Charlie Kirk’s Memorial Turned Into a Revival (by Greg Laurie)
Charlie Kirk’s Memorial Became a Revival
A memorial service for Charlie Kirk was held at Allstate Stadium. Normally, a memorial is a somber affair—everyone in black, whispering polite clichés about “a life well lived.” But this was different.
Attendees were asked to wear red, white, and blue in honor of Charlie and the country he loved. And honestly? It looked more like a Harvest Crusade than a funeral. Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, Brandon Lake, Kari Jobe, and Cody Carnes led worship, while speaker after speaker not only honored Charlie but proclaimed Christ. In other words, exactly what he would have wanted—Charlie’s memorial turned into a revival.
Erika Kirk’s Powerful Speech
One of the most remarkable moments came when Secretary of State Marco Rubio—yes, a politician—delivered one of the clearest Gospel messages I’ve heard in years. And I’ve given and heard more than a few.
But the most stunning moment wasn’t political at all. It was when Erika Kirk, Charlie’s young widow, forgave the man who murdered her husband. Before the cameras. Before the world. If you want the definition of Christianity in one sentence, that was it.
The Evident Spiritual War in America
Charlie Kirk came to Christ at 11, launched Turning Point at 18, and spent the rest of his short life using every ounce of his gifts to point people to God. Corrie Ten Boom once said, “A life is not measured by its duration but by its donation.” Charlie’s donation was massive. Jim Elliot, martyred at 28, wrote, “I seek not a long life but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus.” Charlie lived that kind of life.
And yet, instead of pausing in sorrow, our culture did what it does best: it jeered. Online mobs mocked, gloated, and celebrated his death. This is exactly what Isaiah warned about: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil. . .” (Isaiah 5:20 NKJV). America hasn’t merely drifted—it has sprinted into darkness, giggling along the way. Politicians won’t save us. Policies won’t fix us. Only Christ can change the human heart.
Here’s the irony: evil never learns. It thinks that by killing the messenger, it silences the message. Scripture—and history—say otherwise. When Stephen was stoned, the church didn’t wither; it exploded. What was meant to crush the Gospel only spread it further. Evil keeps trying to shut God up, and God keeps using the noise to amplify His voice.
Now Is the Time for Revival
So yes, Christians mourn Charlie Kirk. We mourn because his life mattered, because his wife and children are grieving, because the body of Christ has lost a brother. As Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us, there is a time to laugh and a time to mourn.
But there is also a time to act.
This is a dividing line. A watershed moment. Some will rise; others will shrink. The faithful will rise; the lukewarm will fade into the wallpaper. If your goal is to be “cool,” let me break it to you gently: cool is overrated. The coolest thing you can do in this culture is to stand bold for Christ.
How Christians Fuel America’s Next Spiritual Awakening
Consider the high school girl on her track team. When her friends mocked Charlie in a group text, she didn’t argue or hurl insults back. She invited them to church. Seven came. That’s how you win: not with bile, but with courage, truth, and grace.
I pray this event will pour rocket fuel on revival fires already burning. There is a genuine resurgence of faith among Gen Z and Millennials. That’s a dramatic shift from the old data, which always showed elders and boomers as the faithful core. Even more surprising? This revival is happening among young men.
Charlie himself once said: “Gen Z and Gen Alpha are coming to Christ in massive numbers. They don’t want fluff. They don’t want a watered-down Gospel. They want the tough, honest truth. They want the unfiltered Gospel of Christ crucified and the power of the resurrection.”
Charlie lived and died for that kind of faith. He once said: “I’m nothing without Jesus. I’m a sinner. I fall incredibly short of the glory of God. We all do. I gave my life to the Lord . . . and everything I do incorporates Jesus Christ. I want to be remembered for courage for my faith. The most important thing is my faith.”
That’s the baton in our hands now. When Charlie held a microphone, he was handing us the torch. The only question is: will you take it? Or will you fumble it and watch the culture burn to ash?
In the end, the choice isn’t complicated. Stand bold in the face of evil, or shrink back and let rot take over. One road leads to despair. The other to revival.
The time is now.
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Learn more about Pastor Greg Laurie
