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What the Charlie Kirk Tragedy Can Teach Pastors

What the Charlie Kirk Tragedy Can Teach Pastors

Last updated on: September 15, 2025 at 10:06 am by Shawn Paul Wood

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What the Charlie Kirk Tragedy Can Teach Pastors 2025-09-15T10:06:59-05:00 Shawn Paul Wood

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This past week was among the worst of 2025 horrid and senseless tragedies pertaining to Charlie Kirk. Someone didn’t like his words, so they killed him. That’s it.

Despite what some headlines read and some bloviates proclaim, he didn’t lay down his life for anything. Before he knew it, Charlie Kirk’s life was taken from him, his wife and their two children. There was no sacrifice. It was larceny of a human soul.

This guy did more by his 21st birthday with Turning Point USA than most Americans do with their entire existence. No one—not even a crazed coward sitting in a sniper’s eye—can take that from him. Yet, there are dozens who have tried. And, as the news has shown, they regret every single word.

In fact, the dizzying vitriol has been so overwhelming that some state and federal organizations have taken action to demand better from their employees. These groups could be considered conservative and liberal, red or blue. Yet, all are united about one thing: They’re all authors of an open letter reading, “Dear America, Shut up and have some sense for decency’s sake.”

And you know what? The Church should take some of that advice.

What in the world does that mean? Christians loved Charlie Kirk, so why would they be in a group like that? Welp, that’s the thing about Christians: “Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut” (Proverbs 10:19 NLT). Trust us, this hits close to home.

Before we explore this to gain a righteous understanding, stay in touch with other faith-based issues that hit “close to home.” Subscribe to our free newsletter and never miss what’s happening in the Church, and what real Christians can do in return to defend the love and work of Christ.

Applauding Someone’s Death Regardless of How They Lived

An aerial shot of an open courtyard on a college campus

An aerial shot of Utah Valley University following the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk (Image Credit: KSL News Utah via Wikimedia Commons)

Ask yourself: Should you be permitted, expected or congratulated for applauding someone’s death?

If the departed was someone committing genocide or some sort of heinous crime, that’s a personal fork in the road. When news shares that a serial murderer, school shooter, or child abuser has died, many may smile and be grateful. Others may have a difficult time coming to grips with being happy that an awful human is dead. Whether you agree with that crossroads is no one’s business but that person.

Yeah, if only it ended there.

What if the departed just held an opinion that differed from yours? That’s it. They shout at the top of their lungs, which goes against all you shout at the top of yours. No one is hurt or maligned, just offended. Then, something unfortunate happens, and that vociferous person dies.

Do you applaud or smile? Should you share a post that shows a laughing meme? Is it morally or ethically reprehensible to say, “Good!” There’s less of a conflict there, as seen with the Charlie Kirk murder at Utah Valley University. Regardless of how anyone feels about his politics, his life mattered. Despite what you think of his living, his dying should not become the brunt of your new “Charlie Kirk stand-up series.”

Every journey has a beginning. This is the post that began the national outcry.

To Post or Not to Post: That Should Have Been the Question

The post that started this national debate (Image Credit: Meta)

Meet John Colgan, a middle school counselor in Oregon. Just let that sink in. There was an assassination on live TV, and John the Counselor here was breaking out the party favors because of the result, telling everyone in his circle.

He has a constitutional and unalienable right to say whatever he wants about whoever he wants. Yet, just because he can do a thing doesn’t really mean he should. His feelings toward Charlie Kirk have merit for him and those who agree with him. It’s his opinion and perspective, and no one can take that from him either.

But, dude is a counselor of 12-, 13- and 14-year-old kids, which is the crux of this problem.

Preachers guide and inspire people. First responders save people. Medical professionals care for people. And teachers are remarkably influential over all young people they encounter. There are certain things that people in specific professions should never do.

John is that example.

Countless and nameless other people have followed the example of this brillo-pad bearded ball of life. And just about all of them have been fired. It wasn’t someone’s free opinion that brought on a pink slip. It was because of their open mouth.

Their heinous outcry led to the mass termination of teachers, professors, nurses, pilots, and even a random national news reporter. Hundreds of thousands were angry with Charlie Kirk’s comments. They hated his ideology. And they mocked his passions, religion and friends. (Yes, President Trump, we’re looking at you.)

Yet, the Texas Education Agency is investigating 373,000 teachers’ social media handles. Why? While all of them are welcome to have opinions, none of them should voice them about that because students may be watching.

In correspondence with public school superintendents, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said the Texas Education Agency is investigating employees who posted or shared “reprehensible or inappropriate” content in the wake of Kirk’s death.

“While the exercise of free speech is a fundamental right we are all blessed to share, it does not give carte blanche authority to celebrate or sow violence against those that share differing beliefs and perspectives,” Morath said.

Are they wrong for doing this? If you look at it from a constitutional conundrum, that might be the case. But the state has children to protect, and name one child who wants to read their kindergarten teacher celebrating Charlie Kirk’s murder on television. It’s not about being anti-American; it’s about being a decent one.

How is This Mess Close to Home?

An empty lectern in a church's pulpit

This is a place of passionate Word, not of personal words (Image Credit: Freepik)

This is a pulpit of some church. All Christians have seen one. Many have spoken from one. But do we all know what should be spoken from one?

Stories about the power of God and the life of Christ. Anecdotes that connect to the life-changing sermons from Jesus and letters from His disciples. Messages that challenge every single person who hears them in-person or streams them online. The pulpit is sacred for God’s Word, not ours.

Use storytelling to connect with people. Leverage ideas to charge people. Share the Gospel to change people. Whereas anyone who stands behind one of these should understand why they were built in the first place.

The time spent in the pulpit is about Jesus, not you.

Pastors, spend time talking about Charlie Kirk’s murder and pray for his family and everyone affected by his death. Connect a story about having a vision at 18 and then following through with it until your 30s. But let’s not waste the Word by mincing your words about politics or ideologies that not everyone in your church believes.

Opinions vary, and depending on which church you attend, you’ll discover how much. Yet, unless those opinions align with the truths and precepts of God’s Word, no one needs to discover them at all from the pulpit.

Go to Denny’s and talk about it. Call up friends and chat it up. However, the pulpit is not the place for that conversation.

Charlie Kirk: like him or not. Admire him or not. Agree with him or not. It’s really up to you, but telling others about it? Speak that truth, but read the room, or maybe you should lose your job, too.

General Christian

About Shawn Paul Wood

Charlie Kirk did more in his life by age 21 than what most ever do in their entire lives. And he was killed for it. So, instead mourning or, at least, regretting that loss, some Americans are saying what's on their mind. It's crass and almost inhuman. So they were fired for that, and more is coming. You can read more about the author here.

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