Worship leader Chris Tomlin believes the United States is standing at the edge of a spiritual awakening. After leading thousands in worship at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, Tomlin said the presence of God was unmistakable and that revival is beginning to stir.
The Sept. 21 gathering at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, drew crowds so large it had to be moved from a church to the stadium floor. Tomlin began the service with “How Great Is Our God,” one of Kirk’s favorite hymns, and said the moment carried weight far beyond music.
Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!
“For Jesus to be proclaimed so boldly throughout this whole day by everyone … what an awakening moment in our nation,” Tomlin told The Christian Post. “It feels like a shift. It feels like this real awakening that so many people have been praying for.”
For Tomlin, the most powerful moment came when Erika Kirk, the widow of the late Turning Point USA founder, offered forgiveness to the man who killed her husband. Her words echoed across the stadium as she declared, “I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it’s what Charlie would do.”
Order Jonathan Cahn’s Newest Book, “The Avatar” on Amazon.com!
Tomlin said that testimony embodied the essence of true faith. “That simple moment of, ‘I forgive you,’ was more than anybody could say,” he said. “You can preach all you want, but when you see the true essence of the Spirit of God in somebody, that can only come from the Spirit of God.”
He believes thousands were brought to faith through that act of grace. “That kind of forgiveness can only come from somebody who really walks with God,” he said. “I think so many people came to faith yesterday, thousands and thousands of people. And I pray it’s an awakening in this nation.”
Tomlin admitted he walked into the service with uncertainty but prayed simply to point people to Christ. Singing over a crowd that included political leaders and dignitaries, he reflected on the words of the hymn: “Above all thrones and dominions … Your name stands above them all.”
In the days surrounding the memorial, Tomlin has seen ripple effects of faith. He shared how an Uber driver told him he was planning to be baptized after hearing about Kirk’s death. “That thing that happened to Charlie, that really woke me up,” the man said.
Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!
For Tomlin, such moments confirm that revival is spreading. “I just hope that it continues to point people and remind people … that there is a king that reigns above all things,” he said. “If we put our hope in governments, they will fail. People will fail. But our hope is a greater hope.”
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
