Howard Payne University students and Brownwood community members gathered for a night of worship as Grammy Award-winning artist Chris Tomlin performed on Sunday, September 20, 2026.
After last year’s cancellation, they decided to make the concert free, and it started at 6:30 p.m. on the outdoor stage at the Brownwood Event Center, 601 E. Baker St. Gates opened at 4:30 p.m., and admission was first-come, first-served. People who attended had the option to bring lawn chairs and blankets, but coolers were not allowed.
For HPU students, this concert offered a really unique opportunity to experience a nationally recognized Christian artist in their small college town.
“I was excited for the Chris Tomlin concert because it’s the kind of event that was great for the community of Brownwood. Someone with a name that big making the music that he does was very exciting for the city to see and hear,” said HPU student Chance Hehman, junior kinesiology and sports management major from Pleasanton, Texas.
Some of Tomlin’s most popular hit worship songs include “How Great Is Our God,” “Our God,” and “Holy Forever.” Since beginning music in 1995, he has earned a Grammy Award, 30 Dove Awards, 3 Billboard Music Awards, and over 8 billion streams globally.
For students, this type of event was expected to bring the campus of HPU and the Brownwood community together in a special way.
“As an HPU student, having this concert was a meaningful opportunity to bring people together for worship and fellowship as one body. It strengthened the bond between students & community by creating a shared experience centered on faith and glorifying Christ,” said Kendall Watkins, senior criminal justice major from Rockwall, Texas.
Some of the students had the opportunity to serve behind the scenes in different areas of the concert and got a unique perspective from others. That Sunday, students prepared to gather with classmates, teammates, friends, and the community for an evening centered around worshipping Christ.
“I got to help volunteer with the concert and be a part of Tomlin’s hospitality team. I was most excited to serve Chris and his band and hear about how God brought them to where they are today,” said Haley Gordon, sophomore kinesiology major from Round Rock, Texas.
The concert was free and open to the public, which gave the Lord more of an opportunity to reach people who had never heard worship music and gave students and Brownwood residents the chance to attend.
Kate Nordhaus
