Pentecost Sunday—June 8, 2025—marks more than just another date on the liturgical calendar. This year, it arrives as a divine wake-up call in a moment of national and spiritual tensions. The United States stands at a crossroads, bruised by division, aching with cultural confusion and desperate for direction. But I believe with all my heart that what happened in the Upper Room 2,000 years ago still holds the answer for our generation. The power of Pentecost is not just theological history—it is a present-day lifeline.
We are living in an hour when the noise of chaos is deafening. Social unrest simmers just beneath the surface. Identity confusion, lawlessness, addiction, fear and anxiety all grip entire generations. Young people especially are asking questions the culture can’t answer: Why am I here? What is truth? Is there more to life than this? The world offers a hollow, echoed response. But Pentecost reminds us that there is a resounding answer—Jesus Christ, the risen King and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2 describes the moment the Holy Spirit first descended: “Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven…and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit,” (Acts 2:2, 4, MEV). The disciples didn’t leave that room confused or broken—they emerged transformed. And that same Spirit is still being poured out today. The Holy Spirit is not outdated, nor confined to history books. He is the very breath of God, and He is still being poured out on all flesh young and old, rich and poor, everywhere.
We are now in a time when only the supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit can make sense of the insanity unfolding around us. Political theater dominates headlines, but it cannot heal hearts. Cultural trends shift like sand, offering no firm foundation. But Pentecost reveals a kingdom that cannot be shaken—and a Comforter who never leaves.
This Pentecost is also notable for its timing. It is the first Pentecost Sunday of President Donald Trump’s second term. Whatever your political perspective, one thing is clear: this administration has placed a renewed emphasis on defending religious liberty. The White House Faith Office has worked tirelessly to protect our First Amendment right to worship God freely and live out our faith boldly. We’ve seen in recent years how easily governments can veer toward persecution under the guise of safety or equity. We cannot afford to ignore the signs of the times. God is at work, even in Washington. But more than ever, we need a Pentecostal outpouring that goes far beyond political platforms. We need the fire of God to fall on His people again—because no president, no party and no policy can produce the kind of transformation that only the Holy Spirit brings.
Across America and around the world, people are running on empty. No matter how much they scroll, consume or achieve, they’re left with a haunting ache inside. That’s because the soul was designed for God. But in our culture of quick fixes and shallow spirituality, that thirst is often misdiagnosed and left untreated.
This generation is not too far gone. Gen Z, Millennials and even hardened Boomers are ripe for revival if we will present them not with gimmicks but with grace. We must preach the full Gospel—salvation through Jesus Christ, sanctification through the Word and deliverance power through the Holy Spirit. And when we do, something begins to shift. We’ve seen it already. From college campuses experiencing spontaneous worship to prayer gatherings swelling in size across the country, the embers of awakening are starting to glow. Could it be that Pentecost 2025 is not just a remembrance—but a re-ignition?
I’m calling on every believer to lean in like never before. The Holy Spirit is not reserved for pastors or evangelists; He’s for every follower of Jesus. Don’t be content with powerless Christianity. Don’t settle for a Sunday-only faith. God wants to empower you to be His witness in your home, your workplace and your community. He wants to baptize you afresh with Holy Spirit fire.
In 1975, when we started Charisma magazine, we were driven by a singular passion: to proclaim what the Holy Spirit is doing in our time. Fifty years later, that fire still burns. And I believe we are now entering one of the most significant moments in modern church history.
If ever there was a time for the church to return to her roots, it’s now. As Pentecost 2025 arrives, may we not mark it as just another Sunday, but receive it expectantly, fervently and boldly because the Holy Spirit is not finished with America, He is not done with the church—and He is not done with you and me.
Stephen Strang has seen major changes in the church, the culture and technology since he founded Charisma magazine in 1975. In addition to being CEO of Charisma Media, he hosts a Strang Report podcast live on YouTube and Rumble at 4 p.m. EST every Tuesday and Thursday. His important recent book Spirit-Led Living in an Upside-World is available wherever fine Christian books are sold d including online at amazon.com.
