I had the privilege of attending Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, seated not far from the stage. To say that it was “moving”, would be an enormous understatement. Nearly 100,000 gathered in Arizona to grieve the loss of a husband, friend, and Christian leader who was gunned down in cold blood. The speeches were heartfelt. The tributes were moving. But the moment that shook the arena came when Erika Kirk, through tears, stood and forgave her husband’s killer.
The cameras captured her words — “I forgive him” — and then panned to the crowd. In that instant, as Erika spoke the hardest words a widow could speak and the audience along with millions of people watching online, witnessed a miracle of grace. (watch: Erika forgives Charlie’s murderer)
She went on to say: “Because that is what Christ did and what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love”.
Forgiveness in the Heart, Justice in the Courts
This is where many stumble and could fall into a ditch on either side of the road. Forgiveness, especially in the wake of horrendous crime, is often misunderstood. People confuse forgiveness in the heart with the duties of the civil magistrate. Some imagine that forgiveness means the courts should show leniency, or that the murderer should go free. Others, on the opposite extreme, think forgiveness is weak and that personal vengeance would be a fitting response to such evil.
The truth of Scripture is a narrow road between them.
In the heart, the Christian lays down vengeance, refuses to be mastered by bitterness, and prays for the offender to repent and be reconciled to God.
In the state, the magistrate must still do its God-given duty (Romans 13:4, 1 Peter 2:14) to punish evil proportionately and protect the innocent.
To collapse these callings into one is to miss God’s design. Magistrates are not commanded to forgive instead of punishing. And individuals are forbidden from taking vengeance into their own hands. Erika’s testimony showed the balance: forgiveness from the heart, while leaving justice to God and His appointed servants.
A Public Witness
When Erika forgave, she was not excusing the crime, nor was she calling for the courts to drop their duty. She was releasing vengeance into God’s hands while pointing to the cross of Christ, where all true forgiveness begins. It was not weakness. It was strength clothed in tears.
Fernando Rangel, a friend and member of our organization, was in the audience. The cameras caught him rising to his feet, emotion in his eyes as he applauded Erika’s words. As we rode home together that evening, he said, “That moment was the highlight of the entire memorial service.”
And it wasn’t only Erika. One after another, speakers pointed to Christ and the Bible that day — including members of the President’s cabinet. Fernando summed it up well: “I think we just witnessed something historical.”
As we reflected on that moment, we agreed that Erika’s forgiveness embodied the two greatest commandments — loving God by obeying His Word, and loving neighbor by pointing to the gospel. Her words reminded us why our organization has partnered with TPUSA Faith and TP Action: to impact the culture by pointing to Christ, while also urging lawmakers to uphold justice and protect the innocent. On that day, both truths stood side by side.
Erika’s act matters not just personally, but nationally. At a time when even Congress could not unite even to honor a slain American — Republicans voting unanimously YES, while 58 Democrats voted NO, and dozens more avoided making a choice — Erika’s testimony lifted the conversation above partisanship and into eternal truth.
The Hardest Thing
Ultimately, forgiveness requires a miracle. By nature, we want revenge. By instinct, we want the offender to hurt as much as we hurt. Erika’s words were not natural; they were supernatural. It is highly likely that the hardest thing she’s ever had to do was trust God in this tragic situation. But she knows that God will work all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Forgiveness does not mean justice will not be done. Forgiveness means Erika refuses to let hatred master her heart. It means she entrusts vengeance to God, justice to the courts, and her husband’s legacy to Christ.
The Way Forward
America must learn again the difference between vengeance and justice, between forgiveness and excusing evil. If magistrates “forgive” by refusing to punish, they become unjust. If individuals take vengeance into their own hands, they usurp God’s role. But when a Christian forgives from the heart while still affirming the need for justice, the world sees something entirely different: God’s law and gospel on display.
Charlie Kirk spent his life calling people to truth and liberty. At his memorial, Erika Kirk showed the world the deepest truth and the highest liberty: the freedom of a heart released from vengeance because Christ has forgiven her.
In that moment, America witnessed something greater than politics — the power of the gospel to free sinners, heal wounds, and keep a soul anchored even in unspeakable loss.
Arizona Republican and conservative leaders gathered at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Sunday for the Charlie Kirk Memorial, describing a unified scene filled with worship music and a spirit of revival.
In a radio appearance with James T. Harris of the Conservative Circus on 550 KFYI, Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) set the scene, telling the host, “James, the energy and the atmosphere was incredible. You know, Charlie was this 31-year-old man. His life was taken so short. Yet, you see so many people coming in, and there’s a sense of revival there, right? I mean the whole service was perfectly executed by Turning Point, especially given the quick turn around. I mean my God, they filled State Farm Stadium plus Desert Financial Credit Union Arena or Desert Diamond Area, rather, just across the street. So, you have almost 100,000 or over 100,000 people celebrat[ing] the life of Charlie Kirk. And it wasn’t just a political rally, James. I mean there was a prayer, there was worship music. I mean…the energy was different than any other rally I’ve been to.”
"The energy changed, and the atmosphere was incredible… over 100,000 people celebrating the life of Charlie Kirk… There was prayer. There was worship music. The energy was different from any other rally I've been to."
In an interview with Piers Morgan on Monday, Acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media Kari Lake said the feeling at the event was, “Definitely unity.”
She explained, “We were there to remember a friend, a great patriot, a great American, a great Christian, and it was extraordinary. I mean, the whole event started with hours of worship music by the biggest, you know, performers in Christian music…Getting there… was… it was almost impossible. I mean, every road going in was filled with standstill traffic, and people were walking from miles away.”
Lake added, “This was a group of Americans who love this country, a patriotic group, many of whom were Christians, all of whom love Charlie Kirk for the strong message he shared, for the peaceful way that he spread the word of our Constitution and our freedoms. And even the politicians that were there were talking about that. We’ve got to start coming together as a country, and that doesn’t mean we give up what we believe in, but we can no longer tolerate the crime, the violence that is coming at us, and we’ve sat down and taken it for a long time. Now we’re standing up, and we refuse to take it.”
Last night, we remembered our friend Charlie Kirk, a great patriot, a true American, a devoted Christian, and an even better husband and father.
It was so unifying to be among a group of Americans who love this country and cherished Charlie Kirk and everything he stood for.
Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ06) shared images to X from the event and wrote, “Charlie lived by prioritizing his faith — and he did so without hesitation while inspiring many. This allowed our youth the courage to lead with their faith and have a political position based on who you are as a person and what you believe in your heart. It’s a very important message. Today’s service is a reflection of who Charlie was — centered on his beliefs with strong conservative values.”
Charlie lived by prioritizing his faith — and he did so without hesitation while inspiring many.
This allowed our youth the courage to lead with their faith and have a political position based on who you are as a person and what you believe in your heart.
During the memorial, Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ02) shared a personal anecdote about his friendship with Kirk, writing, “Darkness will never be able to overcome light. There may be moments where it appears that all is lost. This story we live in will have many more dark moments, and I can promise you this, light will ultimately overcome it all.”
Darkness will never be able to overcome light. There may be moments where it appears that all is lost. This story we live in will have many more dark moments and I can promise you this, light will ultimately overcome it all.
He added, “I’m grateful to have been able to call Charlie a friend. He inspired me and so many others. He showed us that places like academia weren’t lost but void of light. He became that light and started a movement that will eclipse in his death what he built in life. Though we will miss our friend and true patriot. We will never forget him, and we will carry on the work that fueled him. To be bold, speak truth, and point others to Christ.”
With tens of thousands ready to remember, honor and celebrate the life of Charlie Kirk. Never seen anything like this. pic.twitter.com/DsYnCYWZnj
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen shared photos from the memorial, commenting, “With tens of thousands ready to remember, honor, and celebrate the life of Charlie Kirk. Never seen anything like this.”
State Senator T.J. Shope (R-LD16) shared them as well and wrote, “Truly amazing sights coming out of State Farm Stadium today! We’re watching at home like millions of others but am glad @votewarren and thousands of others are in the building to pay respects to the great @charliekirk11!”
I believe we’re entering a new era in America—one rooted in faith, honest communication, and a reckoning with the cultural shifts of the last decade. When Obama promised “change,” a lot did change. The culture wars were beginning. Under Trump, I saw clearly how far things had shifted.
Growing up during the Clinton and Bush years, I never experienced anything like what I felt today at Charlie Kirk’s memorial. The closest I can compare it to is the unity after 9/11, when President Bush rose to the occasion and brought the country together. That moment felt patriotic and spiritual, but it quickly turned into years of war, driven more by geopolitical motives than true healing.
I’ve always viewed the 1980s/90s revival era as a defining chapter in American politics. My generation saw how politicians—especially Republicans—learned to use evangelical faith as a tool. Democrats, or “the Left,” recognized their power and worked to undermine it. I believe there was a deliberate effort to expose evangelical leaders’ weaknesses—whether through moral failings, wealth, or ego. Social media amplified their downfall, turning disappointment into widespread cynicism.
As social media grew, so did the divide. When Obama ran for president, tech and media backed him heavily. California became the epicenter of progress, and Republicans fell behind. That’s when the term “RINO” started to mean something to me—they represented the failure to adapt. In a world driven by innovation, being labeled “traditional” felt like being left out.
I lived in Palo Alto during the tech boom and witnessed global change firsthand. Managing operations at the Four Seasons Silicon Valley, I served world leaders, tech giants, and political insiders. I personally took care of Hillary Clinton and her team during private meetings with Apple, Google, and Facebook—meetings the public never saw. I met John Kerry, Saudi royalty, and liberal power brokers. But I rarely saw conservative or Christian-backed leaders in those rooms. They weren’t part of the conversation.
I made friends with many of these influential people. They weren’t biased; they were simply engaged by one side. That absence made me question the relevance of the faith and political institutions I grew up with. The party I was raised in, and the church I trusted, felt ideologically broken and behind the times.
In short, I watched the leaders of my youth fall, the institutions I believed in lose influence, and the movement I once trusted become disconnected from the future. Today, I’m hopeful—but only if we’re willing to confront the past honestly and move forward with clarity, unity, and purpose.
I saw early on how tech’s influence would spread across the country. As social media began highlighting the failures of evangelical leaders, I felt increasingly isolated. The revival era of the ’80s and ’90s had let us down—our leaders fell morally, and their failures were broadcast everywhere. Those who remained, like Franklin Graham, were respected but felt distant and out of touch.
The Obama years deepened that divide. Tech firms pushed for global diversity, and their founders sparked a capitalist renaissance not seen since the days of Carnegie. The Left’s platform aligned perfectly with what tech needed: inclusion, global talent, and unchecked influence. Social media reshaped the narrative and slowly eroded the moral and spiritual foundation I grew up with.
After Trump’s first term, the attacks intensified. He was up against tech giants, RINOs who didn’t understand the fight, and Democrats who piled on. Despite his wealth and boldness, he couldn’t win. Watching him get crushed daily felt like déjà vu—we won, but somehow still lost. It was disheartening. If Trump couldn’t break through, maybe no one could. My friends and I went quiet. We didn’t abandon our values—we just felt like America had moved on without us.
The Biden years were another blow. Faith leaders were either gone or silenced. The Left dominated social media, and figures like “The Squad” rose to power. Pelosi held the reins, and the Right couldn’t keep up online. That weakness, I believe, opened the door to absurdities like social gender ideologies. Donors like Soros understood the power of revival and worked to widen the cultural divide. The trans movement, while ideologically complex, became financially lucrative for the right people. The Left controlled through chaos—Antifa, BLM riots—while tech platforms promoted the disruption.
I internalized all of it. The noise, the division, the silence from our side—they wore me down. But today changed everything.
In the midst of all this chaos, Charlie Kirk stood alone. He was the only warrior left who truly represented us—those of us who had stayed silent. Charlie was the leader Boomers had hoped for. He did everything right. He gave them hope that their revival wasn’t in vain. He visited college campuses, places often considered lost causes, and transformed Gen Z through logic, love, and courage. He faced threats and hostility, but he reignited the heart of a movement that had gone quiet.
Charlie gave Gen Z belief, gave Millennials hope, and reassured Boomers that their fight for freedom wasn’t wasted. Today, I saw thousands worship, leaders speak about faith and purpose, and an arena filled with people who were genuinely moved. I’ve been to many political events—most felt staged. This one didn’t. Everyone believed Charlie was there for them personally. And he was.
I never felt called to politics or Turning Point. My path has been business, and I believe that’s where I’m meant to be in this moment. My father has balanced both worlds with grace, and I hope to learn from him. My sister has played a key role in supporting Turning Point’s most influential figures. While I wasn’t involved, I’m grateful to them for giving me a seat at today’s event—an event that I believe will shape generations.
What I witnessed today is what my parents, aunts, and uncles described from their youth. Boomers might call it a revival. My generation and Gen X might call it a turning point. We have high hopes that this time, it’s real.
We heard the most powerful voices in America say they won’t let Charlie’s legacy die. If they mean it, and if Gen Z keeps the momentum, Boomers support it, and Millennials finally engage, we could see a transformation unlike anything this country has ever known.
Charlie was our champion. If his message multiplies, America will change. Based on what I saw today, I believe it can happen—and I truly hope it does.
David Farah, a Pepperdine grad, has a partial ownership stake in a growing business in the Phoenix Valley. His father, Barry Farah, is an early donor to Turning Point USA and had an eleven-year friendship with Charlie Kirk. David grew up in a Christian conservative home.
American Christians are not in danger of being martyred for their faith. Our interpretations of Scripture boil down to an elementary, seeker-friendly doctrine primarily preached through the lens of revival and prosperity.
We make our weekly trek to sit on comfy pews and listen to reaffirming messages about God’s love and plan for our lives. Ministries are thriving on “prophetic words,” multi-level marketing, and wealth amassed from the hardworking congregants guilt-tripped into exchanging 10% of their (gross) income for blessings. The lights are low, the music is loud, and emotions are high. These moments are more manufactured than the average churchgoer realizes. Soon, this will all conclude with an alleged secret “rapture” snatching believers off the earth before “things get really bad.”
With all due respect, Jesus Christ did not die for this powerless and ineffective “American Gospel.”
Words will never be enough to express the contribution that Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, made to present and future generations. He loved God, his wife, and family, and served our country well. CK also knew the risks of speaking truth and light into a world full of lies and darkness, yet he fearlessly stayed the course to the end. On one hand, he was brutally murdered and assassinated for holding conservative political opinions while exercising his First Amendment right to the fullest extent. On the other hand, CK was martyred for boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ.
CK was a confrontational and polarizing figure—and that’s a good thing. Confrontation is absolutely necessary when lost souls are hanging in the balance of eternity. Polarization is a predictable human response when someone dares to say the quiet parts out loud. Whether we agree or disagree with his takes on controversial issues, CK was a brilliant mind, a forerunner who had the tenacity to go where most believers will never go. He gave his life on the frontlines of the culture war, pushing back against the diabolical, leftist dogma that’s destroying America’s youth.
Those who don’t believe CK was martyred for his religious beliefs should go back and listen to his debates. His understanding of both Testaments directly informed his political views. CK would say marriage is between one man and one woman. That’s not political, it’s biblical. God created male and female; that’s biblical. Abortion is murder; that’s biblical. Open borders, land theft, and excessive taxation are evil; that’s biblical. Jesus said the Truth—His Truth, not your truth or my truth—is what sets us free.
The Truth is worth dying for…when you sincerely believe.
My opinion is controversial and polarizing, yet I will say the quiet parts out loud: Record numbers of people going to church after a national tragedy is a good thing, but I wouldn’t call it a “revival.” This hackneyed term is used to describe literally every private and public religious event, activity, and gathering in the Western hemisphere. To me, the word is almost meaningless because it means everything. Twenty-four years ago, we witnessed a similar resurgence and response to tragedy on 9/11. After some time passed, society drifted back into a worse moral decline, and the church fell back into a routine coma.
Revival—if it is true revival—is not a respecter of denominations, and it should lead to reformation and transformation on a mass scale. Our repentance must be deep and sincere, and our obedience to God’s word should be in proportion to the number of people who claim to be Christians. Furthermore, church attendance is meant to be the start of a thing, not the end. Believers must come outside the buildings, exercise moral authority, bring light into dark places, and assert influence on every level of society—especially in government.
Indeed, politics, in its simplest form, is nothing more than morality legislated and applied to a society. We elect representatives to adopt laws, policies, and regulations that uphold the nation’s moral fabric. Since very few Spirit-filled Christians are willing to serve their country in this capacity, our nation has been overrun by evildoers. Again, going to church is good, but on its own, it changes nothing. It costs almost nothing—maybe one hour…two or three, if you’re Pentecostal—to attend church. It’s time for Christians to prove their faith outside the four walls. Faith without works is dead faith (James 2:26).
The fallout from this current wave of “revival” should, in my opinion, result in:
Prayer and Bible reading returning to public schools
Ten Commandments displayed on all government properties
More Bible-believing Christians occupying key government and community leadership roles
Lower divorce rates (within and outside the church)
Lower crime, drug, and homelessness rates
Lower child abuse and trafficking statistics
Higher marriage, birth, and adoption rates
Full-gospel messages preached in every service (without asking attendees for money)
Increased cases of martyrdom
I won’t stop pushing back against darkness until I see a “revival” that leads to reformation in all of our institutions and the transformation of the hardest hearts in our society. I have determined that I would rather offend people to heaven than tolerate them to hell. I refuse to settle for anything less than sustained repentance, humility, and strength in the body of Christ. I implore Christians to go beyond a commitment to church attendance. Pray more. Read the Bible more. Fast more. Do the work of an evangelist. Husbands, love your wives and lead your families. Wives, respect your husbands. Single people, remain pure until marriage. Everyone, start considering others before yourselves.
What began in the Upper Room among the Eastern people will not die on the watch of Western people who sit in comfortable buildings. Thus, I’m calling on every church leader to abandon their plans to buy more real estate. Stop hoarding God’s people in corporate structures. Stop harboring offense, preaching revenge sermons, and worrying about who leaves and takes tithing members with them. This, too, is vanity and grasping at the wind. The Great Commission did not begin and will not end with your ministry. If you want to lead like Jesus, then start equipping your people and sending them out with your sincere blessing—and provide them with financial assistance.
Lastly, pastors, you must set the record straight on what it means to be blessed and chosen by God. I challenge every sermon maker to abandon traditional preaching on revival and prosperity and start teaching from passages such as these:
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven (Matt. 5:11-12).
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and God rests upon you…Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name (1 Pet. 4:14-15).
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first…you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also (John 15:18-20).
Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12).
I’ll reiterate that CK wasn’t assassinated for his political preferences. He died because of his bold, unashamed, and sincerely held beliefs in Jesus Christ. He has joined the hall of faith with men like John the Baptist, who was imprisoned and beheaded for confronting a government leader’s sexual immorality! The Apostles Peter and John were imprisoned and flogged just for preaching the gospel! Paul, too, was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, and left for dead just for preaching Christ! And, lest we forget, Jesus was crucified for, among many things, daring to confront wicked leaders—even in the synagogues!
Do you discern the examples and patterns Christians should follow?
If you’re not willing to lay down your life (die to your flesh and let God interrupt your plans) for Jesus Christ, check yourself to know whether you truly believe in Him. And I admonish every Bible-believing minister to start preaching a gospel message that’s worth dying for.
Please continue to pray for the new CEO and Board President, Mrs. Erika Kirk, her family, and all of the good people still on mission at Turning Point USA.
Arizona AG Kris Mayes’ Communications Director Richie Taylor deleted his X, Bluesky, and LinkedIn accounts after screenshots of his alleged posts surfaced on “groypers” and “violence on the right.”
Corey A. DeAngelis, a Senior Advisor with Americans For Fair Treatment, shared a screenshot allegedly taken from Taylor’s X account, which read, “Lots of people learning about groyper’s tonight because of violence on the right in this country.”
The post appeared to advance the unsubstantiated theory that Charlie Kirk’s assassin, Tyler Robinson, is a member of online commentator Nick Fuentes’ fan base, known as “groypers,” who have rhetorically feuded with Kirk and Turning Point USA over the years.
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) September 17, 2025
As reported by the Associated Press, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray revealed Tuesday that evidence, including a text confession and a note, shows the suspect targeted Charlie Kirk, stating, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out,” and “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”
The comments would seem to preclude the assassin from views that could be “on the right,” as Taylor’s alleged post suggested. Gray declined to address whether Kirk was targeted due to his views on transgenderism on Tuesday, telling reporters, “That is for a jury to decide.”
Last month, Taylor came under public scrutiny for “vicious ad hominem attacks” against Jenny Clark, founder of Love Your School, a nonprofit that advocates for parental rights, school choice, and resources for Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) and special education students.
🚨Update: the Head of Communications for @AZAGMayes , @richietaylor – has deleted posts against me which were extremely aggressive, untrue, unprovoked and vicious ad hominem attacks.
I make policy arguments supported by available facts, they prefer to personally attack people. pic.twitter.com/qkeXlqG9KU
Following the incident, Clark posted an update saying, “Update: the Head of Communications for @AZAGMayes, @richietaylor – has deleted posts against me which were extremely aggressive, untrue, unprovoked and vicious ad hominem attacks. I make policy arguments supported by available facts, they prefer to personally attack people.”
