{"id":15294,"date":"2020-05-22T12:37:24","date_gmt":"2020-05-22T16:37:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=15294"},"modified":"2023-01-12T14:56:17","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T19:56:17","slug":"mississippi-pastor-wins-the-voice-moves-one-judge-to-tears-with-powerful-performance-of-i-can-only-imagine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2020\/05\/mississippi-pastor-wins-the-voice-moves-one-judge-to-tears-with-powerful-performance-of-i-can-only-imagine.html","title":{"rendered":"Mississippi Pastor Wins \u2018The Voice,\u2019 Moves One Judge to Tears With Powerful Performance of \u2018I Can Only Imagine\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Voice\/YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“The Voice” judges were blown away by his final performance, a big win for Christian music.<\/p>\n

A pastor from Mississippi won the NBC singing competition “The Voice” with an incredible final performance of the Christian hit “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe.<\/p>\n

Todd Tilghman, the pastor of Cornerstone Church in Meridian Mississippi, was coached during the season by country music sensation, Blake Shelton.<\/p>\n

Singer Kelly Clarkson, a judge of the show, was moved by Tilghman’s performance and struggled to get through her evaluation of the performance.<\/p>\n

“Literally, you are so moving,” Clarkson said. “It’s because you are a pastor because you have such a bigger belief inside you than just yourself. I would love to come to your church just to hear you speak, not only sing. You’re very special.”<\/p>\n

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the performance was done remotely.<\/p>\n

The win incredibly moved Tilghman.<\/p>\n

“I wish I knew how to say thank you,” Tilghman tweeted after the win. “And I wish y’all knew how much I respect and admire my new friends and fellow artists\/contestants on @NBCTheVoice. I don’t know how long it’ll take me to process, but I sure am grateful for every moment.”<\/p>\n

Tilghman recently preached a message about talents that spoke to his recent success in the competition, the Christian Post reported.<\/p>\n

“Take those talents that the Master gave you before we were separated and multiply those during this time so that when we come back together, you’ll come back with more than you left with,” Tilghman preached in a virtual sermon.<\/p>\n

When Carson Daly announced the season winner, the pastor was surrounded by his wife of 21 years and their eight children.<\/p>\n

Watch Tilghman’s powerful performance below.<\/p>\n