I still get chills thinking about what went down at State Farm Stadium on September 21st. 200,000 people showed up in Glendale to honour the life of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk, but nobody expected what would happen next. The second Chris Tomlin walked out there, followed by Brandon Lake and Phil Wickham, everything changed. I’ve been to dozens of memorial services before, but this? This was different. The whole atmosphere just… shifted. You had bikers weeping next to soccer moms, college kids next to grandparents, all singing the same words. Politics and differences didn’t matter in that moment. Furthermore, grief didn’t matter anymore. For those few hours, we were all just humans reaching out to something bigger than ourselves.
Look, I’m not here to preach. But we can all agree that music does something beautiful to us, doesn’t it? It always has. David knew it when he was hiding in caves, writing those raw psalms that still strike a chord today. Paul figured it out too. He encouraged the early Christians to sing praises through their difficult, most darkest moments. Similarly, these worship leaders understand that same truth. Sometimes you need to feel something in your heart before you can even process it in the mind. That’s probably why Christian music is blowing up right now. There’s been a 60% jump in streaming, heading toward $2.5 billion. People are starving for something real, and these artists are serving exactly that.
The crazy part? These aren’t just church leaders anymore. They’re common people, building bridges between Sunday morning believers and Wednesday night doubters. Moreover, they’re writing the anthem for a generation that wants their faith to make sense on Monday morning, and not just during Sunday worship service.
Top Christian Worship Leaders Shaping Faith in 2025
1. Chris Tomlin
When Tomlin stepped up to that mic and started “Holy Forever,” I watched a stadium full of strangers become family. That’s his superpower! Making 200,000 people feel like they’re in someone’s living room. Man’s got 1.5 million Instagram followers hanging on every post, and after decades in this game, he still acts surprised when people connect with his music. “How Great Is Our God” and his version of “Amazing Grace” have basically become the national anthems of modern Churches. But here’s what gets me. Those songs work everywhere. Your car, your kitchen, apparently even football stadiums. After Kirk’s service, Tomlin posted, “My heart and prayers go out to Erika Kirk and her two children… what a tragic moment for our nation. I admire how Charlie was courageous and unashamed of his faith.” No pretence, no platform, just a guy hurting for a family he’d never met. That’s Tomlin. Always has been.
2. Brandon Lake
Brandon Lake doesn’t perform. He combusts. Watching him at Kirk’s memorial was like watching someone’s soul catch fire in real time. He’s got 3.1 million followers who know exactly what they’re getting. Raw emotion wrapped in majestic vocals. His collaboration with Elevation Worship on “Graves Into Gardens” has become that song. You know the one. Plays on the radio, gets stuck in your head for weeks, makes you feel things you can’t explain. You can see it when he’s on stage. This isn’t a career for him, it’s his calling. Additionally, his new album “King of Hearts” proves he’s not just a worship leader anymore. In fact, he’s a movement. A movement that represents true Christianity and uplifts the souls of the lost.
3. Phil Wickham
There’s something about Phil Wickham that makes you lean in. Maybe it’s the way he closes his eyes when he sings, like he’s having a conversation with someone you can’t see. Maybe it’s how his 1.8 million followers feel like friends instead of fans. At Kirk’s service, Wickham didn’t try to steal the show, he simply opened his heart and let people peek inside. Additionally, songs like “What An Awesome God” and “The King Is In The Room” from this year don’t sound like performances. Rather, they sound like prayers you accidentally overheard. That’s Phil. He’s never afraid to sit with people in the darkest places, never pretending pain doesn’t exist. Furthermore, his music holds space for the mess while pointing toward hope.
4. Forrest Frank
Forrest Frank is what happens when Gen Z gets tired of boring church hymns. He’s got 9.2 million monthly Spotify streams and zero tolerance for playing it safe. “Your Way’s Better” didn’t just climb Christian charts, it cracked Billboard’s Hot 100 at #61. That’s mainstream success with an unashamed faith message. Revolutionary stuff right there. Frank told Grammy he makes “Christian music that I think is cool,” and honestly? I agree. His album “Child of God II” hit #1 on Christian charts and landed at #12 on Billboard 200. Those aren’t just numbers, those are culture-shifting indicators. Frank gets that faith isn’t a Sunday costume you put on. It’s everyday life, and it deserves everyday music.
5. Elevation Worship
Some magic only happens when people do it together. Elevation Worship, with their 4.7 million Instagram following, has mastered that magic. “Do It Again,” “O Come to the Altar,” their Brandon Lake collab “Praise”. These aren’t just songs, they’re experiences. They’re what happens when individual voices stop competing and start cooperating. What floors me about Elevation isn’t their technical skill, though they’ve got that in spades. It’s their understanding of community. They create moments where your voice matters because it’s part of something bigger. Where being alone in a crowd becomes impossible because everyone’s singing the same hope, the same hurt, the same healing.
6. Lauren Daigle
Lauren Daigle pulled off something that seemed impossible. She made Christian music mainstream without losing her soul. 2.5 million Instagram followers, multiple Grammys, and secular radio play that would make most artists scratch their heads. “You Say” and “Rescue” didn’t just cross over, they kicked down doors that had been locked for years. They truly softened hardened hearts. Daigle’s genius isn’t just her voice, though the Lord knows that woman can sing. It’s her refusal to choose between authenticity and accessibility. Her music becomes a gateway for people who’ve written off faith but still need hope. She proves that truth doesn’t have to be hidden to be powerful. Sometimes it just needs different packaging.
Feedspot’s directory of Christian Music Instagram Influencers has profiles on 60+ artists reshaping worship culture. Worth checking out Christian Music Blogs in the US, Gospel Music Blogs in the US, Christian Hip Hop Blogs in the US, if you want to go deeper.
The Bigger Picture
This 60% streaming explosion isn’t just about market share. It’s about hunger. People are tired of empty calories in their music diet. They want songs with substance, artists with something to say beyond “baby come back” or “let’s party tonight.” The worship leaders at Kirk’s memorial reminded everyone watching that music can still heal, still unite, still transform. Chris Tomlin’s anthems that feel like coming home. Brandon Lake’s passion that makes you want to run through walls. Phil Wickham’s honesty that sits with you in the dark. Forrest Frank’s innovation that makes ancient truth feel fresh. Elevation Worship’s community that reminds you you’re not alone. Lauren Daigle’s bridge-building that welcomes everyone to the table.
These artists aren’t just making music, they’re making space. Space for doubt and faith to coexist, for brokenness and healing to dance together. Space for anyone hungry for something real in a world full of fake. Whether you’re all-in on faith or just curious about hope, these voices are worth hearing. They’re not trying to convert you, they’re just trying to remind you that you matter, that you’re not alone, that morning always comes after the longest nights. Stay Hopeful!