Award-winning singer, songwriter, and worship leader Chris Tomlin recently revealed to Christian Headlines that he personally knew two of the Nashville shooting victims: substitute teacher Cynthia Peak and head of school Katherine Koonce.
The two were among six victims. The others were Evelyn Dieckhaus (9), William Kinney (9), Hallie Scruggs (9), and the school’s long-time custodian Mike Hill (61).
Authorities informed the public that the shooter was a former student at the school and left a manifesto rumored to be eventually released.
Tomlin’s music is known for its powerful lyrics, catchy melodies, and profound messages of faith and hope. His most popular songs include “How Great Is Our God,” “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone),” and “Our God,” all of which have become staples in Christian worship services around the world.
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Tomlin shared about picking up his daughters from another Nashville school on Monday, which is located close to The Covenant School where the deadly shooting took place.
“Dad, we had a bad guy drill today,” Tomlin’s 8-year-old daughter informed him as she got in the car. Tomlin was aware of the drill because of texts he had received from the school informing him that lockdown measures had been enacted.
“My heart is heavy,” Tomlin told the Christian news outlet, explaining that “those precious kids have seen things they’ll never not see. We live in evil days. There’s a darkness. There’s an evil that is obviously so real. I continue to hold these families close to my heart and know that one day every tear will be wiped away. We do have hope.”
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Tomlin continued, “I just think about that Scripture that says the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But Jesus said, ‘I’ve come that you may have life—life to the fullest.’ And I believe that in the midst of this, that there is life. There is one who wants to steal, kill, and destroy this world and everything about it, especially God’s creation and God’s precious creation of his children.”
