A turning point for America

The assassination of Charlie Kirk shocked and grieved many Americans. Others, including public figures in media and entertainment, greeted the news with smug indifference, derision, or worse. That divided reaction is as revealing as the act itself. Our public life has grown so deformed that even cold-blooded murder elicits shoulder shrugs, smirks, and tribal celebration. Kirk’s assassination underscored the truth many feel in their bones: America is at a turning point.

As we approach our nation’s 250th birthday, what kind of nation will we be? Two paths lie before us. One is the path of further decay, where cynicism, anti-Christian rage, and general despair corrode the foundations of our republic. The other is the path of spiritual awakening that restores moral clarity and civic virtue. This is not only a political question; it is a question with deep spiritual implications.

Our crisis cannot be solved by legislation or elections alone. Policy matters, but it cannot heal a people who have forgotten God. America’s deepest problem is not first a failure of institutions but a failure of the heart. We need more than political reforms. We need a renewal of the moral and spiritual order that undergirds politics itself.

History reminds us that renewal is possible. Nearly 250 years ago, the American experiment took shape in the wake of the First Great Awakening. In the 1730s and 1740s, the preaching of Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield stirred thousands to repentance and faith. Whitefield drew massive crowds in the open fields, Edwards awakened consciences from the pulpit, and the movement transformed communities and churches. That spiritual vitality prepared the soil for America’s founding, where liberty was seen not as license but as responsibility before God.

Today, many consider such an awakening impossible because America is too hardened, too divided, too secular. Yet, we forget that the First Great Awakening broke into a culture that was also fractured and spiritually lethargic. God used ordinary men and women to shake the colonies with a renewed sense of His majesty. What seemed impossible then is precisely what God accomplished, and he can do so again.

We must take that lesson to heart. The founding of the United States was not merely a political event; it was born out of a culture shaped by spiritual renewal. If America is to endure another 250 years, it will not be because we have found the perfect policy but because we have experienced another awakening.

The Christian vision provides the framework we need. Creation was made good, the fall brought sin into every part of life, and redemption in Christ offers the only true answer to evil. Christ’s lordship is not limited to private faith but extends over every square inch of human life. Abraham Kuyper captured it best when he declared that there is not a square inch in all creation over which Christ does not cry, “Mine!” That claim includes politics, but it also includes the family, the school, the church, the marketplace, and the arts.

For this reason, the renewal America needs must begin in every sphere. We need renewal in homes where parents once again shape the character of their children. We need renewal in churches where pastors preach the whole counsel of God rather than selective truths and consumer-friendly platitudes. We need renewal in schools where truth is rediscovered after decades of relativism. And yes, we need renewal in politics where leaders understand their calling as servants of justice rather than masters of power.

Make no mistake: Genuine political renewal will not precede spiritual renewal. Laws can restrain evil and provide guardrails, but only the gospel transforms hearts. Court decisions can change rules, but only Christ can change lives. If America continues to look to political activism to do what only God can do, we will only grow more frustrated, more divided, and more disillusioned.

So what is required of us? First, prayer. Although prayer during times of tragedy is mocked by certain political leaders, we must fight from our knees. As the psalmist pleaded, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” (Psalm 85:6). The church must pray with desperation for God to move in our land once again. We cannot manufacture revival, but we can plead for it, prepare for it, and position ourselves for it.

Second, faithful engagement. Our prayers for spiritual awakening do not exempt us from responsibility in the public square. They deepen it. Christians must engage in politics not to gain power but to manifest Christ’s reign and rule. We must elect leaders who advance legislation that reflects a Judeo-Christian worldview. We must also love our neighbors as a preview of the coming Kingdom.

We are at a turning point. One road leads to further despair and chaos. The other road leads to God’s revival of his church and the redemption of culture. Charlie Kirk’s assassination is a tragic reminder of the stakes. Evil is real, but it will not have the final word.

Two hundred fifty years ago, revival prepared the ground for the birth of a nation. As we approach America’s birthday in 2026, let us pray and labor for another awakening. Let us pray for a watershed movement that restores moral clarity, strengthens our churches, and renews our common life. Now is not the time for silence. It is the time for courage, conviction, and hope rooted in Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords.