Charlie Kirk

It was a moment almost frozen in time—much like Nov. 22, 1963, the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated—when, shortly after noon on September 10, 2025, the news began to break that Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point, USA, had been felled by an assassin’s bullet at a rally in Orem, Utah. Like many my age, I was not a close follower of Kirk’s movement, but what I have learned about him in the past week or so has deeply impressed me because of his faith in Jesus Christ and his vibrant testimony for his Savior, and because of his devotion to freedom, our beloved America, his family, and his followers, multitudes of America’s youth whose hearts he captured by his ability to explain in his inimitable, non-combative way, why free enterprise, capitalism, and a constitutional republic—with a government that is not hugely overgrown and overreaching into the individual lives of its citizens—is the best option, hands down, of any government ever devised in the history of mankind. His enthusiasm, his apparent brilliance, his unapologetic Christian faith and testimony were nothing less than totally infectious to any open-minded person who has given any time to learning about who this “American original” was and what he was all about. One simply could not help loving the guy for all that he was, and for all that he was dedicating his life to.

Sadly, his life was suddenly, shockingly, and tragically terminated on an otherwise beautiful autumn day by a demented youth who, from what has been learned about him, had delved through “social media” deeply into the darkened world of the evil one. As a result, he became so confused, irrational, and given over to darkness that he believed Charlie Kirk was full of hatred because he stood for righteousness, freedom, liberty, faith, goodness, morality, and God’s peace. So he had to do whatever was necessary—murder, in fact—to silence this spokesman for virtue and values that all good men of every age have embraced. Thus, the premediated plan to kill Kirk before 3,000 of his followers in the quiet Utah Valley University town.

That merciless execution impacted all of America; it stopped us in our tracks. The pastor’s heart in me wanted to deliver, based upon spiritual truths and saddened realities, a message from God; but it has taken me several days to formulate in my head and heart what I might have said had it been my assignment to stand before God’s people on a Sunday that was much like September 11, 2001. Here is my brief but broken-hearted message:

1. On this Sunday, America gathers, almost in stunned silence—shocked, saddened, angered, depressed—as, once again, one of our own has been instantly, violently taken from his family, his friends, his followers, his church, his children, and his loving wife,  because he was bold and brave enough to unashamedly proclaim truth with a kind and patient attitude and acceptance, even toward those who thought he was wrong. What are we going to do in the light of this unthinkably dark deed? How do we react? What can we do going forward, knowing that the America that was once the home of the brave and land of the free, is today not so safe a place as it has been? It is in fact a dangerous place for those who, like Charlie Kirk, strive to preach truth, shine light, and spread hope—especially to America’s youth, whose minds have too long been subject to the poisonous teaching and preaching of professors and others who despise our democratic republic. Here is what I have, in my own heart, concluded. First, we all need to LISTEN. We need to give our undivided attention to what Charlie was propounding. What was he saying that enthralled great crowds of largely young people to gather round him in cities all across our land to cheer or to curse him? If we close our mouths and open our ears, we will hear the heart of a young American who has examined civilizations of the past and concluded that the constitutional government that our forebears fought for and handed down to us, through bloodshed and the sacrifice of every material comfort, is the most cherished form of governance—with its freedoms—ever devised and delivered to any nation past or present. Get a tape or text of Charlie Kirk’s messages, including the testimony of his family and faith, and listen. America, in the light of September 10, needs to lend a collective ear and just listen. Then, listen again, and again. Let it sink in.

2. Secondly, we need to stand up. Millions have. Touched by Charlie’s wholehearted commitment to the cause of reaching our nation’s youth with life-changing truth, this young man, from the age of 18, made it his mission to stand up for America; to stand up for Jesus Christ; to stand up for the values that made America great: courage, honesty, integrity, truth, dedication, and loyalty to our flag and to the faith of our fathers. “God give us men! A time like this demands strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands.” (Josiah Holland)

3. Third, we need to speak up. Let our voices for righteousness, truth, freedom, and faith be heard, as did Charlie Kirk. Not loud voices that attempt to drown out the opposition, but steady, calm, reasoned voices guided by strong minds, as Josiah Holland prayed. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” (Provs. 25:11)

4. Fourth, let us ever look up…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. (Heb. 12:1,2) He is the One who promised to be with us always, “even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20) He is our strength through His Holy Spirit, Whom He said would provide us with the power needed to fight the good fight. (Acts 1:8)

So, there it is, my friend. This is the hour millions of Christ’s followers have prayed for: “God give us revival. We perish without your help.” This just may be the beginning of His answer to our prayers. But we must do nothing less than to listen up, stand up, speak up, and look up. God help us.

“Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fray in public duty and in private thinking. For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds, their large professions and their little deeds, mingle in selfish strife, Lo! Freedom weeps, wrong rules the land, and waiting Justice sleeps.” (J.G. Holland, 1819-1881)