The Legacy of Charlie Kirk: A Life Cut Short, A Movement Ignited

September 11, 2025 marks not only the anniversary of 9/11 but now the day after Charlie Kirk's assassination—a profound loss that has shaken the conservative movement and faith communities across America. Charlie, martyred at just 31 years old while speaking to students in Utah, lived a life of extraordinary impact that far exceeded what most accomplish in decades of public service.

The shocking news reached us during a pastor's briefing in Washington DC, transforming what should have been a routine gathering into a somber prayer vigil as we awaited updates on Charlie's condition. What makes this tragedy particularly striking is the remarkable spiritual journey Charlie had traveled in recent years. Already wildly successful with Turning Point USA, Charlie demonstrated uncommon humility by seeking out pastoral mentorship that transformed his approach to public engagement. While he always possessed the courage and intellectual prowess to engage in reasoned debate, his growing willingness to center his message on Christ reflected a spiritual maturity that continually evolved.

Charlie's practical impact on American politics cannot be overstated. His grassroots ballot initiative work across ten states proved decisive in securing Donald Trump's electoral victory—work that political parties traditionally handled but had largely abandoned. Beyond politics, Charlie's murder reveals a disturbing consequence of rhetoric that frames words as "violence," creating justification for actual violence against effective communicators. Yet even in death, Charlie's influence grows. Social media has erupted with unprecedented discussions of faith, prayer, and Jesus—precisely what would have mattered most to him.

As we process this loss while remembering 9/11, we recognize both events as products of dangerous ideologies willing to employ violence against those with differing viewpoints. The most fitting tribute to Charlie's legacy is continuing his work with even greater determination—standing boldly for truth, mentoring the next generation, and courageously speaking about faith in the public square. Like biblical Samson, Charlie's greatest impact may come through his death, igniting a movement of believers willing to stand with similar conviction.

Chapters

• 0:00 Breaking News: Charlie Kirk Martyred
• 6:30 The Impact of a 31-Year Life
• 10:14 Faith Journey and Spiritual Growth
• 16:36 Political Impact and Ballot Initiative
• 18:17 Words as Violence: The Dangerous Narrative
• 21:56 9/11 Reflections and Ideological Warfare

Transcript

Rick Green [00:00:07] It is September 11th, 2025 here on The WallBuilder Show. Tough show to do today, guys. This is not only the anniversary, of course, of 9-11, but good friend to all three of us, Charlie Kirk, a martyred, yesterday. I don't even know what the right word is. Murdered, assassinated. I think martyred is the correct word. And so a lot to discuss. It's early in the morning on 9/11, as far as we know at this point. The shooter has not been, the murderer has not been apprehended. Maybe by the time this program airs, that will have happened. But guys, an incredible life in 31 years. Charlie had more of an impact than the next thousand guys in 80 years of each life. And so we're thankful to have served with him. He died doing what he loves and standing up for the truths of Christ. And the fact that he was sharing the gospel, right there in front of all those students in Utah, just like he does every time. And put in his life at risk knowing that his security team, even right there around him, can only do so much. He knew about all the death threats and yet he was always willing to be courageous in his faith and that's what he wanted to be remembered for. 

Tim Barton [00:01:17] Yeah, it's something that, you know, as we've navigated this, when we found out about it yesterday, we actually, my dad and I were up in Washington, D.C., we were in the middle of a pastor's briefing. We were inviting the next speaker up, Congressman Eric Berluson from Missouri. And as he was coming up, he said, guys, I just got word that Charlie Kirk was just shot. And in the room of pastors, there were several pastors connected to Turning Point Faith, which of course, all of us have, have done stuff with turning point faith, but Charlie Kirk and, and things outside of that we've, we've known Charlie for a lot of years, but, it, it was a really somber time there for the pastor's briefing, the next several congressmen, we had some, um that couldn't come because some committees, but some that were having to navigate conversations and on the phone with, you know, whoever knows, what kind of intelligence or FBI or whoever it was, but they were, they were helping navigating conversations with the situation. Congressman Michael cloud from Texas came and, at that point he's a man, you know, I had stuff prepared to say but at that, at point we didn't know yet if Charlie was alive or not. There were reports that he had been taken to the hospital. He's still at a pulse, he was critical. They were trying to stabilize them. And, and so we started just a little prayer visual there with a group of pastors. We cried, we prayed, we trusted God. And one of the interesting things, guys, about this, I was texting some friends last night when we got back late from the airport. I turned my phone back on and looking all over social media. Of course, all of us have been getting lots of messages from friends. We've reached out to other friends of Charlie, people who are very close to him. But one of the things I was texting with some friends, is one of the incredible things about this. In the midst of all of the conversations that will come about part of Charlie's legacy, about part his impact, which is incredible, and we definitely will spend some time talking today about that. But one of their remarkable things is on social media, in the midst some people on social media being very hateful, a lot of vitriol coming from them, in spite of that, I had never seen more people posting pray for someone, first of all, and then after he died, or it was at least reported, and then people found out that he had died, I've never seen more people talking about Jesus. And the fact that there were so many people on social media talking about prayer, so many now that are talking about about Jesus, this would have been the thing that Charlie would have like, man, this is what it's all about. We want people to know Jesus, to talk about Jesus and it that one of the thoughts I had regarding this, this is not a parallel, cause I'm gonna say a name from the Bible. And I'm not saying that Charlie is like this guy and there's a lot of examples we could use, but like Samson, Charlie was not a Samson. Samson was someone who fought for the people of God. Didn't really follow the ways of God very well. Charlie followed the ways of God, very well and fought for people of God. But what's interesting, I thought about Samson at the very end, once he's had his eyes gouged out, He's had his hair shaved, but then his hair grows back. And there's a big party to Philistine are throwing. He says, hey, come put my hands on the pillars. And when he pushes him down, the temple falls where they were they're having this drunken, you know, debauchery session. And it says that Samson killed more in his death than he killed in his life. And I thought, man, I don't know what all the legacy of Charlie's gonna be, but I know he's woken so many people up through the many years of him doing what he did. And I honestly think that watching what happened, when you have a guy who has been... Peaceful his entire time. All he's ever done is had honest conversations and he's even had grace-filled conversations where he's tried to connect with people and find humanity with people. And all he's every done is try to navigate with conversation, show people the flaw in their logic, the error of some of their arguments, but with his assassination, with his murder. 

Rick Green [00:05:39] In a loving way too write like every time you watch those videos is showing the love of Christ with reason and  yeah loving the very people that are hating on him and trying to help them see you know through logic Sorry, bro. I didn't mean to interrupt you. Go ahead 

Tim Barton [00:05:55] No, but I totally agree. But I do think that one of the things that it's yet to be determined, but I really do think we'll probably see is that with Charlie's murder, it's maybe gonna be like Samson with the Philistines that his death is gonna have a greater impact even than what he did in his life. And that's saying a lot because he did a lot in his life, although if you look at Samson, he killed a lot of Philistine's in his life, but his death was even more impactful. And I really think, you know, knowin what we know from scripture, Romans 8:28, that God causes all things to work together for good for those that know him and are called according to His purpose. We know that God can take what looks like a really tragic, awful, evil scenario, and somehow God uses it for good. And we've already seen a little bit of that, I think, again, on social media with so many people talking about God, about faith, about Jesus. But I do think that because of His death, it's going to embolden so many to stand up that there are going to be so many people working to replace and fill the gap and the void, make no mistake, this was an incredible man used by God in huge ways. And there is a big gap in the wall now of the people that were advancing making a difference. But I do think that in his death, it's going to stir a lot of people to very positive action that they will more boldly and courageously stand up and speak for truth that they're not gonna have cowardice. And hopefully, Reflecting in the way that Charlie would have done it, which is a very Christ-like way You know Rick is as we're both trying to point out that he it was always evident He cared about the person when people got ridiculous He could point out how ridiculous they were being, but he always had a heart for people, which is why he wanted to always go on campuses. He wanted to go to where they were. He would always engage them because he cared about people. But I do think now a lot of people are going to find new courage and boldness to stand up and speak the truth in love to help reach a rising generation. And I do that that this is we know evil won't triumph. But I think this is one of those times when I think the devil's overplayed his hand and what he meant for evil, God is gonna use. 

David Barton [00:08:05] For good. You know, one of the things that stands out to me about knowing Charlie over the years is where he finished is nowhere close to where he began. And he really began well. He really began very successful, turning point what was happening in colleges and campuses and how he was connecting with younger generations, etc. But he came to a point where that faith wasn't what drove his It was it was part of his life, but it wasn't what drove it and he got into really kind of a relationship with the pastor that started discipling him and already successful. He listened and he responded and he grew. And now then he starts Turning Point Faith and he starts saying, Hey, we got to get faith guys and pastors and others. And, and you just watch over the last several years, the rate at which he grew spiritually and the maturity that he attained spiritually and, and the fact that he was willing to have. Pastors close pastors mentor him and help guide and direct. It's a real testament to who he was character wise 

Tim Barton [00:09:12] And, dad, to your point I would say you know the level of growth spiritually is maybe a relative conversation but the way he revealed that the way He was more bold in faith because for a long time He wanted to have the Socratic debate He wanted to Have logic and reason guide Him and then to your point when we know the pastors we're friends with them that one specifically more than others but we we know pastors that poured into him and and they pointed out Charlie. Right, you can't out logic and out reason people in a sinful, fallen, broken state, they need God. Now they need logic and reason, but they need god. And he's like, man, you're right. I gotta start communicating that. So it wasn't just that, you know, maybe he hadn't believed that before. It's that he hadn't embraced that strategy and it was pastors who helped him understand that strategy, because he was someone who knew and loved God. He just wasn't as outwardly visible. But, dad, to your point, He's definitely someone that grew in faith a lot along the way. 

David Barton [00:10:12] Yeah. He grew in faith a lot and he was that says something about his humility too. He would listen to the pastors and those who would help guide him. And I watched him grow just remarkably. And that's really not something you often see with somebody who's successful that they're willing to listen and humble themselves and say, hey, great stuff, I'll do that, I'll change. And it's not that he had, as you point out to him, it's not that it was not a God guy. But he listened to wise counsel, and he got some really great spiritual counselors, and he always had the courage and the boldness and the heart to want to talk to people, engage with people, and use logic. But man, it became so much more evident that God was the center of his conversations and heart. And I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that you would not have Trump in office had it not been for what Charlie did with chasing ballots. This is what parties used to do. And there was no Republican party this cycle to any degree. Charlie did what used to be that parties used did. And I don't mean that he became the Republican party, not saying that, but the Republican party, he filled the gap. They were, they were not doing the grassroots work. They weren't chasing the ballots. They weren't working on turnout. They weren't doing the stuff that parties typically do. And had it not been for Charlie taking on I think it was 10 states that he ended up focusing on and was it like 54 million ballots that he chased something, something just ridiculous like that. And they really had a great program and you wouldn't, I think without Charlie doing what he did, you don't even have the president and we've been having how many good news Fridays over the last several months. It's just loaded up with what this administration is doing. And you know, we've been talking about how often we've been to the White House and seeing new things and you know, we talked even even just earlier in the week about how Trump was laying out all this prayer thing, like 90 weeks of prayer, you know, over the next 90 weeks that doesn't happen without Charlie chasing ballots like he did to help get him elected. So I think Charlie, man, that's it. That's right. That's part of his legacy. No question. 

Rick Green [00:12:25] I, and I got to say guys, I mean, what you just said about the humility factor. I didn't think what happened. I mean let's be honest, 27, 28 years old. And he was already a major national name with a massive organization, tons of people, you know, respecting him, singing his praises, you know, and then four years later, he's 31. He's got incredible influence with the White House. He's known as one of the top guys. How many guys at that age could get that kind of success, that kind organization and stay humble and David, you meant or Tim, you mentioned it. You know, the pastors that we know, several of them that he listened to that they were able to pour into his life. And I was talking to tonight or last night on, uh, on one of our live shows about the fact that, you know, he even said one time just, just about a year and a half ago, he was down at Fredericksburg where, where the Patriot Academy campuses, we were doing an event together and I was interviewing him in front of this big crowd. But before that we were doing a little private reception with just a bunch of young kids, just some high school kids that came and he was willing to take time early on and visit with these kids. And one of them asked him, what do you, you know, how, how do you deal with the opposition and all the people that hate you or that, that, that try to tell you how to do things or that you're wrong. And he said, you know what? I don't, I don't usually pay attention to it unless it's somebody I respect. And he looked over and he said if Rick Green or David Barton or Rob McCoy calls me and says, you don't Charlie, you shouldn't have done it that way or you should do it differently then I'm going to listen and I'm gonna take that seriously. And of course, you know, I mean, um, he did, I mean, you could, you can talk to him about those things and he would genuinely listen. And I, and I think God rewarded that. I think that's part of why his platform continued to grow is because he was, he was teachable. So, you Know, everybody, normally somebody that dies young like this air, everybody's singing their praises. Nobody says anything bad about them or anything that they, this is not some cliche thing to our listeners. They need to know we're, we're telling exactly what our experiences have been with Charlie. And I know everybody's already saying it, but I mean, this is, this is a situation where his death is not the end of his impact at all. And not only the kids out of turning point, I know the Patriot Academy students, the leaders Academy students, um, the, the wall builders, you know, a summer Institute students, they are all, I believe going to take a more serious approach now to what God's going to do in their lives as a result of how Charlie poured into them, how we poured into them. I just think it's exactly what it will ignite a passion and a fire in that generation. We're gonna have a bunch of Elishas that are now gonna have the mantle put on them. And guys, I'm telling you, man, Tim, David, all the guys in our circle that are our ages, and I know we're all three of them kind of staggered in our ages. Our job now is to nurture and equip and advise those young people that that mantle's going to. I really believe that. 

David Barton [00:15:17] Well, and I think Rick, even what you said, you know, you go back to Jesus and talking to disciples and talking about what was going to happen. He said, look, unless a kernel fall on the ground and die, it doesn't bring forth all the extra fruit. And so you can, you can plant one seed, but what you're going to get one seed of corn, you get a sock of corn with four or five ears on it. And each one's going to have hundreds and hundreds of kernels. So one falls on the. Ground and you come back, you, know, three, four or 500 more than what you started with. Not, I think that's what we'll probably see from Charlie is a lot of this stuff that he planned and a lot is that he had going. Um, I, you're right. There's going to be a lot people who step up now and we'll just, I don't think they're going to try to copy him, but I think the boldness is risen now is you're going, I kill, you going to kill people who you disagree with, he gave an example of talking with them and, and it's, it's quite amazing to see that the kind of level of rhetoric. And I think that this is a shift in the nation that there's a lot of people that will not put up with this. And I was just thinking back yesterday, I mean, you start looking at the shootings that have happened politically. So let's go after the Republican baseball team. Let's shoot them up really good. And Hey, why don't we assassinate Trump twice or try to twice. And you look at who's doing the violence, who's doing the shooting here. And it's like the, the, this other side, this secular side. And you know, I was thinking if this had been one of our guys that had done something like this to somebody on the left, they'd be crying for gun control like crazy. But that doesn't work unless you've got heart control. It's not the gun that kills people, it's the heart that kills. And on the secular left, they have been making themselves God for so long, there's nobody they're accountable to except themselves. If you don't have something that's higher accountability, a fear of God, your behavior is just not gonna show. I think that's the other thing we're seeing now. Is the culture has to change from what it is right now. And that secular left is just, I don't think they're gonna have the same favorite that they've had for the last several decades. 

Tim Barton [00:17:23] Well, you know, dad, to that point, MSNBC announced they fired one of their commentators yesterday, Matthew Dowd for what they called unacceptable comments about Charlie Kirk, because while Charlie had been shot, it was not yet released that he had passed away that that I don't think that had happened yet, but he talked about how really Charlie Kirk brought this on himself because he used all these hateful words and when you use hateful words, he said that gets in people's heads and they have to do something with it. And we're using hateful words. It makes them want to lash out at you for being so hateful. And so you kind of brought it on yourself. And wow, what we have seen from, from so much of the modern left movement. When, when speech has become actions, right? That they say, Hey, you know, this hate speech, it's so awful. We have to stop the hate speech. When, When words become violence and what the left is telling us, then The logical thought is you can use violence against words because if words are violence, I can use violent against words and that's exactly what we saw with Charlie Kirk is, yeah. Right, people thought, oh my gosh, I gotta take this guy out and there's been a lot of really great tributes and I know we need to take a break. There's been lot of great tribute but one of the things that I thought was so, so great that was said, I saw the video yesterday was the reason that Charlie Kirk was murdered, it's not because he was hateful. It's because he wasn't spiteful. Wasn't because he's racist. It's that cause he's a fascist. You know, all these things people want to say it's because he was effective that they would have targeted somebody who wasn't effective, but because he, he was so effective with his words and, and people couldn't beat him in an intellectual back and forth. This was the only way they could stop them. And it's, because his words were too powerful. That's ultimately where it came to and I'm saying that dad an affirmation of you know As we're we're seeing some what's happened on the left This is where we have to start being more vocal and and not letting them frame so much the argument saying Oh my gosh, your words are hateful and your words or violence. No, that that is not correct. It's not true you can't get away with it because this is what is if you've told someone Now for years that somebody on the other side of the aisle if they're a fascist if they were Hitler if they are the Nazis And you learn about the Nazis, you learn about Hitler, and you're like, man, these people, Hitler was evil. Well, if Hitler is evil and Hitler's going to be responsible for the death of lots of people, then logically, the most moral thing you could do is oppose and go after Hitler and the fact that the left has been framing that now for years, maybe decades against people on the right. They are positioning people to think, well, the only moral thing to do is go against these people and maybe even at times with violence That's the way this has been framed and we have to start calling this out far more when we see it Hopefully God willing to prevent some of this stuff in the future 

Rick Green [00:20:23] Yeah, and absolutely praying for supernatural protection. You know, you guys have, of course, a wall builders had hate and death threats in the past with this the first time for Patriot Academy. And we've got people saying, burn it down and just all kinds of things. And so there is a new level of exactly what you're saying, Tim. So we need both the spiritual and then the practical physical, making sure people are being wise and and, you know, learning to defend themselves, all those things. But but anyway, let's let's take a quick break, guys. Just got a few minutes left, but we gotta take a break first. Stay with us, folks. We'll be right back. You're listening to The WallBuilders  Show. 

Rick Green [00:22:00] Welcome back to the WallBuilders show. Of course, today remembering Charlie Kirk. Also, of course, it's 9-11 and remembering 9-11 and guys, just on a quick sidetrack, Israel had attacked those Hamas leaders. We hadn't had a chance to talk about that. It happened in Qatar, Qatar, however you say it. And all I could think about was, 25 years ago on nine, let's see, it was September 21st of 2001, Bush saying you're either with the terrorist or you're with us and certainly if that was good enough for us that's good enough or Israel. I think so. Anyways, because it's 9-eleven I thought you guys might want to spend our final few minutes maybe a couple comments about 9-11 or even Israel's response to Hamas and Qatar 

David Barton [00:22:45] Well, you know, 9/11 and, and Charlie Kirk have a lot in common. And it is that they are the victims of ideology and ideology is what drove the people that attacked America on nine 11. Um, they all fit the same profile belief of, you know, what they believe that's what drove them to do what they did. And the same thing with those that are going after the Charlie Kirk's or anybody else, you're talking about really, this is a war of the idea is philosophical and they're willing to go to war. Over that and that's not a good thing for sure. 

Tim Barton [00:23:19] Well and dad along those lines one of the things so Charlie Kirk actually this year got and really it's been the last couple of months. I think I don't remember earlier in the year But I do remember the last of months that he was posting things on social media Calling out islam specifically identifying that islam is not compatible with western values with western civilization Islam has a conquest mentality a conquest ideology Um, they want to conquer the West. They don't want to join the West until he started identifying some of, of what actually is there inside of the, that what we really have seen in Europe, that the conquest of Europe, the changing of things in Europe. And he said, man, we got to make sure it doesn't happen to America and not to overlap this too much, but it is interesting. There is some very specific and direct connections. Um, I don't think what happened to Charlie. It was. Connected to any of his comments on Islam or saying it's not compatible with the West, but it is interesting as we're celebrating the life of Charlie Trying to honor him to some extent and then remembering and honoring those that have Been involved with 9-eleven whether it was people that lost their lives or family members or I mean for us I have siblings in the military and the reason my my older brothers in the Military was because of 9-11 He joined right after 9-Eleven So there's a lot of connections here. And then to see that this was something that Charlie recognized, that there's an ideological conflict that's going on. And if America is going to survive as a nation that recognizes our rights come from God, government exists to protect those rights, that, that foundational Judeo-Christian idea, it's not compatible with Islam. And certainly even as we remember the anniversary of 9-11, we can see part of what Islam produced. Islam wasn't a religion of peace, it was a religion of conquest and certainly that's part of what happened on 9-11. 

Rick Green [00:25:19] I knew Charlie fairly well. We did, we did a lot of things together with biblical citizenship and turning point and Patriot Academy, turning point faith, as you guys did. And I, I think you guys would back me up on this. If he were a guest today on the program and one of our other friends had been the one to be assassinated, he would stand with us and saying everybody out there that that's morning there, there is definitely a time to mourn and, and grieve. And then I think I'm grieving maybe for the first time in my life. I've never felt anything quite like this, but he would also say that the best way to honor someone like him is to continue the work, to make sure that what he invested, literally gave his life, his fortune, his sacred honor, he gave it all for the Lord, for Christ. I mean, he said that's how he wanted to be remembered, was his courage for Christ, absolutely that's the way he should be remembered. And he also did it for our country and for the patriotism that we all love and restoring that. He was literally on the Comeback America tour, our American comeback tour. So. Yeah, everybody out there be praying for his family, be praying for all of these organizations that are being threatened, be praying for all those things, but take action, but make, let this be a fire within you. Let it light something in you to do more to help save our country and to just represent the Lord. Well, as a good steward of this amazing nation, we've been given rest of peace, Charlie Kirk. You've been a blessing to our entire nation. Thanks for listening today to the WallBuilders Show.