This past week’s memorial service for the murdered conservative provocateur Charlie Kirk marked a defining moment in American history and the ongoing decline of the nation’s professing Christians. Rarely do we see a clearer example of Christian Nationalism than what unfolded over those few hours in Glendale, Arizona, this Sunday. Christian Nationalism comes in a variety of forms, but it ultimately boils down to the name of God and the person of Christ being used to leverage political power and influence. The unique memorial service watched by tens of thousands in person and millions on television serves as a stark example of this misguided ideology—one that many sincere Christians would do well to recognize and protect their hearts and homes against.
The opening statements and speakers at the memorial service emphasized and supported Charlie Kirk’s faith. These speakers and their messages closely resembled what you might hear at the funeral for any Christian leader or minister. Songs of worship were paired with reminders of the gospel, the call to salvation, and God’s purposes.
Kirk’s pastor spoke about his friendship with him. Another friend discussed Kirk’s dedication to God. Several speakers highlighted Charlie’s faith, belief in the Bible, and devotion to Jesus Christ. It was a very respectful and heartfelt memorial to the life of a Christian believer who was murdered.
However, things then took a decided turn as various Christian podcasters, social media influencers, and politicians took the stage. Buoyed by the celebration of Charlie Kirk’s Christian faith, these speakers lauded his Christian nationalism, portraying him as a martyr not of Christ but of America and freedom. In a subtle transition at first, the message shifted from being about Christ, God, or the Bible to focusing on politics, power, and freedom.
Benny Johnson, a political podcaster, took to the stage and declared, “FIGHT FOR CHARLIE KIRK! Who feels the Holy Spirit in the house tonight?” He then thanked President Trump and his administration for being at the memorial service, “And carrying out that godly mission of wielding the sword against evil.”
Was the murder of Charlie Kirk evil? Absolutely. Are many of the agendas, ideologies, and policies that Charlie Kirk opposed evil? I believe so. But it is how people respond to the evil in this fallen world that truly distinguishes genuine Christian faith from the Christian Nationalism that began to take over the memorial service with Johnson’s speech.
Surely no one can be more definitively identified as a true martyr for the Christian faith than Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Yet, when Jesus was confronted by the evil messengers of death that led Him to the crucifixion, He did not call for His followers to take up the sword, as Benny Johnson and other Christian Nationalists often do. In fact, He did the opposite. He called for them to put down the sword.
Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear. “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” Matthew 26:50-54 (NLT)
Amid the manufactured sounds of an angelic choir that only a mega-church environment would so brazenly use as background for speaker introductions, one speaker after another took the stage to emphasize themes of Christian Nationalism.
The political activist Jack Posobiec described Kirk as his commanding officer in God’s army, comparing him to a modern-day Moses. He added, “The question of our time is will Western Civilization endure?” He continued, explaining that a century from now, when it is written about “The two or three pivotal moments that led to the saving of Western Civilization, they will write that the sacrifice of Charles James Kirk was the turning point!” Because of Charlie Kirk’s sacrifice, history would change, evil would be conquered, and “Turning Point USA will last forever.”
Again, the focus was no longer on Christ or the church here, themes that might have made sense from a Christian perspective within the context of such words. By this point, the focus had shifted from a memorial service to a political organization and the use of political power that would be secured, “Forever!”
In a brief lapse of any pretense to Christian devotion, Donald Trump Jr. took to the stage. At one point, he joked about his lack of knowledge of the Bible, noting that comparing his knowledge of the Bible to Charlie Kirk’s would be like comparing Donald Trump’s understanding of being president to Hillary Clinton or Kamala Harris.
Trump Jr.’s speech focused more on highlighting the enemies of the right—the mainstream media and left-wing activists. Yet even here, he stuck to the coded messaging when challenging the followers, (as this was no longer a memorial service for mourners but a political rally of devoted followers) “If you believe in God, and family, and country – You are one of us! If you reject the propaganda of the fake news media, welcome!”
Nearing the end of his speech, he said, “Charlie loved this country, its people, and the work of persuading others to believe in something greater than themselves.” That “something greater” was left unnamed here because, in the religion of Christian Nationalism, that “something” would be the headline speaker at the end of the day.
Vice President JD Vance soon followed, urging that evil must be defeated but not with “a fake kumbaya moment.” It must be addressed head-on and honestly as the sickness that it is. How disappointed Mr. Vance would have been if he knew how Christ changed the world with his message of “blessed are the peacemakers” and turning the other cheek, and then even dared to die on a cross for the world rather than administering a slaughter to his enemies.
Even if we ignore the harmful nature of the Vice President’s words as a Christian message, their divisive, polarizing, and inflammatory character as a political leader could be seen as inappropriate in its own right. Such impropriety was particularly evident as they were leveraged on the death of a young husband and father.
It was that young husband and father we remembered when his widow, Erika Kirk, stepped onto the stage. For a brief moment, Mrs. Kirk gently and gracefully took control of the day’s proceedings. Instead of turning the event into a hard-edged political rally, she reminded the audience of the God she and her husband followed. She mentioned that her husband, Charlie, died trying to save young men like the one who killed him. Then, boldly and remarkably, referring to her husband’s murderer, she said, “I forgive him because it is what Christ did. The answer to hate is not hate.”
If the memorial had ended here on that day, it would have been a meaningful moment. Instead of a celebration of Christian Nationalism, it would have served as a reminder of the gospel—God’s grace expressed through forgiveness, peace, and a sacrificial devotion to Christ’s principles beyond personal passions.
But the terrible doctrine of Christian Nationalism never ends there. It always concludes with a celebration of power and an insatiable hunger for more. And it was at this point that President Donald Trump took to the stage with his finale, solidifying the event as a model for Christian Nationalism.
In a rambling speech, as he’s known to do, the President energized the crowd for nearly 45 minutes. He referenced, “The left, the radical left. I sometimes call it the radical left lunatics.” He noted that Charlie Kirk, the man he was supposed to be honoring, “Didn’t say that. He just called them the left. He was probably right, but I can’t help it.”
The President’s tone and demeanor shifted at this moment. Part comedian in chief, part petulant child who can’t resist spoiling an event. He mentioned he disagreed with Charlie Kirk, saying, “I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them.” Then he added, “I’m sorry. I am sorry Erika.” At this, the audience laughed, but the President did not recant his professed hatred.
Highlighting the divide between earlier messages of Christian faith and principles and the Christian Nationalism personified by the president, he noted, “Our greatest evangelist for American liberty became immortal. He’s a martyr now for American freedom.” This was not about God. It was not about Christ. It wasn’t even about Charlie Kirk any longer. It was about America.
Christian Nationalism always ends here. It marks the departure from the gospel of peace in Christ Jesus to a gospel of power and nationalism. It promotes strength over weakness, hate over forgiveness, and worldly power over trusting in God. While provocateurs, grandstanders, and charlatans may use God’s name and words for their own benefit, they oppose the true gospel of Christ.
This is the great danger of our generation. Wokeness is often anti-God, and it will consume itself, but it is not the true danger. The real threat is that Christians who indulge in this power and spectacle have lost sight of the Truth. They forget that Jesus did not call us to dominate the world but to take up the cross and follow Him through sacrifice, mercy, and forgiveness. Jesus never told His followers to be the power brokers of the earth. He called us to be the light and salt of the world (Matthew 5:13).
Since the memorial, I have seen my social media feeds flood with discussions of revival and America turning back to God. The lack of discernment is both disappointing and concerning. A darkness is growing among us. That darkness isn’t tied to Republican or Democrat, left or right. It’s an anti-Christ doctrine that replaces truth with lies and deception.
‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’” Matthew 15:8-9 (NLT)
