Remembering Tom Howard

My friend Tom Howard, composer of Scenes from the Life of Christ, died suddenly late last month. Tom was a respected and influential musician in Nashville, a faithful Christian man, and a talented composer. Upon hearing the news, my thoughts eventually drifted toward the privilege of producing this music project recently with him for Ligonier.

The project strives to imagine the moods and circumstances surrounding key moments in the public ministry of Christ, through music. We had several of our pastor friends — John MacArthur, Sinclair Ferguson, John Piper, along with R.C. — give us engaging narrative readings of the text to go along with the music score.

Tom enthusiastically presented this idea to me. We worked for over a year exchanging ideas about it and how our hopes were to give sight to the listener by exploring these biblical passages through music. It was a thrilling and enjoyable experience, and its result represented a unique reflection on the life and work of Christ.

Sadly and unexpectedly, when he was walking with his wife Dori in Nashville’s Edwin Warner Park, Tom suffered a heart attack.

I am honored to have known and worked with him. I'm thankful for his faithfulness to his calling, and our prayers go out to his family. He will be missed.

One of the last things Tom did with his gifts was create a recording celebrating the life of his Savior. Now he sees Him face to face. Now Tom is a participant in a new scene from the life of Christ.

_For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. —_John 6:40

You can see Tom’s many accomplishments and recordings here.