Posted on 09/22/2025 10:36:35 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Tens of thousands packed into the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday to pay their respects to the late conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, whose legacy was marked by his outspoken Christian faith and promotion of the Gospel.
Speakers eulogizing Kirk's life included political leaders such as President Donald Trump, White House cabinet officials, Turning Point USA and TPUSA Faith employees and conservative media influencers, as well as musical performances by prominent Christian artists.
Kirk's murder on Sept. 10 at the hands of an alleged 22-year-old shooter at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, has prompted an outpouring of grief worldwide, and many who knew Kirk have emphasized that his faith was what was most important to him.
Here are five highlights from the hours-long event, which drew the attention of millions from around the globe.
"Charlie wanted his Savior to be the guest of honor; he wanted all of you to receive this gift from him — the why in what he did. Charlie was never afraid because he knew his life was secure in the hands of God."
"His blood was poured out because blood must be shed for the remission of sins," McCoy said.
"And His (Jesus) death upon that cross was sufficient for all the world's sins, but only efficient for those who, like Charlie, would receive Him as their Savior."
McCoy added, "Charlie looked at politics as an on-ramp to Jesus. He knew if he could get all of you rowing in the streams of liberty, you'd come to its source. And that's the Lord."
Kirk's 36-year-old widow, Erika, publicly forgave her husband's killer, noting that it was what Jesus Christ did for those who murdered Him and what Charlie would have wanted.
"On the cross, our Savior said, 'Father, forgive them, for they [know not] what they do,'" she said, before tearfully adding, "I forgive him," which prompted emotional applause from the throngs in the stadium.
"I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and is what Charlie would do," she said. "The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the Gospel is love, is always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us."
Erika Kirk, who has since been named the CEO of Turning Point USA, said she has seen evidence that her husband's death has led to widespread interest in the Gospel, and noted that his assassination has not led to violence.
"We didn't see violence, we didn't see rioting, we didn't see revolution. Instead, we saw what my husband always prayed he would see in this country: we saw revival," she said.
"This past week, we saw people open a Bible for the first time in a decade. We saw people pray for the first time since they were children. We saw people go to a church service for the first time in their entire lives."
Trump, who spoke last at the event, highlighted Kirk's many accomplishments, but noted Kirk's faith was his greatest priority.
"What was even more important to Charlie than politics and service was the choice he made in the fifth grade, which he called the most important decision of his life, to become a Christian and a follower of his Savior, Jesus Christ," Trump said.
Trump also thanked Kirk's family for raising him in a way that positioned him to fulfill his calling.
"Your son brought more good and love into this world in his 31 short years than most people, even very successful people, can bring in a lifetime," he said.
Trump went on to suggest that "Charlie's murder was not just an attack on one man or one movement — it was an attack on our entire nation."
"The gun was pointed at him, but the bullet was aimed at all of us. That bullet was aimed at every one of us."
Trump, who earlier this summer prompted concern among some Christian supporters for appearing to acknowledge his unworthiness before God while suggesting he could possibly earn his salvation, also admitted during his speech that he does not yet exhibit the grace toward his enemies that Kirk did.
"He was a missionary with a noble spirit and a great, great purpose," Trump said of Kirk. "He did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them."
"That's where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent. And I don't want the best for them," he continued.
"Erika, you can talk to me and the whole group, but maybe they can convince me that that's not right, but I can't stand my opponent," he said, before later embracing Erika in a heartfelt moment following his speech.
"We go forward strengthened by his faith, bolstered by his courage, and inspired by his example to defend the country he lived for, for the freedoms he died for, and the values in which he so deeply believed," Trump said.
Conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson drew parallels between Kirk's legacy and that of Jesus Christ, noting both of them were murdered by people who wanted to silence the truth.
Carlson, who spoke for about five minutes, said Kirk was ultimately "a Christian evangelist" and that his assassination echoed the actions of people who have tried to stifle the Gospel for thousands of years.
"It actually reminds me of my favorite story ever," he said. "So, it's about 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, and Jesus shows up, and He starts talking about the people in power. And He starts doing the worst thing that you can do, which is telling the truth about people."
"And they hate it, and they just go bonkers," he said, presumably referring to the religious authorities of the time. "They hate it, and they become obsessed with making Him stop: 'This guy's got to stop talking. We've got to shut this guy up.'"
Noting that killing Jesus was the solution those in power mistakenly thought would "fix the problem," Carlson added that the Beatitudes show that God inverts the intentions of the wicked and that "everything is sort of the opposite of what you think it's going to be."
Carlson went on to say he believes that while Kirk's message was often political, it also transcended politics because he knew society’s deepest problems were spiritual.
"The main thing about Charlie and his message: he was bringing the Gospel to the country," he said. "He was doing the thing that the people in charge hate most, which is calling for them to repent."
"Charlie was a political person who was deeply interested in coalition building and in getting the right people in office, because he knew that vast improvements are possible politically," said Carlson. "But he also knew that politics is not the final answer. It can't answer the deepest questions, actually; that the only real solution is Jesus."
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Kirk followed in the footsteps of Christ and the Christian saints by surrendering his life to God.
"Charlie's overarching passion was his Christianity and his devotion to his God," said Kennedy. "He believed what St. Francis taught us almost 1,000 years ago: that we should strive to live our lives in perfect imitation of Christ. We should turn every day and every moment and every action into a prayer."
"And Charlie understood the great paradox: that it's only in surrender to God that God's power can flow into our lives and make us effective human beings. Christ died at 33 years old, but He changed the trajectory of history. Charlie died at 31 years old. Because he had surrendered, he also now has changed the trajectory of history."
Kennedy also noted that freedom of speech was inextricable with Kirk’s faith, and that standing up for righteousness is worth risking one’s life.
Reiterating much of the speech he made in Washington, D.C., at the packed Sept. 14 vigil for Kirk at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which was named for his assassinated uncle, Kennedy suggested that members of his own family are beginning to be open to the Gospel.
Kennedy publicly forgave members of his family last year for publicly denouncing and mocking him after he endorsed Trump, which Kennedy has noted was a political alignment Kirk helped to orchestrate.
Kennedy said love for one another is some of the best proof that God exists.
"For those of us who were friends with Charlie, we don't need any more evidence of the love of God," he said. "Because friendship is the best evidence that God loves us all."
The speakers who took the stage soon after spent much of their time pointing their fellow mourners back to the life-saving message of the cross and emphasizing the eternal truths held by Christians across the globe.
I was surprised by Marco Rubio as well. He sounded like a preacher... the event sounded like a revival meeting of sorts.
During his remarks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio recounted how man was created to enjoy life with God for eternity, but was separated from Him by sin and can only be redeemed through Christ.
“Sin entered the world and separated us from our Creator, and so God took on the form of a man and came down and lived among us. And He suffered like men. And He died like a man. But on the third day, He rose unlike any mortal man.”
Rubio went on to note how Christ “didn’t rise as a ghost or as a spirit, but as flesh.” Although Jesus “rose to the heaven … He promised He would return.”
“And when He returns — because He took on that death, because he carried that cross — we were freed from the sin that separated us from Him. And when He returns, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and we will all be together, and we are going to have a great reunion there again with Charlie and all the people we love.
Then there was Christian author Frank Turek, Charlie’s mentor, who was with Kirk the day he was assassinated and described Charlie as “like a son” to him during the memorial service. After recounting the moments following the shooting, Turek shared with the audience that Charlie is now safe in heaven for eternity, not because of what he accomplished on earth, but because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
“Charlie right now is in heaven, not because he was a great husband and father, not because he saved millions of kids out of darkness on college campuses, not because he changed minds and chased votes to save the country, not because he sacrificed himself for his Savior,” Turek said. “Charlie Kirk is in heaven because his Savior sacrificed Himself for Charlie Kirk.”
“””Tens of thousands packed into the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday”””
I was watching today’s Charlie Kirk Show and the staff said that their count of Sunday viewers in person and online likely totaled more than 250 million.
Bump for reference.
Today, Bennie Johnson on the Charlie Kirk Show suggested TPUSA do an annual Remembrance of Charlie Gathering. Suggested date was September 21 or Charlie’s birthday.
September 10 would not be a good day as that conflicts with 9/11 observance.
Andrew Kolvet was responsive to the idea.
A moment and an event that I think will remain with the President for the rest of his life and ours as well.
I was also very pleasantly surprised by Marco Rubio.
I consider it both wonderful and incredible that the Kirk Memorial service went on yesterday with no major disruptions or notable violence. That’s great news.
Was the funeral service also yesterday?
So much has been planned, organized and carried out in a short space of days, one can lose track. I was very much concerned about a mass attack happening.
Luckily, the memorial participants are not as ruled by worry as I admittedly can be whenever the topic is conservatives gathering together in a public place. Like that song by the group Creme: “I’m so glad, I;m glad, I’m glad, I’m glad!”
My thoughts as well but given what didn’t happen one could say it was guarded beyond the security by many prayers from the faithful around the world reaching up to the true ruler of the universe.
“””Was the funeral service also yesterday?”””
These has been no mention of a funeral service or burial.
I suspect Erica and others want to keep his burial site out of the news knowing the evil people who would desecrate his grave.
I think the “moderate” Dims will have a hard time reconciling with their party’s own Left extremists, after the fantastic statement from Charlie Kirk’s wife announcing she forgives his killer; probably the most Christian statement of the day; and the opposite of all the hate and vitriol that spews from the Left.
Amen.
That is a good point. No doubt the Dems are already fantasizing on how to most effectively desecrate Charlie’s grave, or put that cemetery out of business for daring to allow his gravesite happen.
yes. i have to admit i had to do a double take to see if that was really Marco Rubio speaking. very surprised that he had the Gospel down. he’s got to be a believer.
i’m starting to feel a little better again about all the money i sent him in tea party days.
True. Not sure beyond a round the clock guard would prevent that if there is going to be a known burial site. Cremation and scattering of ashes is one way to prevent that though. It’s a wild thought but sending his remains into outer space is another way to prevent desecration. I’m sure there are other solutions to this as well.
Currently there are 3 types of Democrats.
1) Those who you describe and want to double down.
2) Those who are politically savvy and ambitious and want to change the topic.
3) Those who repent and confess their sin.
Note that this is not much different from Republicans or Libertarians or Green.
1) Thank God I am a Pharisee and not one of them.
2) How can I personally promote myself
3) ....
Yeah. Rubio’s speech was great. Vance’s I was drifting. I thought he was a better speaker. I think Rubio may be the better speaker, but Vance may be the better debater. Both on the ticket in 2028 would be a winner.
except the part where he made it sound like we would all be reunited with our families. my bible says only those who accept Jesus is the way will be in heaven. I am praying for salvation for some family and many non family to make that choice.
true. but cut him some slack. he was only given 7 minutes.
yes. the problem is that once you’ve heard and understood the Gospel, you got to make a choice before your time runs out: either for or against Jesus. no middle ground allowed. sure a lot of family will be missing. He said Himself that He came not to unify, but to divide: father from son, sister from brother, mother from daughter...
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