Chris Tomlin has described leading worship at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service as a “marking moment” in his life, saying he believes “an awakening is happening” in the United States.
The Grammy-winning worship leader opened the service at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium by singing “How Great Is Our God” before thousands gathered to honour the Turning Point USA founder, who was killed earlier this month.
Tomlin revealed Kirk’s wife, Erika, had personally asked him to lead worship. Her public words of forgiveness towards her husband’s killer left a deep impression on him.
“I think Erika’s words of forgiveness were the words heard around the world,” he told The Christian Post. “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.”
Reflecting on the sheer scale of the memorial, Tomlin said he had entered “in fear and trembling” but trusted God to use him. “It feels like a shift; it feels like this real awakening that so many people have been praying for,” he added.
The worship leader is preparing to release his new album, The King Is Still the King, later this week, which he says carries the same message proclaimed at the service: “The blood is still the blood, the King is still the King.”