Use Your Words Well - Charlie Kirk’s Life & Legacy

On Wednesday, September 10 at approximately 3pm (EDT) I was meeting with a group of ladies (mostly widows) from our church and community in our GriefShare support group. These ladies have all experienced the death of a loved one and are working through their unique journeys of grief together. Upon arrival, one stated that she just heard that a young man was shot while speaking at a university in the west. She mentioned his name to the others, but most did not recognize it. Sadly, by the time our meeting ended it has been confirmed that political commentator, author, and co-founder and CEO of the conservative organization Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk was the victim. Our grieving group of ladies ended the meeting in prayer for each other and for Charlie Kirk and his family. The prayers from these widows was that another would not join their ranks based on these reports.

Over the next hour or so, messages related to the shooting of Kirk began flooding social media and national sites. Graphic video footage of the shooting was posted and overly shared online (I recommend to NOT share such.)

First the message was “Charlie Kirk has been shot.”

Then, “Pray for Charlie Kirk, he’s in the hospital now.”

Soon, “A suspect has been apprehended” with images of an older man being handcuffed and taken into custody by law enforcement officers (ultimately revealed the man was not the culprit.)

Finally, following an announcement posted by President Donald Trump, it was known that Charlie Kirk had died.

Albert Mohler stated in today’s opinion piece for World, “Yesterday is now one of those days (referencing moments in history such as the Alamo, Pearl Harbor, the assassinations of JFK, RFK, Martin Luther King, Jr. and September 11, 2001 - DT), and for today’s young adults, and especially for young Christians, and even more specifically for Christian and conservative young men, it is a day that will also be seared into generational memory. The assassination of Charlie Kirk, right at the heart of a major American university, even as he sat under the banner, ‘Prove Me Wrong,’ is a generation shaping event.”[1]

This is no understatement.

WORDS MATTER

Some individuals and outlets are stating that Charlie Kirk passed away. “Passed away” has become the acceptable phrase for many in our culture who seek to soften the reality of death either for ideological or therapeutic reasons. Thus, I attempt to avoid using the term and when I see the postings regarding Kirk using these words, I cringe.

Others are posting that Charlie Kirk died. This is tragically true. However, simply stating “he died” does not state clearly what occurred on September 10.

Some post that Charlie Kirk has been killed. True, but perhaps not true enough. Why? Because “has been killed” can include accidental deaths, a self-defense act, or a descriptor of an act of just war. Many grew up memorizing the Ten Commandments and did so with the poetic English of the King James Version. Thus, Exodus 20:13 is known as it is stated “Thou shalt not kill.” However, as translations seek to provide clarity, the better English word, as expressed in the English Standard Version and others is “You shall not murder.” Yes, Charlie Kirk was killed, but this was no accident. He was murdered and even with that, there is a better word.

Dr. Mohler and others are rightly using a term that carries more weight and, in this case, provides accuracy. Charlie Kirk was assassinated.

The Oxford English Dictionary clarifies that to assassinate is to murder a person, especially a prominent or famous person in a planned attack, especially with a political or ideological motive.[2]

There is no question that Kirk was assassinated.

This is the searing generational moment. The images. The videos. The updates that come, get retracted, are posted, get reposted, and the perpetual doom-scrolling that comes moves this story from just an event to something more.

WORDS CHANGE THOUGHTS

When Charlie Kirk began his public movement, he was clearly a convictional conservative. He grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and surrendered his life to Jesus Christ as a fifth grader while attending Christian Heritage Academy (a school founded by Wayne Grudem.) Kirk shared, “I remember very vividly just raising my hand to be like, I want to sign up for that! I’m ready to make Jesus Christ the Chairman of the Board of my life. Now, every year as I’ve gotten older, that means more and more to me as I realized how messed up we all are, and how inevitable our sins are, and how, you know, all of a sudden, the Gospel just kind of becomes this living experience.”[3]

Some, like Mohler, have revealed that early as Kirk’s notoriety and speaking began, his demeaner would not be categorized as winsome. He shook up the conservative thinkers and self-proclaimed right-wing banner wavers with his beliefs that tended to lean more toward libertarianism rather that historic conservatism. Kirk did not have much use for those under the title of conservative Christianity, as he saw that form of winsomeness as weak and ineffective. He was not subtle.[4]

It has been reported that seven years ago while Kirk was gaining national attention and was labeled as a right-wing provocateur by the media, he strongly criticized the evangelical political movement, especially related to the separation of church and state and issues related to LGBTQ ideology. As recent as last year, he seemingly reversed his position leading those opposed to his teachings as evidence of his embrace of what is labeled Christian nationalism.[5] I believe that rather than monetizing Christian belief and shifting toward a categorization of “nationalism” that has become a scare-phrase for many on the left, Kirk shifted simply more toward biblical Christianity.

What likely fueled this? Certainly, the reading and study of God’s Word. Also, and this is my opinion, the change of his private life. He married Erika in 2021 and since then, the couple has been blessed with two children (ages 3 and 1 at this writing.)

Creation order and God’s design for marriage and family is an amazing clarity provider. Convictions are cauterized. Beliefs are clarified. What matters most becomes obvious.

WORDS TO CONVINCE

Charlie Kirk enjoyed the debates. His schtick, as they say, was to take his convictional Christian conservatism to the hot beds of liberal thought and engage in debate, conversations, and at times caustic confrontations with college and university students. This turned Kirk into a celebrity—either loved or despised depending on one’s worldview. He loved it and this was how he impacted a generation that older politicians and thinkers seemingly could not.

Was Charlie Kirk winsome in his debates? Colossians 4:6 reminds us that as believers we are to speak and live in a manner that is attractive, gracious, appealing, seasoned with salt so that we may know how to answer anyone who questions truth. I have watched a number of clips of his engagements and as the years went by, his stand on truth became more clear and as he answered hard questions, there were certainly times the anger boiled over from the questioner. The divide between left and right is as wide as ever and now that everyone has a personal media outlet to state their expert opinions (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Substack, etc.) the divide seems to be widening.

Some Christians seeking to fulfill the command of God in Colossians by being winsome have sadly become weak wordsmiths. On the other end of the spectrum there are others who simply spew hatred under the guise of “righteous anger” with an emphasis on anger and an abandonment of righteous.

We must remember that we, like Joshua are to be “strong and courageous” and as Paul reminded the Corinthian church that we are in a race and we should run to win. There are no participation trophies in this race. Thus, it is not biblically winsome to remain on the sidelines when action is needed. God’s Word is convicting and convincing.

WORD TO YOUNG PEOPLE

As September 10 continued, I moved from my meeting with widows to a Bible study with teenagers in the evening. These junior high and high school students gathered in our student building. As happens each Wednesday, we listened to some Christian music, initially played some games, and then began our Bible study. This evening, I put aside my previously prepared study to address the elephant in the room.

As we continually challenge our students to claim their respective school campuses (or homeschool co-ops) for Christ, to participate in See You at the Pole, to be present in campus Christian clubs, and more, the news of the day weighed heavily. It is true that some of the students had no idea what had happened in Utah earlier. However, there were a good number who had heard the news, seen the graphic video, heard how many were grieving, and even saw and read the vitriol that began spewing online from those who had opposed Kirk. Additionally, they were thinking of the school shooting in Colorado that occurred almost simultaneously, the brutal, unprovoked murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, and the recent Catholic school shooting in Minnesota. With eyes wide and ears open, this generation is facing their seminal moment. And the voices of what they should think, believe, and know are loud…and coming from everywhere at once it seems.

The left-leaning, LGBTQ-affirming, liberal worldview of many is speaking loudly. The right-leaning, politically conservative voices are speaking as well. The expected “thoughts and prayers” are happening. Pastors are reposting articles, Bible verses, statements about grace, judgment, forgiveness, martyrdom, and more.

Young people are seeking the right words.

So too are parents, grandparents, married adults, and single adults.

Amid the noise, there remains a word—the Word—speaking in an absolutely true, still, small voice.

Thus, as I gathered with our students, we opened the Bible and began reading of a time when Jesus shared with his disciples about the evil in the world, the coming destruction of Jerusalem, the inevitable martyrdom of the saints, and the absolute love and sovereignty of God. We looked to God’s Word for the truth of what we must think, say, and do when it seems that the entire world has gone crazy. Worldly winsomeness says “It’s all good. Just be kind. God is love.” Biblical winsomeness says, “It’s not all good. Sin is real. Evil exists. The enemy hates all God’s image-bearers. God does love you but will not affirm your sin. Neither can we. So here’s some salt in our words to season our conversations so that the light may shine through.”

We read. We asked. We answered. We prayed…really prayed.

FINAL WORD

I am no celebrity pastor of a huge mega-church. I never met Charlie Kirk personally. He was never a guest speaker at our church. I never shared a platform with him at an event or conference. I cannot, nor desire to, claim any such notoriety. I cannot state that “Charlie was a friend of our local church” because he did not know us. However, I can and do grieve. I too felt shock and then anger (and still do) as I heard the news and saw the videos.

As a parent and grandparent, I look at the images of Erika Kirk and her two young children and am so deeply grieved for them. They grieve more deeply than anyone else at this time because their love for their husband and father was and is so deep.

I don’t offer “thoughts and prayers” mainly because I am not sure what good offering a thought does. I think that is a bogus platitude and an empty gift.

However, I do offer prayers. Not prayers as some form of therapeutic coping skill for my sake, but real, biblical prayers as instructed by Christ because interceding on behalf of others to God through the Spirit is right, righteous, powerful, and real. Those who claim otherwise just do not know, because they cannot know apart from knowing Christ.

I open the Word. I believe the Word.

I am taken the passage that Erika Kirk posted online moments prior to the rally in Utah…

Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Words of truth. Words of hope. Word.

To quote young parents trying to help their children articulate what they are asking or saying when they are still learning how to engage, “Use your words.” Use words wisely and lean into the Word who is the Way, Life, and Truth.

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[1] Mohler, R. Albert, Jr. “A Most Tragic Turning Point.” WORLD, 11 Sept. 2025, wng.org/opinions/a-most-tragic-turning-point-1757563042.

[2] Assassinate, V. Meanings, Etymology and More | Oxford English Dictionary, www.oed.com/dictionary/assassinate_v. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025.

[3] Batura, Paul. “Charlie Kirk Committed His Life to Truth.” Daily Citizen, 11 Sept. 2025, dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/charlie-kirk-committed-his-life-to-truth/.

[4] Mohler.

[5] “Charlie Kirk Once Pushed a ‘secular Worldview.’ Now He’s Fighting to Make America Christian Again.” NBCNews.Com, NBCUniversal News Group, 13 June 2024, www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/charlie-kirk-turning-point-donald-trump-christian-nationalism-rcna156565.