Evangelism

Mass Worship Event ‘Rededicate 250’ Happening This Sunday in D.C.

Coming this Sunday, May 17, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., will be hosting an event titled “Rededicate 250” — our nation’s largest and most expansive worship service in a long time, designed to help the country spiritually prepare for its semiquincentennial this July 4.

The all-day event, which kicks off at 9 a.m. just in front of the U.S. Capitol, will feature representatives from all 50 states praying for America. The special program has been planned and organized around three main themes or “pillars”:

Pillar I — The Miracles That Made Us: A reflection on God’s providence throughout 250 years, honoring the faith that inspired America’s founders and has carried us forward in every generation since.

Pillar II — The Miracles Still in Our Midst: Personal testimonies of God’s healing in our lives and in our land.

Pillar III — A New Birth of Faith and Freedom: A collective expression of gratitude for 250 years of freedom — and a unified moment of rededication asking for God’s blessing, guidance and grace for the next 250.

Familiar faces and voices known for championing faith and religious freedom in America will be addressing those gathered, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Dr. Ben Carson, Rev. Franklin Graham, Bishop Robert Barron, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Pastor Jack Graham, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, Salem’s Eric Metaxas and actor Jonathan Roumie.

“We rejoice in the triumph of the American spirit and in the love and grace of Almighty God,” stated President Trump. “And just as our Founders came together in prayer before declaring independence, thousands of Americans will gather on Sunday, May 17, on the National Mall to rededicate the United States as One Nation Under God.”

At press time, President Trump’s participation in the event has not yet been confirmed. 

This Sunday marks the 250th anniversary of America’s “Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer” passed by the Continental Congress in the midst of the American Revolution, which was held May 17, 1776. 

At the time, leaders urged colonists to “confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his [God’s] righteous displeasure, and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness.” 

Imagine the apoplectic fit that some might spiral into today if the 119th Congress were to issue a proclamation of similar wording.

It would be difficult to overstate the power of having so many Christians gathering and lifting their voices in unified prayer and song. Many churches are planning to send busloads of congregants to the daylong event. Focus on the Family is one of the many organizations sponsoring the special program.

When the French-American military engineer and city planner Pierre Charles L’Enfant laid out the National Mall in 1791 at the request of George Washington, he deliberately designed the space so that it could host just such a gathering. He envisioned the “Grand Avenue” connecting the branches of government to be wide, accessible and expansive. He also believed the city’s noble architecture should reflect moral order and civic virtue.

If you’re not able to attend in-person, Americans are invited to watch and worship online. The TBN and CBN cable television networks will be streaming the day’s events.

Make no mistake: From its beginning, America has been shaped and sustained by the prayers of its citizens.

12 Quotable Gems from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Commencement Address

On Saturday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis delivered the commencement address at Ave Maria University, a private Catholic school in southern Florida founded by the entrepreneur and philanthropist Tom Monaghan.

Governor DeSantis, who is slated to complete his two terms in January 2027 as chief executive of the Sunshine State, has cultivated a reputation for projecting moral clarity and rejecting politically and socially woke ideology.

True to form, during his speech to graduates, the governor urged the Class of 2026 to put on the “full armor of God” as they begin their professional lives. That reference, of course, is to the apostle Paul’s charge to Christians in Ephesus (Eph. 6:10-18).

A former U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG) officer and Harvard Law School graduate, DeSantis didn’t stop there. Here are 12 quotes that captured the essence of his message – and the challenge and charge he gave the students and their families and friends:

1. “[We’re] not to try to conform our faith to the spirit of the age, but to pursue truth regardless of where those currents are going. We share a faith that is over 2,000 years old. It represents a fixed reality of who God is and what God has done above all in the life, death, and Resurrection of Christ.”

2. “The faith does not depend on what is fashionable or who holds power. It is, in fact, the truth that ultimately will set you free.”

3. “Truth is not subject to a popular vote, and it doesn’t follow popular fads. The church is to shape the times through faith, not to exchange these timeless truths for temporary relevance. North is still north. Right is still right, even when you have to stand all by yourself.”

4. “Truth must also be central to our civic life as Americans. I think it’s important to say this [during] the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. This should be a time where we all reflect on the principles on which this country was founded and that made it great.”

5. “[The Founders] studied the history of every republic and the history of mankind. And they tried to draw lessons from them … Every single one of them had failed … [They asked] can we actually have a society where we govern ourselves, where our rights are God-given, not government granted? Where we live under a rule of law, not the rule of individual men? Where government is constitutionally limited? Or is mankind destined to live under various forms of despotism for the rest of human history?”

6. “[The Founders] understood you could have the best declaration of independence in the world. You could have the best constitution in the world. These do not run on autopilot. They require every generation of Americans to step up and defend institutions, defend freedom when they are at risk.”

7. “Our country was founded on principles that were not just time capsules in 1776, 1787 or 1791. These are enduring principles because they are true principles. They are an accurate reflection on human nature. They are an accurate reflection on the fact that government does not give us our rights.”

8. “God gives us our rights and governments must be constitutionally limited. So just as we rely on a 2,000-year-old faith to guide our spiritual lives, we must keep faith with those timeless political truths and those must serve as the foundation of our civic life.”

9. “Human nature has not changed since 1776. The need for constitutional limits on government has not changed since 1776. A free society must be guided by the rule of law.”

10. “Leadership is not cost free. Whenever you stand for something, if you’re making a difference, it’s likely because that’s not easy. It’s very easy to just hitch your wagon to whatever way the winds are blowing. The test of leadership is whether you’re able to dig in, stand up for what’s right, even when it is not something that is popular.”

11. “Technology can be very good but it must be channeled to benefit individual liberty and to benefit humanity. We must not be governed by the almighty algorithm. Technology must enhance the human experience, not supplant the human experience.”

12. “This is the charge to maintain and preserve that sacred fire of liberty. The question as you go out into the world goes back to [Benjamin] Franklin’s admonition [about keeping the Republic]. What does the future hold? Can we keep it? Can we preserve it? Can we make the Republic better?”

We join Governor DeSantis and graduates of Ave Maria University in praying that America will remain committed to preserving and protecting the hard-fought government our founders forged 250 years ago.

Photo credit: Governor Ron DeSantis/X

Religion Increasingly Important to Young Men, Gallup Finds

Young men are increasingly turning to that “Old Time Religion.” Faith is becoming more important to young men, who now surpass young women in saying religion is “very important” to their lives, a new poll from Gallup finds.

More young men today say religion is “very important” to their own lives than at any point in the last 25 years. The share of young men proclaiming the importance of religion has skyrocketed 14% in just the last three years, rising from 28% in 2022 to 42% today. This is a positive development indeed.

In fact, young men are now far more likely than young women (29%) to say religion is “very important” to them. This is also a departure from previous trends, where more young women said religion was “very important” to them, compared to young men, from 2000 to 2020.

As Gallup summarizes,

Young women were significantly more attached to religion than young men were at the start of the millennium, leading by nine percentage points (52% vs. 43%) in calling religion “very important” in their lives. That gap widened to as much as 16 points in the early to mid-2000s before steadily narrowing over the next decade. …
The most recent data mark a clear break, with young men now surpassing young women on this measure of religious importance.

This turning of the tide among men is unique to Gen Z. Among adults age 30 and older, women remain more religious than men, according to Gallup.

The polling organization notes the decline in religiosity among young women:

Young women, by contrast, are now by far the least religious women. At 29% calling religion very important, women aged 18-29 trail the next-least religious group, 30- to 49-year-old women, by 18 points and are less than half as likely as senior women to say religion is very important.

Forty percent of young men report attending religious services at least monthly, compared to 39% of young women. This is the highest reported number for young men since 2012.

Gallup adds that most young men (63%) report affiliating with a specific religion – including Catholic, Protestant, Judaism or another religion. This is virtually unchanged from the 61% who said the same in 2022, but it is up substantially from the 57% who said so in 2016 “and is the highest recorded for young men since 2012-2013.”

What should Christians take away from all this new data?

First, it’s undoubtedly good news that young men are turning back to religion, especially since adults’ self-claimed religiosity has been in decline for years. Many young men, unattracted by the rot offered by much of today’s culture, seem to be looking for transcendent meaning amid the cultural ruin. And that deserves praise.

Second, Gallup’s data (taken from 2024 and 2025) was largely collected before Charlie Kirk’s assassination on September 10, 2025. Call it the “Charlie Kirk effect,” it’s possible that, in future survey data, we will see Gen Z men returning to faith in even greater numbers.

Third, while it’s good young men are turning to religion in general, there is only one true religion – the faith founded by Jesus Christ. As He taught, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV).

Christians – both young and old – should view this interest in religion among Gen Z men as a perfect opportunity to engage them in conversation, answer their questions, pray with them and guide them towards faith in the One for whom we “count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus [our] Lord” (Phil. 3:8, ESV).

Related articles and resources:

The Benham Brothers: Sharing the Christian Faith, Bold and Broken

Street-Smart Faith: Speaking Truth with Grace

Is Religious Faith Gaining Influence in America?

Young Men Are Returning to Church

Why Gen Z “Nones” Are Reconsidering Religion

More Young Adults Turning to Faith After Pandemic, Study Finds

Photo from Shutterstock.

Speaker Mike Johnson Helps Kick Off ‘America Reads the Bible’ in D.C.

Close to 500 people, individuals ranging from President Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson to government leaders and everyday citizens, are delving into God’s Word this week as part of “America Reads the Bible” – a nationwide movement spearheaded by the non-profit organization “Christians Engaged.”

Focus on the Family’s Tim Goeglein will also be participating. 

The prelude to the historic event began on Saturday night at Washington, D.C.’s National Community Church. Coinciding with the celebration of America’s 250th birthday this coming July, the kickoff event featured teaching from historian David Barton and corporate worship led by Leeland Mooring. Actresses Candace Cameron Bure and Patricia Heaton, along with Hollywood producers Cameron and BJ Arnett, also addressed those gathered.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who helped kick things off on Sunday morning at the Museum of the Bible by reading from Genesis, also spoke on Saturday evening. During his remarks, he shared a personal testimony of how his fireman father’s tragic injury back when he was a boy compelled him to turn to God in desperation.

“My father was burned so badly and so severely, he was permanently disabled in the fire, but at the time, he had a 5% chance to live,” Johnson recalled. “When I was age 12, I got down on my face before the Lord, and I pleaded for the life of my father. He spared my father’s life, and he went on to live another 30-plus years.”

Speaker Johnson, a strong Christian who regularly invokes God’s Word in speeches and interviews, suggests the Lord used that trauma in a redeeming and personal way. 

“That event, that moment in my life, made the promises of Scripture so true,” he said. “I actually saw a miracle. It’s a long story. There’s actually a book written about this experience with my father. It was a miraculous set of circumstances, and God answered our prayers. And to me, from the time I was 12 years old, I knew that God’s Word is flawless and true, that these are real promises, that we can rely upon it.”

President Trump is also participating. His portion will be airing on Tuesday evening between 6 and 7 p.m. ET. Last week, from the Oval Office, he read from 2 Chronicles 7:11-22, which includes the familiar verse:

… if my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

In a statement released prior to Saturday night’s festivities, President Trump noted and affirmed the foundational underpinnings of Scripture in America’s founding.

“In every generation, through every trial and triumph, God’s Word has guided our people and our country to incredible new heights,” the 45th and 47th president stated.  During the first inauguration, George Washington, setting a precedent for all future Presidents, put his left hand on the Bible and took the oath of office, after which he kissed the Bible.”

He then added:  

“Of the many influences that have shaped the United States of America into a distinctive Nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.”

Other members of the Trump administration expected to read from the Old and New Testaments includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, HUD Secretary Scott Turner, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles. 

You don’t have to be in Washington, D.C., to participate. The marathon Bible reading can be streamed in real time via the Pure Flix app from Great American Media.

Critics and skeptics have tried to diminish “America Reads the Bible” by labeling it performative and simply a public relations stunt in an election year. To be sure, God is not mocked (Galatians 6:7), and anytime His Word is read aloud in public is a very good thing and a wonderful opportunity for hearts and minds to be transformed by the sheer power of its sound.

Please join us in praying for this outreach.

We Cannot Ignore the Plight of Nigerian Christians Being Slaughtered By Islamic Terrorists

British actor and comedian John Cleese is known for making audiences laugh, but he’s recently emerged as one of the few celebrities speaking out and taking the horrific slaughtering of Christians in Nigeria with the dire seriousness it deserves – but also applying an edge in order to call attention to the ongoing genocide.

“It looks rather as though Black Lives Don’t Matter,” wrote Cleese on X. 

You would be forgiven for not knowing that 26 Christians were killed on Easter in the African country located on the Gulf of Guinea. This followed the Palm Sunday massacre of a dozen believers in the mostly Christian city of Jos, located in the country’s north-central region. 

The media has been largely silent on the tragedy, despite the fact that more than 70 percent of the nearly 5,000 Christians killed for their faith around the world last year were living in Nigeria.

Wrote Sean Feucht, the Christian music leader and global missionary, “Churches burned. Women and children abducted. The world stays silent.”

Christians in Nigeria are being targeted and murdered by radical Islamic terrorists – including Boko Haram and criminal militant gangs, who rape women and kidnap believers in the hope of receiving ransoms for their return. Many of the thugs carrying out the attacks are believed to have been inspired by ISIS.

In response, the Trump administration has labeled Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” a designation given to nations known for religious persecution. While President Biden and his administration referred to the complexity of the region, President Trump has been far blunter in his assessment. He recently acknowledged the threat, stating, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”

Some cultural critics have maintained that the violence in Nigeria is driven by crime and greed, not necessarily by religious persecution. Yet, if that’s the case, why are the Islamic terrorists attacking Christian church services, in many cases asking victims their religious affiliation, and calling those who disagree with them “infidels”?

The Boko Haram terrorist group’s stated mission has been to replace the Nigerian state with an Islamic caliphate – a Muslim government based on Sharia law. And what does that even look like? Sharia law prohibits the public display or practice of Christianity and bans any type of sharing of the Christian faith. Muslims who are discovered to have converted to Christianity are to be killed. 

As Christians in America, we can understandably feel helpless as our brothers and sisters are killed for their faith around the world. It’s a heavy and ongoing story with so many tragic endings. It’s tempting to try and block it out of our minds, but we must resist the urge to look away.

Our fellow believers in Nigeria are in desperate need of our prayers. We can and should make it a daily practice of lifting their dire situation up to the Lord. He hears our prayers. Wrote King David, “The Lord has heard my pleas; the Lord accepts my prayers” (Psalm 6:9).

In addition, our government can continue to apply diplomatic and political pressure, implement targeted financial sanctions, and tie any aid to the assurance of protection of Christians.   

It can sometimes feel as though prayer is the least effective of all the tactics in the toolbox – but we know differently. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working,” wrote James (5:16). May we urgently plead the crisis of our brothers and sisters in Nigeria: 

“Lord, hear our prayer!”

Photo credit: Light Oriye Tamunotonye/AFP via Getty Images