Chris Tomlin on Reviving the Earliest Known Christian Hymn in The First Hymn Documentary

Chris Tomlin sits down with Brandon Woolum to talk about The First Hymn, a fascinating new documentary that explores the discovery of the earliest known Christian hymn and the journey to bring it back to life for today’s church.


In this conversation, Chris Tomlin shares how a call from songwriter Ben Fielding led him into a once-in-a-lifetime project—reimagining a nearly 2,000-year-old worship song discovered on a fragment of papyrus in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt. With the help of historian John Dickson, the ancient lyrics and musical notation were studied and then transformed into a modern worship anthem for today’s church.


Tomlin reflects on the powerful continuity between the early church and believers today, what it means to sing words written by Christians nearly two millennia ago, and why this project is about more than just another worship song—it’s about the story of the church and the generations of faith that came before us.


He also shares about the creative process behind the film, the live worship moment featured in the documentary, and gives an update on new music, including the live version of “This Is My Father’s World” from Red Rocks.


The First Hymn will be in theaters nationwide March 24 and 26 through Fathom Entertainment.

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Today's Devotional

A Prayer for a Curious Mind - Your Daily Prayer - April 13

Your faith feels stuck because you stopped asking questions. What if curiosity is the missing spark God is waiting to reignite in you?

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