The Bobby Bones Show

Episode: Chris Lane: Finding Faith in the Detours & Staying Grounded in the Spotlight
Air Date: December 30, 2025
Host: Brooke Taylor (guest-hosting role) with Pastor Mark Evans
Guest: Chris Lane, country music artist

Episode Overview

This heartfelt episode features country singer Chris Lane, joined by Pastor Mark Evans and host Brooke Taylor, as they dive deep into how faith and family have shaped Chris's life and career. Chris opens up about the challenges and blessings of balancing music industry pressures, fatherhood, and marriage, crediting his journey’s detours—especially his sports injuries and spiritual struggles—for forging a stronger faith. The conversation centers on the importance of staying grounded spiritually, nurturing family faith, and navigating career ambitions without losing sight of one's values.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Chris Lane’s Faith Journey

• Church Upbringing
  • Chris was raised in Kernersville, North Carolina, in a devout family, attending church multiple times a week.

    “My parents had us in church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday. So there was lots of church in my life growing up…” — Chris Lane (04:04)

  • Didn’t truly appreciate church until later:

    “At the time, I think when you’re young, you don’t know how to appreciate it until you come to know Jesus and have the relationship…” — Chris (04:15)

• Making Faith Personal
  • Chris admits his faith became real during setbacks: two ACL injuries in high school and repeated injuries in college took him away from sports, his childhood passion.
  • He credits that forced downtime and his prayers during physical and emotional pain as the foundation for a truly personal relationship with God.

    “It caused me to pray a lot. And I think that's when I really formed a strong relationship with the Lord. I feel like I was talking to him all the time…” — Chris (05:28)

Detours & Purpose

• Embracing Unexpected Turns
  • Chris discusses how the “detours” (like career-altering injuries) that seemed like losses at the time were actually divinely orchestrated redirections, nudging him toward music and faith.

    “I think the Lord had a plan for my life that I couldn’t see in those moments. But I am so thankful he allowed those things to happen to me even though I didn’t understand it.” — Chris (08:29)

• Sports to Music Pivot
  • Brooke and Mark point out that losing sports actually opened the path to pick up a guitar—launching Chris’s music career.

Staying Grounded in the Spotlight

• Challenges of Life Balance
  • Touring, parenting, and marriage stretch Chris’s time and attention. He openly shares about seasons when spiritual practices like prayer and Bible reading become harder to maintain.

    “I think you definitely go through ebbs and flows where you don’t talk to the Lord as much and you feel a little like, hello, I’m not as close as I used to be. I think everybody kind of goes through that.” — Chris (09:12)

• Spiritual Disciplines Amid Busyness
  • The group normalizes this struggle, even for pastors, stressing that God’s grace covers these lapses.

    “Even pastors, mate. I'll tell you that. I'll be honest.” — Pastor Mark (09:33)

  • Discussion acknowledges the difference between a living, relational faith and mere “checkbox” devotions.

Marriage & Being "Equally Yoked"

• Faith as the Foundation of Marriage
  • Chris emphasizes that sharing belief is vital for a strong marriage, expressing concern over friends considering marrying outside their faith tradition.

    “It just feels like a foundation you got to have…having Jesus at the center of that…is very important.” — Chris (12:43)

• Building Spiritual Foundations
  • He shares about learning Lauren’s faith journey after they met—how these foundations were “non-negotiable” for both.

    “Had she not had a relationship with the Lord, I don’t think we would have ever been able to get married. Because…it’s super important to me.” — Chris (17:52)

Navigating Parenting & Faith

• Raising Kids in Faith
  • The Lanes prioritize church attendance for their children, echoing Chris’s upbringing (20:00). They encourage spiritual conversations even when kids seem too young to understand.
• Fatherhood’s Impact
  • Becoming a dad softened Chris’s heart and deepened his comprehension of God’s love and grace.

    “After having kids, I understand Jesus’s love for us even more…you can be so mad at them one second, but you’re like, I just love you. I can’t be mad at you.” — Chris (11:51)

  • Pastor Mark references “agape love” (22:06)—a new, deeper understanding through parenting.

Industry Pressures & Staying Humble

• Temptations of Praise and "Yes People"
  • Chris admits the music industry can encourage self-centeredness and ego, but says praying for humility is key:

    “I used to pray all the time. I’m like, Lord, if I step out of line, if I change in any way, please humble me… I don’t want to lose the relationship I have with you.” — Chris (24:22)

• Universal Application of Spiritual Humility
  • The hosts remind listeners this applies to everyone—not just celebrities; all believers are stewards of their gifts, no matter their job.

Career Dreams, Comparing, and Gratitude

• Patience in Waiting
  • Chris candidly confesses wanting to reach superstar levels like Morgan Wallen or Luke Combs, but surrenders outcomes to God’s timing and will:

    “I want to be one of the biggest artists in this genre. And I hope that’s his plans for me. If it’s not, that’s okay…everything happens for a reason.” — Chris (33:10)

  • Talks about his song “God Don’t Listen to Me”—celebrating how detoured prayers turn out better than imagined (33:36).
• Comparison Trap
  • The group discusses the dangers of measuring one’s journey against others, particularly prevalent in the competitive music business.

    “Comparison is the killer of joy.” — Pastor Mark (36:41)
    "Gratitude is the antidote to dissatisfaction." — Pastor Mark (38:26)

• Choosing Gratitude
  • Chris emphasizes stopping and recounting past blessings as the way to break dissatisfaction (37:00).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Detours Leading to Purpose

  “I’m so thankful he allowed those things to happen to me, even though I didn’t understand it.” — Chris Lane (08:29)

• On Grace as a Parent

  “Now I understand…Jesus’s love for us even more. You can be so mad at them one second, but you’re like, I just love you…I can’t be mad at you.” — Chris Lane (11:51)

• On Staying Grounded During Busy Seasons

  “Definitely go through ebbs and flows where you don’t talk to the Lord as much…everybody kind of goes through that.” — Chris Lane (09:12)

• On Industry Ego and Humility

  “Everything’s about you, like about the music…the Lord, if you’re walking closely, won’t let it change you. Please humble me. Please bring me back down.” — Chris Lane (24:14–24:22)

• On Parenting & Presence

  “When you are at home, I would just encourage every dad to just be as present as you possibly can… If you’re going to commit to having children, you just have to be willing to be exhausted, put the time in and be there, because your kids need you.” — Chris Lane (31:04)

• On Choosing God's Plan over Our Own

  “I think ultimately, we should be saying, ‘Lord, what do you want from me?’ …just trusting that he will always take care of it, and he obviously knows best.” — Chris Lane (33:36)

Important Timestamps

• Chris’s Faith Journey & Upbringing: 04:04–06:58
• Career-Ending Injuries and Spiritual Growth: 05:28
• Faith in Daily Life, Parenting & Marriage: 09:12–13:35
• Spiritual Practices Under Pressure: 09:33–11:51
• The Importance of a Shared Faith in Marriage: 12:43–13:35, 16:42–18:04
• Navigating Parenting & Family Faith: 20:00–21:44
• Industry Challenges & Maintaining Humility: 24:14–25:16
• Career Dreams, Waiting & Comparison: 33:02–38:31
• Encouragement for Dads: 31:04
• Wrap-Up Prayer for Chris & Lauren: 40:38

Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is warm, candid, faith-filled and often humorous, with Chris Lane disarmingly honest about his shortcomings and victories. The camaraderie with Pastor Mark and host Brooke creates an inviting and relatable tone for listeners at all stages of life and faith. Listeners come away encouraged to see beauty in life’s detours, to stay humble in ambitions, and to seek God’s direction over their own desires.

Final Takeaways

• Life’s detours often reveal God’s better plan.
• Being grounded in faith is a continual, daily effort—regardless of career or family status.
• Humility and gratitude are antidotes to industry ego and personal dissatisfaction.
• Parenting and marriage are both refining and fulfilling, especially when rooted in shared faith.
• Surrendering outcomes and ambitions to God brings peace—trust the direction, not just the destination.