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Scott Parker
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Scott Parker
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Scott Parker
Nashville is a place with a lot of concerts — and a lot of charity concerts that benefit just about every cause imaginable. From cancer research to buying instruments for public schools, Music City is no stranger to a musical fundraiser. But nothing compares to Good Friday Nashville.
“It’s a night ultimately to pause, to remember the cross, to remember Jesus, to remember the reason that we are gathered. There’s nothing more powerful than that, and there’s nothing simpler than that.”
Robby Klein
Hosted each year by Christian music star Chris Tomlin, Good Friday Nashville is the largest and longest-running ticketed Christian concert to call Bridgestone Arena home. Benefiting foster care and adoption efforts, the 2024 event drew a sold-out crowd of more than 15,800 people — fans who came for a faith-filled singalong and stayed for surprise guests, including Luke Bryan.
The momentum has continued, and this year, GFN celebrates its 10th anniversary on April 3. Tomlin says its scale is almost beyond comprehension.
“It’s become quite a tradition, and I’m honored to have been the catalyst behind that,” he says. “But I feel like it’s so much bigger than me.”
Speaking from a tour stop in Greenville, South Carolina, Tomlin tells Nashville Lifestyles the last 10 years have been a journey. Even though it’s been a bumpy road, he calls GFN “one of the most impactful things I get to do every year,” which is saying a lot. He’s on a mission to do more than entertain, and Nashville keeps showing up.
“It’s come such a long way from the beginning, and I never dreamed where we’d be 10 years down,” he says. “During COVID-19, we couldn’t meet for two years [the show still happened in Bridgestone, but fans tuned in online], and I wondered, ‘Would anybody come back? Would it still be something?’ And it did. It came back as strong or stronger than ever.”
Starting with a sold-out show in 2017, the concert has been a success from the start — perhaps no surprise to those who know Tomlin. With more than 8 billion global streams, a record 31 Top 10 radio hits, and 30 GMA Dove Awards, plus a Grammy Award, he’s one of the most recognized and prolific artists in contemporary Christian music history. Last year, he released his 18th career album, The King Is Still the King, and continues to tour each year. But Tomlin has always been prolific in another way — giving his time and talent.
The GFN story coincides with Tomlin moving his family to Franklin. Before arriving in Williamson County, he had organized Good Friday events in his previous hometowns, Houston and Atlanta. Nashville offered a special opportunity. With so many artists nearby — and the cultural draw of Music City — his team insisted on going big. Tomlin says they booked Bridgestone Arena for seven years of Good Fridays before selling a single ticket.
“I was just like, ‘Whoa,’” he admits. “I felt like this was taking a big risk.”
The risk more than paid off. Tomlin’s first show combined his uplifting Christian pop with surprise appearances by Rascal Flatts and Lauren Daigle, adding joy to the night and setting a precedent. Later shows have featured a range of guests, including Bryan, Lainey Wilson, Lady A, CeCe Winans, Willie Robertson, Phil Wickham, and minister Max Lucado, who often delivers a moving sermon. For Tomlin, blending performance and purpose defines the show.
“This night is different than any other — I really feel like I’m the host of the night versus this is my concert,” he explains. “Obviously, it’s a night ultimately to pause, to remember the cross, to remember Jesus, to remember the reason that we are gathered. There’s nothing more powerful than that, and there’s nothing simpler than that. That’s the goal, but in the midst of it, we’re bringing up special guests and connecting with people, and there are always surprises.”
From the start, the idea was to turn Good Friday Nashville into a charity event that the people of Music City “own.” However, this vision presented Tomlin with a dilemma: Where should the money go?
“The minute you decide to give something away, that’s when God is like, ‘I’m going to open the floodgates on this thing,’” he says.
To channel the proceeds toward meaningful impact, Tomlin and his wife founded a nonprofit called For Others. Its goal is “holistically addressing the foster and adoption crisis plaguing our nation’s most vulnerable.” Behind the scenes, the star feels a higher power at work. As GFN began, both of Tomlin’s brothers became foster parents, and both went on to adopt.
Meanwhile, he became aware of a striking statistic: On any given day, roughly 400,000 children are in the U.S. foster care system. At the same time, there are nearly 400,000 active U.S. churches. After seeing the system struggle firsthand during a shelter visit in Florida, Tomlin felt called to act.
“It really found me,” he says. “What we’re trying to do with For Others is give a way for everybody who wants to be involved at some point. Not everybody’s called to adopt or foster, but everybody’s called to care. I’ve been given a microphone in front of people, and I believe this is something that could be solved in our lifetime.”
Tomlin plans to keep hosting Good Friday Nashville as long as possible, with tickets for each new show nearly selling out a year in advance.
Ultimately, Tomlin knows hosting an event with such an important mission — and lofty expectations — is a big responsibility. His personal goal, however, remains simple.
“I hope people walk out contemplating their heart, that most consequential thing that’s ever happened on the Earth, for all of mankind,” he says. “I pray that when people walk out, their eyes are lifted up, and they remember we’re part of a greater kingdom.”
For more information, visit goodfridaynashville.com