American Idol Hosts “Faith Night” and Sees the Holy Spirit Move

Guest Commentary

Audio By Carbonatix

By Amber Ginter, Crosswalk.com

In the summer of June 2002, I can still remember watching the premiere of ABC Family’s American Idol. Watching Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini fight for the top spot, seven-year-old me thought it was the best show in the world. Claiming the title as the winner of the First Search for a Superstar, Kelly Clarkson went on to produce dozens of unique albums, including Breakaway, Thankful, Stronger, All I Ever Want, and the Meaning of Life, to name a few.

Through the last few decades, the show faced innumerable changes. From judges to participants, 2026 may have brought the best changes yet. In “Faith Night,” the show made the universal decision to host its second annual “Songs of Faith” night, boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus from the stage.

This past Monday, March 30th, 2026, the live broadcast featured the Top 14 contestants all performing faith-based songs marked by prayer, gospel music, and named references to Jesus.

While judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan opened the show with “Jesus is Love,” they were joined by the choir of contestants who also sang songs of great faith. Carrie Underwood, one of the other judges, also ended the night with “How Great Thou Art.”

According to host and MC, Ryan Seacrest, “I think I felt the Holy Spirit a few times,” Seacrest told CP.

Throughout the night, standing ovations and stand-out performances were given for “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus,” “Gratitude,” “I Can Only Imagine,” and “At the Cross,” to name a few.

As the night came to a close, Underwood expressed her own thanksgiving for the opportunity to share her faith in such a secular setting:

“I respect ABC and 'American Idol' so much for being bold in this theme, because it’s not easy,” she said. “But I love that we were able to … have some moments of just worship in front of the world.”

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Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.