In 2022, the worship team at South Carolina’s Christian Heritage Church started writing original songs every Monday at 10 a.m. The following year, they recorded and released a nine-track project specifically for their congregation. They simply yearned to give their local church personal anthems to sing. They never anticipated that their regular Monday morning songwriting appointment would result in a record deal; but that’s exactly what happened, thanks to a deacon, a dog and Chris Tomlin. This turn of events (detailed below) might sound unbelievable, but the wild story is actually true.
Under the moniker Chris Tomlin, their debut single, “A Fresh Hallelujah” — their first in partnership with Tomlin’s label imprint — is now spinning on radio stations across the country. This fall, they’re opening for the renowned worship leader in cities nationwide. Air1 recently caught up with the group’s Josh Phillips and Chris Belangia, who shared the story behind “A Fresh Hallelujah,” what they’re most anxious about as they fill the opening slot on a high-profile tour and why they’ve never been more grateful the Tomlins decided to purchase a new dog.
Air1: Tell me a little bit about your respective stories and how you first fell in love with music.
Josh: I have a beautiful wife named Jess; and I’m a pastor’s kid. I’ve always loved music. I actually felt like I got saved listening to this band, Ascend The Hill. I felt like I heard the Gospel so plainly presented in this record called “O Ransomed Son.” I felt like I was changed by music, so it’s really cool to get to write music that is about Jesus that will hopefully touch somebody else. I grew up in church. My mom led the choir and did the music at our church for as long as I can remember — she still does the choir. Maybe around nine years old, I started playing drums at church. Later, I played with a gospel group for a year-and-a-half and then felt a call. I just visualized myself leading worship, and I had never done it before; but I trusted God and I went for it. I’ve never stopped. I felt like God met with me, and I’ve been leading worship ever since. I took a step of faith in that, and I’ve been full-time at my church since about 2019.
Chris: I’m from Lincolnton, Georgia, which is a really small town. I feel like I have a very similar story to Josh. My uncle was my pastor my whole life, pretty much. My dad was the worship leader. I’ve literally been at church since I was born, even sleeping on the pews during practice, because they would practice for hours. My whole family’s very talented and musically inclined. I joined the praise team at 10 and fell in love with worship music. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. My dad heard me sing a little bit, so he knew I had a gift. I started leading worship for our youth group. My brother was our youth pastor, so it’s just always been a family thing.
Air1: You have a really hilarious story about how your music got into the hands of Chris Tomlin. How did that come about?
Josh: We made an album in 2023 with eight original songs and a cover. When we got the rough mixes back, a deacon at our church said, “Hey, could you put the album on a flash drive for me? I’m selling a dog to Chris Tomlin. Do you know who that is?” I was like, “Yeah, I definitely know who that is. I’m the worship leader at your church, Bill. I know who Chris Tomlin is. We do his songs every week.” I’m like, “Yeah, I’ll load up the USB.” I load it up, and he takes this dog to Chris’ house. Before he leaves, he goes to his truck, and he comes back and knocks on the door and gives him the flash drive. Chris says he just threw it on his desk. He didn’t have anything to plug it into with all the modern technology we have.
Fast forward, Bill was relentless and texted him: “Hey, you’ve got to hear my church band. I felt like I needed to send you this song.” He really doubles down and sends him our song called “The Promise.” A few hours later, Chris texts back and says, “Hey, let me get their contact info. I want to encourage them. Thanks for sending this…” Something like that.
So, I’m down with the flu, and I get this text: “Hey, man, this is Chris Tomlin. I just heard the song, ‘The Promise,’ and I really want to encourage you guys. Keep doing what you’re doing.” More conversations happen, and he listens to more songs, and then he’s like, “What if my label gets behind your record?” and of course our minds are blown. We just kept the conversation going. Now, fast forward to March of 2025, and “Home,” the album we recorded in 2023, completely as it is, was released. The same record we made for our local church is being released under a major label, and we’re blown away that that’s how it came to be — through a dog.
Air1: You’re on tour with Chris Tomlin this fall. What are you most excited about?
Josh: I think I’m most excited about learning from people who do this every day. I’m excited to learn from these people and build relationships, get to know people better and sing with new towns. I’m excited to bring our songs to places that probably would never have heard the songs otherwise.
Chris: I’m also excited about the doors God’s going to open for us, because I keep thinking you don’t know who’s going to be in the room wherever we go. The further we can go with the Gospel and the songs that we’ve written, I mean, that’s such a crazy thing. So, I’m hoping and praying that God’s going to open some crazy doors for us; and I’m excited.
Josh: Imagine the individuals who will grab a song, and in their car, God could be with them. That’s important for that city visit, for even just one person. That’s crazy to me. Yeah. Very excited.
Air1: On the flip side of that question, what makes you the most nervous about this tour?
Chris: I’m nervous I’m not going to be able to do it, that I’m not going to be able to sound good. I’ve never had to deal with if we were to get sick, or something like that; you just never know how you’re going to be feeling that day. Obviously, we sing at church every week, but that’s a little different than back-to-back dates.
Josh: I feel like you’ll be fine. I feel comfortable with this group of people. I think they’re the most talented people I know, and they’re the best people. They love Jesus. If I’m nervous, it’s the butterflies kind. Because I’m going with people I love and trust, so I’m stoked.
Air1: Your debut single, “A Fresh Hallelujah,” is playing on Air1. How did that song come to life?
Chris: We went to a conference in Orlando — a conference for worship leaders called Experience Conference. It was the last morning session of the week, so you know how it is. I mean, you’re dead tired; you don’t want to get out of bed to go to an early session, but I got up that morning. When I walked in the room, hardly anyone was there. Everybody had slept in. I caught a front-row seat, and so I was worshiping, but I was tired. In that moment, I just felt a yearning to write a song about how can I be in His presence and not worship Him? Those lyrics just started hitting me. I can’t be in His presence and not worship Him and lift my hands up, no matter how I feel, because He’s just so good. I wrote the chorus so quickly. I even came up with a melody. I don’t know what happened. It was obviously God giving me this idea and these words. I came back home and brought it to [our youth pastor] Jacob Randall and Josh, and so we just finished it from there. Basically, it was just coming from a place to challenge, not only myself, but the Church and whoever’s listening, no matter how you’re feeling, no matter where you’re at in your life — good or bad — to not let the rocks cry out in your place. He’s doing new things every day, so we should bring a fresh, new praise to Jesus every day.
Air1: The Heritage is rooted in the local church — through and through. Why is the local church so important?
Josh: I just think the local church is our best bet to get the Gospel out there. If you have a passion to write songs for your local church, you can do it with a laptop and a guitar; and you can minister to your people, whether there’s 15 of them or 800 of them. The local church is the world’s only hope. Even if you impact one person with the Gospel, that’s enough. I think if you have that perspective, God will bless that.
