As America approaches its 250th birthday, Rededicate 250 will bring Christians, faith leaders, Trump administration officials, Liberty University voices, and worship leaders to the National Mall for Scripture reading, prayer, repentance, thanksgiving, and a national call to return to God.
Thousands of American believers are expected to descend on the National Mall on May 17 for an event focused on prayer, remembrance, and worship as part of the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations.
The May 17 gathering, called “Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving,” is one of several events planned nationwide to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The event is free and open to the public, with livestream options available through partner organizations.
The program will begin with sunrise worship near the U.S. Capitol and continue throughout the day, culminating in an evening of music on a main stage along 12th Street.
Organizers describe the event as “a historic gathering” featuring Scripture, testimony, prayer, and the rededication of the country as one nation under God. The event also draws on the Second Continental Congress’s March 16, 1776, proclamation setting May 17, 1776, apart as a “day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer” throughout the colonies – a call that General George Washington later ordered the Continental Army to observe.
The event is structured around three themes. The first theme, “The Miracles that Made Us,” will focus on what organizers describe as God’s role in the nation’s history. The second, “The Miracles Still in Our Midst,” highlights personal testimonies of faith and healing. The third, “A New Birth of Faith and Freedom,” centers on gratitude and a collective call for guidance in the nation’s future.
Several political and religious figures are scheduled to participate. Speakers include House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., as well as members of the Trump administration, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to deliver a video message, while former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson is also scheduled to speak.
Religious leaders from a range of Christian denominations will take part; among those expected to speak are Bishop Robert Barron, Pastor Jack Graham, Pastor Jentezen Franklin, Pastor Jonathan Pokluda, Pastor Gary Hamrick, and Rev. Samuel Rodriguez.
High-profile authors and Christian influencers, such as Eric Metaxas, Cissie Graham Lynch, and Abigail Robertson Allen, are scheduled to speak on-site, while evangelist Franklin Graham and Cardinal Timothy Dolan will address attendees via video messages.
Liberty University also holds a prominent role in the May 17 Rededicate 250 gathering, with its participation reflecting its longstanding emphasis on Christian worship in public life.
Jonathan Falwell, chancellor of Liberty University and senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church, will have a prime speaking role. And the Liberty Worship Collective and LU Praise will perform with other musical artists on the National Mall, among them Grammy-award winning Christian singer and worship leader Chris Tomlin and various military ensembles, such as the United States Marine Corps Band, the U.S. Navy Band, and bagpipers with the U.S. Air Force Band.
First Baptist Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress, who is scheduled to speak, compared the anticipated turnout to a large-scale Christian gathering from the 1970s.
In an interview with The Christian Post, Jeffress explained that “Explo ’72,” a Campus Crusade for Christ event, was “a giant outpouring of enthusiasm for the Christian faith,” and he anticipates that Rededicate 250 “will be something that’s as big or bigger.”
He also said, “I believe President [Donald] Trump believes, yes, we should celebrate the 250th birthday of America, and we will do it in a great, glorious way, but it’s also a time, he believes, for America to rededicate herself to God.”
Jeffress added, “If America is going to experience revival, then I first have to have a revival in my heart. For America to rededicate herself to Christ means I must rededicate myself to Christ. And that’s the angle that I’m going to take in my talk on the National Mall on May 17.”
Organizers say the event is intended to combine the commemoration of the nation’s founding with a broader call to reflection and faith ahead of the anniversary milestone.
The gathering is expected to draw participants from across the country, with organizers encouraging Americans from every state to attend or join remotely. The event will take place along the National Mall in Washington, D.C., with the main stage positioned near 12th Street. Gates open at 9AM ET and the full program runs from 10:45 a.m. to 6 p.m., with livestream access available nationwide through partner churches, ministries, and organizations.
Organizers say the program is designed to bring together a wide range of voices, including elected officials, faith leaders, media figures, and members of the military community. In addition to previously announced speakers, the event is set to include appearances by public figures such as Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn, and Medal of Honor recipient Maj. (Ret.) Gen. Patrick Brady. A livestream will also be available.
Christian leaders overwhelmingly supported the event when President Trump first announced it during this year’s National Prayer Breakfast.
“We’re inviting Americans from all across the country to come together on our National Mall to pray, to give thanks,” the president said in February. “We are going to do something that everyone said, like, ‘That’s tough.’ We’re going to rededicate America as one nation under God.”
As America stands at a crossroads, its greatest need is not merely political change but a genuine spiritual revival. The turning points in our nation’s history have always begun when Americans humbled themselves and turned back to God.
The Great Awakenings gave the nation a clearer sense of right and wrong and reshaped America’s culture. They did not grow out of policy or programs but out of people turning back to God through repentance, prayer, and a renewed commitment to Scripture.
That same kind of movement is needed now. Change will not start somewhere else or with someone else. It starts with each believer choosing daily faithfulness and being willing to stand for what is true.
Everyone who follows Christ has a role. Whether present in Washington or watching online, the issue is not just showing up but whether there will be repentance and renewed devotion to Christ. If lasting renewal is to come, it will not be because of a single day or a single event. It will come as people humble themselves and seek God and return to His ways.
America will not be renewed by politics alone – it will be renewed when truth is spoken, repentance is practiced, and God’s people refuse to go silent. Your tax-deductible gift helps the Standing for Freedom Center call Christians to courage, confront cultural darkness, and keep hope alive for the next generation.
