Charlie Kirk’s Message Lives On

I couldn’t sleep last night.

I’ll never forget where I was when I first heard the news. I was at the dentist, sitting in the chair getting a cavity filled by my dentist—who, years ago, was in my youth group. After numbing me up, he left the room to let the medication set in. I pulled out my phone, opened Facebook, and saw Graham Allen’s post (seconds after he posted it) asking for prayers for Charlie Kirk. My heart sank.

I immediately googled “Charlie Kirk.” Nothing came up. I refreshed it twice, and finally one lone article came up simply noting that Kirk was shot in Utah. No other details were given. A few minutes later, my dentist walked back into the room. His face was pale and shaken. He told me he had just seen the video of Charlie getting shot. He showed it to me. I yelled, “Oh God!” Then we just sat together in silence—crying, stewing in anger and confusion. Then, right there in the exam room, he prayed for Charlie and his family.

When the prayer ended, I looked at him (my mouth still numb) and asked, “Do you feel like working on my teeth?” He shook his head. “Not really.” I said, “I don’t feel like it either.” I stood up, hugged him, and left. When I got to my Jeep, I yelled at the top of my lungs. Deep down, I knew Charlie wasn’t going to survive that gunshot.

I never met Charlie in person, but I feel like I’ve known him for years. I’m friends with some of his friends, I’ve listened to him speak countless times, usually in front of hostile crowds. Charlie did it better than anyone. He was one of the sharpest minds of our time. His extremely quick wit, his grasp of complex topics, and his courage to engage critics on any topic head-on were unmatched. He was afraid to discuss no topic and invited those who opposed his views to speak.

“If you disagree with me,” he often said, “come to the front of the line and let’s talk this out.”

That’s who Charlie Kirk was—a man unafraid of disagreement, committed to rational dialogue, and grounded in truth. He championed free speech, debate, and the respectful exchange of ideas. And it was his refusal to back down from those convictions that ultimately cost him his life.

As one of my friend’s said about the Leftist assassin:

“Tell me you’ve indisputably lost the debate without telling me you’ve indisputably lost the debate!”

But more than anything—more than politics, more than debate, more than the movement he built—Charlie Kirk loved Jesus. He made it clear over and over again: “It’s all about Jesus!” That wasn’t a mere slogan. That was the center of his life. His love for Christ defined him, fueled him, and gave shape to everything else.

And that is what we must remember as we mourn his loss: his life pointed to something bigger than himself. Evil may have celebrated his death, but Charlie pointed to the One who defeated evil once and for all.

Carrying on Charlie’s Legacy

Charlie Kirk’s murder is a gut-wrenching loss for his family, for his friends, and for all of us who cherished his voice. But we must not allow evil to win by silencing him. The best way to honor Charlie is to carry forward the message he lived and died for.

He believed in the power of persuasion over coercion. He believed in conversation over cancellation. He was proof that one person with conviction can inspire a massive movement. His debates on campus weren’t just about scoring points; they were about showing that truth can stand up to scrutiny. He showed young men and women that it’s possible to be bold, articulate, and respectful—even when surrounded by hostility.

That lesson will live on for generations!

But again, at the core of all this was not politics, not even free speech itself. At the core was Jesus Christ. Charlie’s confidence, his courage, and his commitment flowed out of his faith in Jesus. That’s why he could say without hesitation: “It’s all about Jesus!”

That must be our anthem, too. If we truly want to keep Charlie’s memory alive, we must keep pointing others to Christ. That means refusing to celebrate violence, refusing to dehumanize those we disagree with, and refusing to let anger eclipse the gospel. Make no mistake: I am angry, and righteously so! Evil wants us to sin in our anger. Evil wants us to despair, to divide, to lose heart. But the cross reminds us that God brings life out of death, victory out of suffering, hope out of heartbreak.

“What you meant for evil, God meant for good” (Genesis 50:20).

So let us grieve—but let us not grieve as those without hope. Let us pray for Erika, his wife, and their children. Let us stand boldly for Truth in our classrooms, workplaces, and communities. Let us vote against the woke Left until this evil mind-virus is extinguished. Let us persuade others as Charlie did, with love, logic, facts, and reason. Let us reject the voices celebrating this wickedness and instead choose to live out the gospel Charlie proclaimed.

Evil thought it could silence him. But Charlie Kirk’s message lives on.

Closing

Charlie Kirk may be gone from this world, but his words still echo: “If you disagree with me, come to the front of the line and let’s talk this out.” That posture—courageous, curious, Christ-centered—is exactly what we need today.

So let’s carry it forward. For Charlie. For truth. For Jesus.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Recommended Resources:

Correct not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism by Frank Turek ( Book , MP4 , )

Was Jesus Intolerant? ( DVD ) and ( Mp4 Download ) by Dr. Frank Turek

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl (Book)

Legislating Morality: Is it Wise? Is it Legal? Is it Possible? by Frank Turek ( Book , DVD , Mp3 , Mp4 , PowerPoint download , PowerPoint CD )

Tim Stratton (The FreeThinking Theist) pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Nebraska-Kearney (B.A. 1997) and after working in full-time ministry for several years went on to attain his graduate degree from Biola University (M.A. 2014). Tim was recently accepted at North West University to pursue his Ph.D. in systematic theology with a focus on metaphysics.

Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/47acHRv