One Man CAN Make a Difference

In a country wrestling with cultural chaos, moral confusion, and identity crises, Charlie Kirk stood as a clarion call for conservative values and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His live showed how one man, grounded in Christian faith, and committed to truth, can shift a generation—and possibly redirect the course of a nation.

But how can one person make a difference in his or her world to bring glory and honor to God? Here’s how Charlie Kirk used his mere 31 years on earth to the best of his ability in a short period of time.

He Knew What He Believed

From an early age, Charlie Kirk demonstrated a deep interest into politics and faith. Even in High School, he was involved in political activism and attended events and engaged in discussions that helped shape his worldview. He was an avid reader. According to the Turning Point USA article, Charlie Kirk’s Top 5 Books for a Political Mind, it reads:

1. Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
2. The Book that Made Your World by Vishal Mangalwadi
3. Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg
4. Discrimination and Disparities by Thomal Sowell
5. Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman

These are heavy books. Even though we don’t know anything about his personal Bible study or devotions, he did present clear gospel messages, even on the day he was assassinated. Watch below:

A Visionary

One of the most important aspects of manhood that sets other men apart from the rest, a mans-man, is vision. A vision for something larger than himself. A vision of something out ahead in the distance. A mountain to conquer; a hill to climb. A cause to give oneself for wholeheartedly. Charlie Kirk was a visionary in every sense of the word.

This is the very essence of leadership: always looking ahead, watching out for his people, providing direction and order, far into the future. Businesses, organizations, and I dare say—churches—are and should be built on this premise. This is the difference between good organizations and bad ones. A visionary knows the destination and the stops along the way. He knows where he’s going, and how to get there. And if he’s stuck—he’s humble enough to ask for directions and help to the next stop along the way.

A visionary is aware of the dangers along the way that would impede reaching the destination and does his best to foresee them. He has keen insight and understanding into what is going on in the culture and outside forces that may impact his legacy and makes adjustments. He imagines the “what ifs” that can impact his organization, and more importantly—his family. It’s taking care of not only financial health, but spiritual and emotional as well that will impact his children and his children’s children.

A visionary is aware of how important he really is and works accordingly, knowing that many whom he loves dearly are looking to him for purpose and direction. Many times, a visionary is his own worst enemy. He is a man who knows his frailties and what distracts him from the vision. He is focused, and his eyes are on the prize that awaits at the finish line if he is diligent to stay on course (1 Corinthians 9:24-25; Philippians 3:14).

Someone once told me, “A dream without a plan—is a wish.” Visionaries must look into the future not only tomorrow, but a year, five years, ten years, twenty, and beyond after they are gone. What is your short-term, long-term, and legacy plan?

Humble Beginnings

Born in 1993 in Arlington Heights, Illinois, Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 in his parents’ garage when he was just 18 years old. He had no college degree or wealth at any kind. All he and his co-founders had was a vision: set out to promote conservative values on high school and college campuses, and help free students enslaved to a liberal culture of death.

We as Christians should never underestimate ours, or others, humble beginnings of ministries; most ministries started small, most of them by one man. Here is one ministry that had a very humble beginning, but has turned into a legacy that with reach generational bloodlines to come—Living Waters.

A Voice for the Voiceless

One of Kirk’s key contributions has been his role as a vocal advocate for free speech on college campuses. In an era of political correctness and “cancel culture,” where many conservative students feel marginalized or silenced, Kirk has made it his mission to provide them with a platform to voice their opinions. By organizing events, debates, and speeches featuring conservative thought leaders, Kirk has given countless students the confidence to stand firm in their beliefs.

Through his tireless efforts, Kirk has exposed the biases that exist within higher education, making the case that universities should be places of intellectual diversity where ideas, regardless of their political affiliation, can be openly discussed. His work has empowered many young conservatives who might otherwise have been afraid to speak up or who felt isolated in their political beliefs.

Charisma and Communication Skills

Charlie Kirk was a charasmatic speaker and able to communicate complex ideas effectively in an engaging way. Whether on television behind a camera, in one-on-one interviews, or at rallies surrounded by hundreds of people, he knew how to capture the audience’s attention and, at the very least, get people thinking.

Not only that, being a Christian, he treated everyone as an image bearer of God. Though many times he used sarcasm and humor to get his point across, he treated everyone he encountered with deacency and respect. He resonated with young people, and challenged their beliefs in a way they could understand.

Focused on Organizational Growth

Since Charlie didn’t have any money, but only a dream and a goal, he had to focus his efforts on fundraising and growing Turning Point USA from the ground up. It grew rapidly not only because of the message it promoted, but also because of Charlie’s strategic fundraising efforts. He secured large donations from wealthy conservatives who supported his mission of empowering young people with conservatism and faith.

Turning Point USA couldn’t be what it is today without the “boots on the ground” work of Charlie Kirk, able to host large conferences, sponsor student activism, and create digital content to expand his audience, while securing a personal income for himself.

Made the Most of Every Day and Season

Charlie Kirk’s media strategy, making regular appearances on Fox News, helped him to reach a national audience and promote his mision of Turning Point USA. These media interviews helped solidify his reputation as a deep thinker and leader in the conservative movement.

Charlie Kirk’s rise to fame also coincided with the surge of Donald Trump in 2016. Trump challenged the establishment which resonated with many young conservatives. Charlie, who had been already advocating for many of these same values, took the opportunity and positioned himself as a defender of Trump’s America First agenda. This helped him gain credibility and expand his influence, thus further cementing his role as a leader in the conservative movement.

It’s God’s Work

Even though Charlie is no longer with us, it is still God’s work; not implying that God caused Tyler Robinson to drive four hours to where Kirk would be speaking, climb a building with a rifle, shoot, and guide the bullet to the intended target with complete accuracy. But what is implied, is what the Bible says:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV

We are God’s workmanship, a poem, a work of art. In God’s transforming love, He meets us right where we are at, but when we receive His grace and mercy in Jesus Christ, He takes us where we should be going. Obedience to the gospel not only changes my mind, but my heart, my actions, and my destiny.

When God changes our lives and our lives are motivated to do His will, He gives us tools, gifts, and talents that we don’t necessarily posess at the time, to accomplish what He has for us; and that includes all the points above. He sets before us open doors that no man can shut, and even though we have little strength, He overcomes for us (Revelation 3:8).

His Life Was Short, But Powerful

But even though Charlie’s life was taken from us all, his legacy that God had built lives on, and will continue. It was not a suprise to God, but He will take what was evil and make it good. The Bible teaches that God, in His soverign power and goodness, can take what others intended for evil and use it for good. One of the most well-known verses that expresses this is found in Genesis 50:20, where Joseph, after being sold into slavery by his brothers and enduring years of suffering, says to them:

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Genesis 50:20, ESV

His martyrdom will bring life and liberty to many hurting people and we already see that happening throughout the United States. We are seeing more millennials going to church than ever before, when at a time the church almost gave up on them. After Charlie’s assassination, we are seeing large waves throughout this country of people going back to church or going to church for the first time. Some congregations even said it was more than any Christmas or Easter ever!

We are experiencing an exciting turning point in this country! Let’s seize the moment while we can, and joyfully share the gospel as long as we have breath in our lungs. Remember, even as a single individual, you have the power today, right now, to make a meaningful difference that could last an eternity!