ve never partnered a film like this before, and just it’s something brand new to me. And I love it because it’s a stretch.”
When approached by filmmakers, Chris recalled having recently written a song that felt like a perfect match for the film’s narrative. Without much expectation, he shared a demo of “No Greater Love,” inspired by the powerful words of John 15:13— “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” The synergy was immediate. “They were like, this is perfect for film,” Chris recalled.
Interestingly, the song’s creation was as unique as its connection to the film. Invited by renowned country songwriters Tyler Hubbard (Florida Georgia Line), Corey Crowder, and Matt Jenkins, Chris found himself in an unexpected songwriting circle at Ernest Hemingway’s former residence—a location famous for its literary heritage but certainly unconventional for worship songwriting.
“I got invited by these country songwriters,” Chris explained, laughing at the memory. “I thought, ‘Oh, I’ll sit in on some country writing sessions.’ I don’t really do that much, so that’d be really fun.” Yet, the session quickly took a spiritual turn when one songwriter suggested a theme deeply rooted in scripture—John 15. Chris remembered clearly, “Someone said, ‘I’ve been thinking about John 15…’ and I was like, where is this going?” From that spontaneous moment of inspiration emerged “No Greater Love,” a song richly steeped in the humility of Christ, who exchanged “the crown of heaven for a crown of thorns.” Chris described the experience as creatively profound, shaped equally by Hemingway’s historic Idaho home and the heartfelt collaboration with talented friends.
Connecting deeply with the film’s themes of humility, sacrifice, and redemption, Chris found The Last Supper particularly impactful. “I really wasn’t expecting how the story was told in such a powerful way,” he explained. He highlighted how the film uniquely portrays familiar biblical events through fresh, compelling perspectives, especially the portrayal of humanity in key biblical figures like Peter, Judas, and Caiaphas. The depiction allowed viewers to see themselves reflected in these flawed, profoundly human characters. “These are not perfect guys. These were guys that did not have it all together and neither do I… it is why I think the movie is so relevant today.”
Chris expressed excitement for audiences to experience The Last Supper, emphasizing cinema as a powerful medium to reach hearts beyond traditional church walls. “Michael Scott, the producer of this film, he has produced a lot of films, said that every time we release a film into the world, 40% of people who walk into theaters will not be believers. So I doubt most churches have 40% that walk in that aren’t believers. And so, there’s something powerful about a moment for a theater. The people who won’t walk into church will walk into this and check it out and maybe try it out. And so, I’m excited for that. That this message will pierce their heart.”
As Chris prepares for the release of The Last Supper, he reflects on these intersecting creative journeys—songwriting, filmmaking, and worship leading—as unified expressions of the gospel. Each endeavor, for Chris, ultimately returns to the heart of why he creates: to glorify God and invite others into the mystery and beauty of Christ’s love.
The Last Supper releases nationwide exclusively in theaters on March 14th.
Watch the interview with CCM magazine at the link below: