Signs of revival in today’s culture

Across America’s cultural landscape, something powerful is beginning to stir. It’s not being coordinated by media executives or political strategists, a coordinated campaign, or a viral trend. It’s a movement of the Spirit, a moment of revival.

Take “American Idol” as just one example of this massive cultural shift. The long-running music competition hosted a “Songs of Faith” episode on Easter Sunday, in which contestants performed Gospel songs and worship anthems in front of a national audience.

Special performances included Brandon Lake, Jelly Roll, CeCe Winans, and even judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan performing gospel songs. One performance after another pointed viewers to God. The show didn’t shy away from the message.

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“God is good Faith and family night on #AmericanIdol,” read the post on Instagram. The comments poured in — thousands of people expressed gratitude and praise.

Contestant Thunderstorm Artis also revealed that the special event was not the first time worship has broken out on “American Idol.” Earlier in the season, contestants joined together in worship music backstage in what has become a viral video.

“It just felt like the Spirit of the Lord was in the room,” Artis said. “And I think that for me was in a time where I was kind of shaky and I wasn’t sure if this was where I was supposed to be. But it was like, this is right where God wants me to be.”

I believe this is more than a shift in entertainment. It’s a reflection of spiritual hunger breaking through on mainstream platforms. God is moving.

Larry Sanger, the co-founder of Wikipedia and a man once immersed in the world of digital knowledge and secular innovation, recently announced his personal encounter with truth. After reading the Bible, he declared publicly, “Everyone should read the Bible daily.”

And he’s not alone. R&B and hip-hop artist Danileigh, known for chart-topping songs in the entertainment world, recently shared that she has been baptized and attends a Bible study weekly. Her public testimony reflects a deeper trend: hearts are softening, and lives are changing.

Another high-profile voice, attorney and entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s former running mate — shared her faith story. After years of practicing Judaism, she made a bold and public declaration: she’s been saved and baptized.

“There’s only one book,” she said, “and that’s the New Testament, that helps you understand how to go up against evil — like, to really arm yourself.”  Contrasting her life of only being exposed to the Torah in Judaism, her newfound love for the gospels and the epistles came out in her interview on the subject. 

These individual conversions may seem disconnected, but they’re part of a much larger picture – a boldness has entered our public discourse. Believers in Jesus are speaking up, using their talents, and sharing the gospel in the media.

Then there’s Jelly Roll — a country artist whose music speaks from the heart of pain, redemption, and raw honesty. He, too, has become vocal about his spiritual journey from a former life in prison, sharing openly about grace and the God who transforms broken lives.

President Donald Trump also made headlines during Holy Week, posting videos of Bible reading, worship, and prayer inside the White House in strong contrast to the Biden administration last year, which put forth a declaration celebrating “Transgender Day of Visibility” on Easter Sunday.

Some may dismiss President Trump’s public display of faith as just politics, but it was a welcome reminder for millions of Americans that faith still has a place in public life and that our leaders are not beyond seeking God and commenting on the Bible.

These aren’t just feel-good stories. These stories together, I believe, are mustard seeds — planted in hearts, broadcast to millions, and growing in influence.

As Jesus said in Matthew 13:31-32, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed … though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree.” The beginnings are small. The impact is not.

We are witnessing a spiritual stirring that can’t be ignored. It’s not confined to Sunday morning services or Christian conferences. It’s happening in places we’d least expect — media, music, politics, and technology. The seeds are being planted.

What we are seeing may well be the early embers of another Great Awakening — a grassroots revival not driven by celebrity pastors or megachurch marketing, but by everyday people choosing to follow Christ and share His love in ordinary places.

History shows us that true revival rarely begins in grand arenas. It starts in secret prayer closets, quiet convictions, and the unseen decisions of people who dare to live differently. Those moments are happening nationwide, uniting believers in a fresh pursuit of God’s presence.

But revival isn’t just something to observe but to join. It’s not a spectator event. It’s a stirring, a call to return to first love and to walk boldly in truth and grace.

Earlier this year, I started a new podcast called Jesus for America because I felt there was such a hunger in Gen Z and other Americans to learn how to read the Bible, meditate on it, and pray it. The Bible is the perfect prayer book; through those precious words, we are transformed. Nothing else can change American culture but the Bible. Jesus is alive, and our lives change when we learn to interact with him.

Now is the time to pray with purpose, worship with abandon, and witness with courage. We should open our Bibles and our hearts, plant the seeds of faith in our families, workplaces, and neighborhoods, and trust God to bring the growth.

We are being called to participate in God’s work. The question is not whether He is moving but whether we will move with Him.

Our nation has weathered division, distraction, and despair, but God is not finished with America. There is still time for redemption and hope for revival. As we approach the 250th birthday of this great nation in 2026, let us turn our hearts individually and corporately back to the Bible.

God’s Spirit is on the move. The next great awakening might not arrive in a sudden roar — but it’s already rising. One seed at a time. One soul at a time. One surrendered heart at a time.