Charlie Kirk’s assassination on September 10 has sent shockwaves through America—not only politically, but spiritually. Churches across the country are reporting a surge in young adults returning to worship, a phenomenon now widely referred to as the “Charlie Kirk Effect.”
Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in California told Fox & Friends First this week that Kirk had a profound influence on the next generation. “People are coming to us, and they are saying, ‘I want to know the meaning of life, the purpose. Why am I here?’” Hibbs said.
Matt Zerrusen, co-founder of Newman Ministry, which supports over 200 Catholic campus ministries, said student engagement has increased significantly since Kirk’s death. “I have not talked to anyone who has not seen an increase in Mass attendance,” Zerrusen told the Catholic News Agency, citing attendance jumps as high as 15% at some schools.
The trend extends beyond church pews. Bible sales through August 2025 reached 10 million—up more than one million from the same time last year, according to BookScan. On social media, thousands have posted about returning to church or picking up a Bible for the first time, crediting Kirk’s example.
At a Turning Point USA event at Virginia Tech just days before his death, Kirk said, “There is revival in the Christian church. Churches are growing. Young people are flocking to faith in God.” That message has become a rallying cry for many.
William Wolfe, executive director of the Center for Baptist Leadership, said Kirk’s movement transcended politics. “Charlie Kirk started a political movement, but he ended it as a Christian movement,” Wolfe said at Kirk’s memorial in Arizona. “I think Charlie Kirk made it cool to be Christian again.”
Kirk often spoke of his faith as central to his life, saying, “I’m nothing without Jesus. I’m a sinner. I fall incredibly short of the glory of God.” He frequently urged others to marry, raise families, and pass down biblical values.
Kirk’s life, rooted in his fifth-grade decision to follow Jesus Christ, is now leaving an eternal impact far beyond the political stage. As Wolfe put it, Kirk will be remembered not just for rallying conservatives, but for leading young people back to the cross.
