On September 10, 2025, an act of violence pierced the heart of our public life. Charlie Kirk — founder of Turning Point USA, speaker, leader of many, husband, father, was shot during a campus event at Utah Valley University and later confirmed killed.

For many, this is more than news. It’s a deep wound. For Christian men, it’s a spiritual test: How do we go forward when evil strikes such a blow in a person we might admire, who stood for convictions, who influenced many? How do we carry on, anchored in Christ, amid mourning, anger, confusion?

Acknowledge the Gravity of Evil

This was not a small hurt. It was intentional, public, violent. It feels chaotic and very unfair. Christian faith does not require us to gloss over evil, or pretend it’s a chance accident that has no significance. Evil is real. Sorrow is legitimate. Anger, bewilderment, grief, these emotions have a place.

Scripture shows us the depth of evil but does not leave us there. Habakkuk cries out. David laments. Jesus Himself responds with tears and righteous anger. We have models of men of faith exposed to evil, grappling, crying, seeking justice.

Hold Fast to the Nature of God

When evil strikes, the foundations seem to break, but God remains unshakeable.

• God’s character is holy. He is just. Evil will be judged, even if in human time the justice seems delayed. “The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.” (Psalm 145:17)
• God is near. In Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” He doesn’t ask us to walk alone through grief.
• God holds suffering in His sovereign hands. Not that He wills every evil, but He is able to work through brokenness, through tragedy, even when we cannot see how. (Romans 8:28)

Grief, Anger, and Questions Are Part of the Path

In the wake of Kirk’s death, many will ask: Why? Why now? What kind of influence will his absence leave? Was there something more we could have done?

We must allow such questions. We must allow grief. It is not unmanly. To do so is to honor what has been lost. Tears are not shame, they are part of a soul that loves. Anger, when rooted in justice, can be an appropriate response. Even the saints in Scripture expressed anger at injustice.

Seek Righteous Responses, Not Revenge

Christian men are often taught to protect, to fight, to avenge. But the Christian way is different.

• We pursue justice, asking that evil be exposed, that wrongdoing be held accountable. This is good. It is consistent with Scripture.
• But we do not allow bitterness to become a chain. We resist retribution instincts that cross into hatred.
• We love our enemies, hard as it is, by entrusting final justice to God. Romans 12:19: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.”

Lean Into Brotherhood and the Body of Christ

This is not a journey for one man alone.

• Share the weight. Find brothers in faith who will acknowledge your sorrow, who will pray with you, who will weep with you.
• Gather when possible. Mourn publicly. Pray in community. Let the church be a place where both lament and hope are spoken out loud.
• Let your leadership (if you are in leadership) model vulnerability. Let younger disciples see that real faith means walking through the valley of the shadow, not pretending it doesn’t exist.

Anchor in the Cross and Resurrection

This is our hope when a life is cut short, when evil seems to triumph: Christ died. Christ rose. Death did not win. Evil, though it wounds deeply, is defeated in the long sweep of God’s story.

• The cross shows that God Himself took on evil, injustice, pain, suffering. He understands.
• The resurrection promises that no death is ultimate. There is coming a day when every tear is wiped away. Revelation 21:4: “God will wipe away every tear, and death shall be no more…”

Charlies’ legacy, his influence, his convictions, these are not erased by death. We carry them forward, shaped by his example, sharpened in our own resolve, encouraged to love more deeply, speak truth more boldly, live with eternity in view.

For the Man Wrestling With This Blow

• Pray. Even if all you can do is say, “God, I hurt. I don’t understand. Help me trust you anyway.”
• Read Scripture. Psalms of lament (e.g. Psalm 13, 22, 88), promises of God’s faithfulness (e.g. Habakkuk 3:17-19; Romans 8).
• Remember the life, not only the death. What did Kirk stand for that you believed in? What lessons from his life can you carry? What encouragement from his convictions can stir you on?
• Live forward with purpose. Let this tragedy awaken you to what matters. Faith, witness, love, courage, speaking truth even when it costs.

A Closing Word for Brothers

Brothers, this is a moment that shakes us. Evil has struck us in a place many of us didn’t expect. But our faith is not fragile. We are men who believe in a risen Christ. We believe in eternal life, in justice, in a God who holds even this in His hand.

We move forward not by ignoring the pain, but by walking through it in His strength. We move forward not by shrinking the mission, but by letting the loss fuel our commitment to Christ’s kingdom. We move forward with tears, yes, but with hope. Because the stone has been rolled away. Because light shines in the darkness. Because death is not the last page.

May God grant peace to Charlie Kirk’s family, comfort to all who mourn, wisdom to all who lead, and faith to every man who feels overwhelmed by this terrible blow.

Rest easy in the arms of your Savior, Good and Faithful Servant.