As I post this, we are just days away from one of the largest memorial services in recent U.S. history. On Sunday 60,000 people are expected to show up at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, AZ to pay their respects to Charlie Kirk. Vigils have been held around the world in places like London, the U.K., Australia, South Korea, and hundreds right here in the U.S.. To date there have been over 50,000 applications submitted for new TPUSA chapters, the organization Charlie Kirk founded when he was just 18 years old. Barna Group is reporting a 16% rise in church attendance last week across all denominations, primarily from college aged young adults. In my own church we received 71 new families and baptized 52 new believers into the Christian faith. His podcast has jumped to the #1 spot after his death. Why? Who was this person that the whole world is taking notice of him?

Charlie Kirk was a high profile conservative political activist and media influence. He was a gifted and extremely knowledgeable public speaker who toured college campuses encouraging student dialogue and debate. His beliefs were sometimes controversial and polarizing. But beyond his political affiliation, Charlie Kirk was an unashamed, unapologetic and boldly professed follower of Jesus Christ. Even on the day of his assassination he was recorded proclaiming the truth of the Gospel and Jesus as Lord. With his wife and young children in a tent nearby, the sound of a bullet, a flow of crimson, a world in shock and a voice silenced, or so we thought.

Not everyone agreed with Charlie’s convictions. I too questioned a couple statements he made. His positions remain open for debate, just as he would have wanted. Social media has been inundated with posts and videos from every possible sector, sports, music, entertainment , preachers and activists. Many surprising tributes in word or song have been written in Charlie’s honor. His videos have stirred division between his fans and opponents. Many have been fired from their employment over comments posted either in defense of or in opposition to his views. But one thing for sure is that his uncompromising faith in God has ignited a fire among lukewarm believers who have found a supernatural courage and boldness to stand with Charlie and to publicly confess Christ as their Lord and Savior louder than ever before. His public execution and willingness to be targeted has inspired a generation to eagerly become targets by their own professions of faith. John 12:24 in the Bible reads:

”Unless a kernel of wheat is planted and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels-a harvest of new lives.”

In Acts chapter 8, we read that on the day that Stephen was killed for his outspoken testimony, the followers were scattered and preached the Gospel wherever they went. One silenced voice became a battle cry for many more to pick up the banner and carry the good news into the world. Charlie Kirk, like him or not, was a voice of light in an increasingly darkened world. The celebrations of his death only expose the severity of that darkness. I am but a layperson living my best, through the power of God’s spirit, to display accurately the grace and hope found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. I admire Charlie’s courage to take a stand for his convictions, whether they were right or wrong, accepted or denied.

I’m humbled by those who have chosen through the link on this page to follow In My Own Words. I attempt to post about hope, love and encouragement. I want to be clear that I write from my personal belief and profession of Christ being my Lord, my Savior and my moral compass. I stand on the undeniable truth of God’s Holy Word, and any partisan views I adopt are not driven by left or right ideologies but by obedience to the commends of Christ and his statement that if we love and profess him, we will obey his commands. I do so with love, compassion, and the same grace that’s been shown to me. God has been too good to me after all these years for me to have any other response. God bless you.