Christian community grieves for activist Charlie Kirk

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – The Christian community is leaning on its faith as they mourn and remember political activist Charlie Kirk. Grace Church, located in Maryland Heights, hosted Kirk’s Save America Tour back in 2022.

“It was a day filled with excitement,” Pastor Marty Haas, Grace Church, said. “Everybody was eager to hear what he had to say.”

Kirk’s tour took him across the country as he held events at universities and public spaces to have conversations on religion and politics.

“They heard him articulate, to put into words, things that they had felt themselves but had not been able to express and were just thrilled to hear a good way to explain their own convictions,” Haas said.

Haas said when their church heard the news, it felt like “it was a gut punch.”

Haas said his death leaves a large void for the church community and Kirk’s family.

“We can't control what anyone else will do, but we can influence others,” Haas said. “We can influence them by our own kindness, by our own respectfulness, by our own dedication to the truth.”

Grace Church held its Wednesday night service as usual, but did pray for Kirk’s family and the country. They also honored Kirk for his commitment to his beliefs.

“He saw the need, he felt the calling, and he embraced it knowing what it could cost him to the end,” Haas said.