Carrying Forward Charlie Kirk’s Legacy of Faith and Dialogue

On September 10th, at Utah Valley University, TPUSA Founder and CEO Charlie Kirk was publicly assassinated. He wasn’t shot and killed for doing anything illegal. He wasn’t killed for doing something harmful or inciting violence. He was shot and killed because he simply wanted to have a conversation with America. Some reactions have been shocking to disturbing, but here in Montana we are united.

Montana memorial ceremonies for Charlie Kirk have taken place across the state and have been well attended. There have been moving memorials at the Montana Capitol, horse carriages, biker rides, church memorials, and gatherings on several campuses across Big Sky Country.

From Charlie’s first public speech in Montana at the legendary Sykes Diner in Kalispell in 2014 to last year’s University of Montana event, to the planned upcoming October 7th event at MSU, Charlie invested time, talent, and treasure into Montana.

America will honor Charlie Kirk on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, which holds over 60,000 people. President Trump, Erika Kirk, JD Vance, and Tucker Carlson will lead the memorial event with a national audience.

Something special happened in Missoula, Montana, as well. We welcomed Charlie Kirk to the University of Montana campus last September as he engaged students and veterans on campus. He then led a Q&A forum with Senator Tim Sheehy on campus. These events were well attended.

Almost exactly one year later from his Griz Nation appearance, we held a memorial ceremony for Charlie Kirk at the Oval. Several hundred Missoulians gathered at the University of Montana to pray and remember. Many students shared testimonies of faith.

We correctly memorialized the life of Charlie Kirk. The University of Montana chapter of TPUSA organized this vigil, and the Montana Veterans Association, in partnership with the Montana Conservative Liberty Alliance, spread the word. Despite the last-minute preparations, we had over 500 people in attendance.

When Charlie first founded Turning Point, his sole intention was to build up conservatism and Christianity on campuses—not by finding a couple of Republican students to start a club, but by going to campuses and having open dialogue. “When you stop talking is when the violence starts” was always one of Charlie’s main points. The moment we stop having open dialogue or political discourse is when violence and hate start to grow. In simple terms, we lose our humanity when we stop talking to one another.

Charlie was brave, courageous, smart, kind, and loving. He was a son, father, and brother in Christ. He shared our American values and made a positive difference. These traits are what made him such a driving force in the conservative movement on both campaigns and campuses. He was a giant. Seeds become giants. The future is bright. We believe there are 10,000 Charlies coming. Charlie was passionate about his faith in Christ; he was passionate about civic engagement.

He engaged and brought people to the table to have tough conversations, and his life impacted millions of Americans. His life was rooted in faith, not in fear. We will carry the torch of freedom forward. His legacy is faith, family, and freedom, and we ask that each of you pick up the torch now. We can have open dialogue with people who disagree, walk confidently in our faith, support true conservative candidates, knock on doors, and engage in civics. We have the opportunity now to continue this great legacy.

Lastly, Charlie’s legacy was more than just being a conservative activist; it was about being a son, husband, father, and follower of Christ. He lived confidently in his faith and wanted to share that with the world, even if it meant laying down his life.

“We must defend the Christian heritage and institutions that gave birth to America. Christianity is the key, irreplaceable element. If we lose it, it’s not so much that America will fall, it’s that America will become evil.” – Charlie Kirk

Readers are invited to join a Memorial Service for Charlie Kirk this Friday evening, September 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Crosspoint Church in Missoula. The service will be a time of worship, prayer, and remembrance to honor Kirk’s life, legacy, and unwavering faith in Jesus. More details are available at this Facebook event.