Frank Turek on Charlie Kirk's Martyrdom and the Revival Sweeping America After September 10th
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Frank Turek on Charlie Kirk's Martyrdom and the Revival Sweeping America After September 10th
Frank Turek, renowned Christian apologist and close friend of Charlie Kirk, shares an intimate perspective on the events of September 10th, 2025, when Charlie was assassinated at Utah Valley University. Frank was there that day and helped transport Charlie to the hospital. He reflects on Charlie's spiritual growth, his influence across generations, and the unexpected revival sparked by his death. From Sweden to Australia, people are coming to faith because of Charlie's legacy. Frank discusses Erika Kirk's extraordinary faith in forgiving her husband's murderer, the memorial service that reached millions worldwide, and why Charlie's influence may be greater now than ever before.
On September 10th, 2025, America lost one of its boldest voices for biblical truth when Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University. Frank Turek, renowned Christian apologist and host of the podcast "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist," was with Charlie that day. As a dear friend and mentor to Charlie for years, Frank not only witnessed the tragedy firsthand but also helped transport Charlie to the hospital in those critical moments.
The loss sent shockwaves through multiple generations. Frank recounts how his friend Jack Hibbs told him that both he and his granddaughter were crying when they heard the news. "How often do you have a public figure die when you have three generations who are deeply moved by it?" Frank asks. "Charlie touched all generations, from the youngest to the oldest."
A Global Revival Sparked by Martyrdom
What the enemy intended for evil, God is using for good on a scale no one could have predicted. Frank has been receiving emails from around the world—from Sweden, London, Australia, and Denmark—from people becoming Christians or recommitting their lives to Christ because of Charlie Kirk. One woman from Sweden who had been an atheist for 26 years wrote simply: "I'm a Christian now because of Charlie Kirk."
"It might actually be around the world," Frank reflects on the memorial service held on September 21st, where top government officials proclaimed the gospel to tens of millions watching globally. "I don't know if this is true or not, but it could turn out to be that Charlie's influence will be bigger now than had he actually lived because so many people now are realizing how great he was, and he still is. He's just by Jesus's side right now."
The Man Behind the Movement
Frank offers an intimate portrait of the Charlie Kirk he knew personally. "When you try and mentor somebody smarter than you, it could be difficult, right? Charlie was smarter than me, but the only thing that surpassed his intellect was his humility," Frank shares. Charlie was constantly seeking wisdom, always asking questions: "What do you think about this? Could I answer this better? How would you do this?"
Andrew, who runs the campus events at Turning Point USA, captured Charlie's spiritual journey perfectly: "The first time I met Charlie Kirk was in 2016. He was sitting in a cafeteria with his Bible open and highlighters out. The last time I saw Charlie Kirk was in the SUV when we were heading to the event and he was talking to Frank about the Bible."
Mikey McCoy, Charlie's chief of staff who became a hero on September 10th and now serves as Erica's chief of staff, texted Frank a simple but powerful statement: "Charlie was at the peak of his faith when he died."
Generation Z and the Power of Authentic Faith
Charlie had a unique ability to connect with Generation Z in ways that even loving parents struggled to match. Frank shares how his own 18-year-old daughter, who was reasonably apolitical until about a year ago, was transformed by Charlie's influence. "She loved Charlie and she said, 'Dad, Charlie was my guy.' She didn't get excited about me being on TV, but when she saw me interviewing Charlie Kirk, she got very excited about that. 'Can I meet him?' That was the question."
His daughter explained it this way: "Dad, I love you. I listen to you, but Charlie just connected with me because he spoke directly to my generation, Generation Z." Even Gavin Newsom's son wanted to meet Charlie—a testament to his reach across political divides.
Charlie's approach was simple yet profound: hand the microphone to his opponents and say, "Make your case. Let's talk." As Frank points out, "How many fascists do you know who give the microphone to their opponents and say, 'Say whatever you want to say. Let's have a conversation.' No, the fascists are the ones that killed him."
Politics as Peanuts Compared to Jesus
A month before his death, Charlie said in an interview: "Politics is peanuts compared to Jesus." This statement reveals the true motivation behind everything he did. "The reason he did what he did was because of his great love for Jesus, his savior who died for him," Frank explains. "That's why he did all those good works."
At the memorial service, Frank made this crucial point clear: "Charlie Kirk is not in heaven because he died for his savior. Charlie Kirk is in heaven because his savior died for him. He did all those good works because of his love for Jesus."
Frank believes that if the revival is merely political, it will be short-lived. "We want a spiritual revival and that will bring forth a political revival as well," he says. The evidence supports this: people are becoming politically engaged because of Charlie's spiritual influence, not the other way around.
Erika Kirk: A Force of Nature
Just two days after Charlie's assassination, Erika Kirk gave a national address that stunned the world. "She said that this widow is not going to be denied. We are going to expand Charlie's legacy. Keep it going," Frank recounts. "And she is the right choice to do that. Despite her grief, she knows that Jesus wants us to go on. Charlie wants us to go on. So we're moving on. And Erica is the leader now."
Frank used to text Charlie jokingly: "Here's the ticket in 2028: Vance Kirk." Charlie would smile back. Now Frank says, "I'm not giving up on Vance Kirk. I think Erica, she'd be a great first woman vice president and president. She's that solid."
But what truly demonstrated Erica's faith was her forgiveness of Charlie's murderer. "Only the Holy Spirit could motivate someone to forgive the murderer of her husband," Frank emphasizes. "You don't find this in any other ideology, any other religion. Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Forgive just like Jesus forgave you. That comes from the Holy Spirit."
Erica's public forgiveness became a profound proclamation of the gospel, potentially touching even some who initially celebrated Charlie's death. "We don't mourn as those without hope," Frank says, quoting 1 Thessalonians 4. "We're going to see our loved ones again. Of course, we're going to be united with Jesus as well. So there is a bright future."
Love Does Not Mean Approval
The spiritual battle in America has intensified since Charlie's death, with the dividing line between good and evil becoming clearer. Frank addresses a crucial misconception driving much of the cultural conflict: "What people confuse in our culture today is they think love means approval. Love does not mean approval. Every parent knows this. If you approve of everything your kid wants to do, you're not loving. You're enabling evil."
Charlie was likely killed because his faith led him to hold certain views—on transgenderism, for example—that were motivated by love for Jesus and love for people. "He didn't want to approve of something that was going to harm people," Frank explains. "In order to love you, I can't confirm what you want me to confirm. I can't affirm what you want me to affirm. That wouldn't be loving. I'm not going to affirm you in your mental health crisis, in your delusion. I'm going to try and help you."
The left sees this differently, believing approval is required for love. But as Frank points out, they don't approve of conservative positions yet claim to love conservatives. "Love does not require approval. Love requires you to seek what's best for the other person. And that requires you to often oppose what they're going to do. And what's best for the other person? Whatever God wills, not what we want, what God wants."
Charlie embodied this principle, always responding with grace even when attacked by radical leftists at his events, always with a smile on his face, in grace and in truth.
Continuing the Mission
Despite the difficulty of the past few weeks, Frank continues his mission through his podcast "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist," which produces two episodes weekly. The podcast, which shares its name with his book, presents evidence that Christianity is true while addressing cultural issues and teaching people how to refute false claims that are derailing young people.
Frank recorded two special episodes about Charlie: "The Greatness of Charlie Kirk, an Eyewitness Account of His Life and Martyrdom" (released five days after the murder) and "Behind the Scenes at the Memorial Service." Both are available on YouTube and wherever podcasts are found.
"While we still have time here on this earth, we have to do whatever we can to know Jesus and to make him known, to make heaven crowded, as Erica would say," Frank concludes. The mission continues, and Charlie's legacy is just beginning to unfold.
