Turning Point USA executive director Charlie Kirk. REBECCA NOBLE/GETTY IMAGES
On September 10, 2025, the American political landscape was shattered by a single, senseless act of violence. Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder and CEO of Turning Point USA—a conservative organization dedicated to mobilizing young people for right-leaning causes—was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Kirk, a committed Christian and a vocal advocate for traditional values, was engaging students as part of his “American Comeback Tour” when gunfire erupted from a rooftop on the campus. The attack claimed his life almost instantly, leaving his wife, Erika, devastated and the nation reeling from grief, outrage, and division.
As with 9/11, I can tell you where I was the moment I heard the news. I was in the baggage claim area at Washington Reagan Airport, waiting with my brother and dad to get our bags to head to the hotel for a conference with National Religious Broadcasters President’s Council when I heard the news.
It was like a punch in the stomach. Who would want to kill Charlie? All he ever does is talk.
Immediately, we began to pray that the Lord would be with him and help him, not knowing that most likely he had lost so much blood the Lord had called him home much sooner than we wanted. The following day, we attended a religious media briefing at the White House and his death was a top point of conversation. My son and other young adult men I know are angry and sad. This is a very heavy loss for us all.
The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson from Utah, was arrested the following day after confessing to his father, who alerted authorities through a family friend. Robinson faces charges including capital murder and weapons offenses, with Utah Attorney General Derek Brown stating that “everything is on the table,” including the possibility of the death penalty. Items retrieved from the wooded escape route underscored the premeditated nature of the assault.
Yet, amid the vigils—such as the one at Orem City Center Park where mourners left flowers—and tributes outside Turning Point USA’s Phoenix headquarters, a darker undercurrent emerged. Online, some celebrated Kirk’s death, posting comments like “you reap what you sow” or labeling it “a fitting sacrifice” to his own pro-Second Amendment rhetoric. This backlash led to swift consequences: at least a dozen educators nationwide were fired or disciplined for insensitive social media posts, including a Florida councilman facing calls to resign and Pentagon staffers relieved of duties for mocking the murder. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered investigations into military members who condoned the violence, emphasizing accountability. Graphic videos of the shooting spread rapidly, highlighting the erosion of traditional media’s control over such horrors.
Kirk’s life and death invite a profound biblical parallel: the timeless pattern of “they kill the prophets.” This phrase, drawn from Jesus’ lament in Matthew 23:31 (New International Version), indicts those who claim righteousness while persecuting truth-tellers: “So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.” Here, Jesus confronts the Pharisees, exposing their hypocrisy in honoring past prophets like Zechariah—stoned in the temple courtyard (2 Chronicles 24:20-21)—while plotting His own demise. The verse builds on a litany in Matthew 23:29-36, where Jesus declares, “Woe to you… You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous… Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.”
Analysis reveals this as more than historical critique; it’s a prophetic diagnosis of human rebellion against divine messengers. Prophets like Isaiah (sawn in two, per Hebrews 11:37) or Jeremiah (thrown into a cistern, Jeremiah 38:6) spoke uncomfortable truths—calling out idolatry, injustice, and moral decay—often at the cost of their lives. Kirk, while no biblical prophet, mirrored this archetype in the modern arena. At 31, he had become a lightning rod for more than conservative activism, he was an evangelist. He was bold, telling his story of conversion as a boy when he heard the “Hot Gospel” – hearing the truth about hell as well as the love of God calling exertion to repentance.
In 2012 Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012 to counter what he saw as leftist indoctrination on campuses. His provocative statements on race, immigration, and cultural issues courted Gen-Z voters but drew fierce opposition, with critics likening him to extremists. Like the prophets, Kirk’s voice amplified biblical principles—defending life, family, and faith—amid a secularizing culture. His death, allegedly motivated by ideological hatred, echoes the rejection of truth that Jesus decried.
This pattern persists because, as Nehemiah 9:26 observes in a confessional prayer, “But they were disobedient and rebelled…; they put the Law behind their backs and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you.” The prophets’ murders weren’t random; they stemmed from a refusal to heed calls for repentance. In Kirk’s case, the suspect’s radicalization—amid a coarsening discourse, as Utah Senator Mike Lee described—reflects a society that silences dissent rather than engaging it. Yet, Jesus’ words in Luke 11:49-51 reinforce the divine response: “Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles… they will kill some and pursue others.’” Persecution validates the message, not invalidates it.
Several biblical patterns guide how we handle conflict, rhetoric, and media in a way that honors God. Speaking truth with grace means our words are seasoned, clear, and persuasive, as Colossians 4:6 exhorts. We are called to seek reconciliation first, living at peace as far as it depends on us, which Romans 12:18 urges. We must guard against hatred and dehumanization; 1 John 3:15 warns that harboring anger that seeks another’s destruction is not consistent with the life of a believer. In public discourse, discernment matters: test what is good and avoid evil, as encouraged in 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22. These are not abstract principles but practical guardrails for how we speak, engage, and influence culture.
Applying this scripture today , our first action is personal repentance. We must examine our hearts. Have we built “tombs” for modern truth-tellers—honoring them in death while ignoring their warnings in life? Kirk’s assassination reminds us that inflammatory rhetoric, whether from the left or right, risks real blood. Governor Cox’s plea for an “off-ramp” aligns with Proverbs 15:1: “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” We must choose de-escalation, modeling Christ’s forgiveness even amid grief.
Second, communal vigilance: Churches and communities should amplify prophetic voices without fear, as Hebrews 11:37-38 honors those “sawn in two… the world was not worthy of them.” Turning Point USA’s statement, calling Kirk their “guiding light,” urges continuation of his mission. Educators disciplined for callous posts highlight the need for empathy training; the Pentagon’s crackdown shows institutional accountability’s role. Finally, eternal hope: Jesus concludes Matthew 23:37 with a mother’s lament over Jerusalem, yet offers redemption through His cross—the ultimate Prophet slain but risen. Kirk’s death, tragic as it is, points believers to this victory, urging us to “persevere… since we have those who spoke the word of God” (Hebrews 13:7).
Charlie Kirk’s murder is a stark reminder: prophets—ancient or modern—die not in vain but as a witness to the truth. In a divided America, let Matthew 23 call us to honor the living word, reject violence, and seek the Prince of Peace. Only then can we break the cycle of killing the prophets and build a legacy of justice.
In our hour, this voice is marked by humility, clarity about sin and grace, and a posture that pursues reconciliation even with those who oppose us.
How, then, do we raise a biblically faithful voice in concrete ways? Start with personal introspection. Ask whether your motive is to pursue truth, unity, and love or simply to win an argument. James 3:17–18 describes wisdom from above as pure, peaceable, and merciful. When needed, confess and repent, inviting God to examine your words (Psalm 139:23–24). Seek to illuminate justice, mercy, and truth without feeding rage or sensationalism (Philippians 4:8). Report responsibly, aiming for accuracy, appropriate context, and pathways toward reconciliation.
Public witness that honors Jesus means proclaiming biblical truth with gentleness and resilience. It is possible to be persuasive without surrendering mercy, as Ephesians 4:15 calls us to speak the truth in love. Resist dehumanizing opponents; let disagreement sharpen rather than break relationship (Romans 14:19). In our engagement with media and culture, let righteousness guide our use of platforms.
Pray for the Kirk family and the students who tragically witnessed a murder. Pray for those who despise us and say hurtful words, pray for public leaders to be measured and wise in action. Pray for young people feeling afraid. Pray for yourself that you remain strong and vigilant. Pray for the church.
The lesson from all this is simple but costly: speak truth in love, even when it costs you. For Charlie’s sake, pick up the mic and keep speaking truth.
