Chris Tomlin reveals 'Holy Roar,' new EP, single, album and book

It’s been almost two years since Chris Tomlin released his last album, “Never Lose Sight.” On Friday, Tomlin decided he’d made fans wait long enough for new music.

The Christian music singer surprised listeners with a new radio single and EP, both called “Nobody Loves Me Like You.”

The four-song digital EP is an early look at Tomlin’s forthcoming full-length album, “Holy Roar.” Previously unannounced, “Holy Roar” will be available Oct. 26. The album’s companion book “Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change the Way You Worship” will be re-released Oct. 23.

“In the music world these days, it’s kind of the wild, wild west,” Tomlin said. “I thought, ‘Why not release a few songs early so people can hear some of the new songs?’ These are songs I’ve been working on for over a year, and I’m excited for people to hear this first chapter of ‘Holy Roar.’”

“Nobody Loves Me Like You” will officially go to radio Sept. 14. 

The combination of the "Holy Roar" album and book supports the project’s theme: Changing the way people worship.

The idea was born more than a year ago during a sermon Tomlin attended in his home church, Nashville’s Church of the City. When Pastor Darren Whitehead explained that Sunday’s message was about praise, Tomlin said he “checked out really quickly.”

As a Christian music singer, praise is an integral part of Tomlin’s job. He talks about it every night on stage. He didn’t think there was room for him to learn anymore about the topic — but he was wrong. 

“Because of our English language, it just says praise the Lord everywhere in the Bible,” Tomlin said. “If you look at the original Hebrew, there’s seven different words that mean praise and they all mean a little something different.”

Tomlin learned that one of the praise words translates to lift your hands to the Lord, another means to dance foolishly and a third means kneel.

“I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, how have I never heard this?’” Tomlin said. “I spend my whole life leading worship, trying to lead people to praise God and I’ve never heard this myself. It was a game-changer for me that day, and I thought it would be a real game-changer for the churches and people of faith and people who worship God.”

Tomlin, a multi-platinum selling Christian artist with 16 No. 1 songs to his credit, is hoping the combination of the “Holy Roar” album and book will help people understand there’s more than one way to worship God.

“I’m trying to tell people to have their eyes open and see that it’s more than to sing a couple of songs before the pastor comes and preaches,” he said. “I’m hoping to capture that with the music and the book and all of these things (will put the) Holy Roar language in people’s minds.”