Let Us Worship Christian nationalist tour “Revive in ‘25” comes to Washington State
News Story and Photos by Morgen White | FāVS News Reporter
SEATTLE, Wash. — The Let Us Worship tour, “Revive in ‘25,” led by musician and Christian nationalist Sean Feucht, made a stop on Aug. 30 into one of the nation’s most liberal cities: Seattle, Washington.
Let Us Worship is a movement led by Feucht who desires to see spiritual and physical restoration in America. His intention is to head into “America’s darkest, most broken cities” where he plans to bring “the gospel and a heart of praise to those downcast and downtrodden souls.” The majority of those cities happen to lean liberal.
Feucht, whose theology is consistent with Christians who scholars refer to as “White Christian Nationalists,” has made numerous statements about his distaste for Black Lives Matter, the LGBTQ+ community and liberals in general. He said people in the LGBTQ+ community are demonic, writing that, “The LGBTQ+ mafia is a cult bent on perverting and destroying the innocence of every child they can.”
Feucht posted about his excitement to find he was on the front page of Fox News a few hours before the event slated for 5 p.m. He adopted the label worship wars from the news story and asked people online for donations and prayers.
The event was originally planned for Cal Anderson park, which is in the heart of Seattle’s well-known LGBTQ+ neighborhood, Capitol Hill. It was moved to Gas Works park amid safety concerns stemming from a previous related event, Mayday USA.
An anti-trans event, Mayday USA was led by Pursuit’s pastor and local Christian nationalist Russell Johnson, along with New Apostolic Reformation ‘Apostle’ Jenny Donnelly and Spokane County’s pastor, podcaster, former Washington legislator and accused Christian nationalist “domestic terrorist” Matt Shea.
Despite the move, counter protestors planned a kazoo performance of Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club at the same location. Critics oppose counter protests because they claim these play into Feucht’s hands to raise money when his group uses the opposition to create inflammatory videos and social media posts to claim persecution.
By 4 p.m. the Seattle Police Department presence was heavy. Sean Feucht and the band set up, and counter protests began gathering behind the event near the northeast side of the park.
SPD lieutenant, Brandon James, said that although they are hoping for a peaceful event they will be prepared to respond. James said that they would take action if there were significant threats or assaults on individuals.
“We wouldn’t respond if someone starts chalking up a building or probably even a spray painting. It has to be significant property damage. [If] someone lights a building on fire, we would respond,” James said.
Susan Welch, a longtime resident of Seattle stood facing the event next to a railing, but not in support. She said she wanted to be a friendly face and engage in dialogue.
“I love this country’s freedom of speech, but I do not agree with marrying the idea of worship with a political message. I actually think that one of the more pernicious elements of the MAGA agenda is pitting us against one another, so that we can’t actually talk with one another and acknowledge some basic truths, like people have a right to choose to love who they want to love,” Welch said.
Sandra Simmons supported the event, wearing a hoodie that read “property of Jesus” with her foldable chairs set up behind her. She said she was there to stand up for her family, her city and her state.
“I’m a member of Pursuit, and we had that young man shot and killed in the heart on our steps. And I’m just here to stand up for God and for everyone here,” Simmons said.
Simmons said she’s found community at Pursuit since she joined in 2015, and she continues to find community by going to events like these in the Seattle area.
“I even went to Pride. I went to the ‘No Kings’ rally. And I didn’t go in to fight. I just went to find common ground, you know what I mean?” Simmons said emphasizing the need to talk to others. “And I ended up making a lot of friends on the other side.”
“I tell you, there were some times I was even chanting with some of the people that were on the opposite side because I believed in what they’re saying,” she said. “I believe with all my heart we need help. And really, I know for a fact that there’s only one person that can help, and that’s God.”
Behind the stage, kazoo counter protesters began gathering together. One of the organizers spoke to the small crowd and discussed safety protocol. Two pastors from Valley & Mountain Fellowship came to support the counter protestors.
The Rev. DeAnza Spaulding Sekou is a pastor for congressional care, and she showed up to continue to fight for liberation.
“Part of our liberation theology calls us to know that God sides with the oppressed, and that we’re called to side with the oppressed and to stand in the tradition of Jesus, to create revolution and to create change so that all people can live free and liberated,” Spaulding Sekou said.
“Today, I just got done with being at the Northwest Detention Center. We’re standing with folks that are detained and not given a due process, and so this is an extension of that work,” she said. “I stand in solidarity with all these folks that are out here today to stand against Christian nationalism and fascism that is in the uprising all around us.”
When it comes to people on the other side of the park, Spaulding Sekou said they “need to go back to their Bibles” and read who Jesus was, what he did and how he showed up for the marginalized.
“I think a lot of folks in the Christian right aspect of the tradition tend to believe that the Bible is literal and that what they’re taught by their pastors is the extent of what they can believe,” she said.
Also standing on the counter protest side of the park, Oliver Perrone stood very confused. He had come after seeing flyers posted around Seattle that described a Chappell Roan Kazoo event. He had not come to counter protest “Revive in ‘25.”
“I’ve seen the kazoo stuff on TikTok where college kids will do a big kazoo fest. And so I thought it was supposed to be a fun TikTok trend that they were going to do based on the advertisement,” Perrone said. “So I just wanted to come because I think she’s a really good musician, and I thought it would be a funny idea.”
Event goers and counter protestors were brought face to face in the bathroom area at the park, located behind and left of the stage.
One counter protestor, sitting to the left of the bathrooms, held a sign that said “Christian nationalism is a doomsday cult.” Margie Simra from Spokane walked up to the man and began speaking to him.
She “wanted him to know that Jesus is love and that the rainbow belongs to God. He created the rainbow. He gave it to Noah as a sign that he wouldn’t destroy the Earth again with a flood.”
Simra pulled out her pocket-sized Bible and offered it to the counter protester, who politely declined her offer.
“I don’t care what it is, the answers are here. [God] says, ‘Seek, you’ll find. Knock and it’ll be open to you.’ God’s word is God’s word. There’s no ifs, ands or buts. There’s no gray line. Either you’re in or you’re out,” Simra said.
The tour will continue on to Missoula, Montana, Aug. 31, and Yakima, Washington, on Sept. 1. The Trump Administration has invited the movement to the National Mall on Sept. 6.
