Charlie Kirk’s memorial Sunday was equal parts funeral, political rally, and evangelical revival.
An estimated 200,000 people flocked to the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona, to pay tribute to the conservative leader who was slain by an assassin’s bullet Sept. 10.
They alternately cried, laughed, and cheered during the five-hour-long program, which featured a who’s who of celebrities, influencers, musicians, and politicians, many of whom credited Kirk with personally mentoring, encouraging, and coaching them to success.
The sun was hours away from rising when the crowds started to gather for the event. By daybreak, traffic around Glendale’s State Farm Stadium was at a standstill. The parking lots were a mass of pedestrians who had parked far away and walked long distances to get in line before cars were allowed into the facility’s parking lots.
Inside, long before the service for Charlie Kirk officially began, the seats filled with people of all ages, most of them wearing the recommended colors of red, white, and blue — Kirk’s favorite.
Some of the hottest Christian artists began performing early, leading the growing crowd in a star-studded worship session with Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, Cody Carnes, and Kari Jobe.
The arena erupted in cheers as Brandon Lake sang, “Death is not the end … it’s only the beginning.”
Due to extremely tight security, no outside signs or banners were allowed in, but guests found pre-printed tribute signs at their seats with different pictures and messages, including “Well done, good and faithful servant,” “Never Surrender — Remember Charlie Kirk,” and “Here I am, Lord, send me.”
The members of the audience became part of the program, holding up their signs while Kari Jobe sang “It Is Well with My Soul.”
Even before “The Star Spangled Banner” (which, of course, was accompanied by bright red rockets shooting off and chants of “USA! USA!”), there was an altar call.
Kirk’s pastor, Rob McCoy, who spent 25 years leading Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks, California, outlined the gospel message and invited visitors to accept Christ’s gift of salvation.
The evangelical gospel theme was echoed by many of the speakers, including DNI Director Tulsi Gabbard, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Vice President J.D. Vance, and even President Donald Trump and former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson.
Kirk’s friends heaped praise on him and lamented his loss.
One by one, some of the most powerful people on the planet approached the microphone and shared stories of how Charlie Kirk touched their lives.
Kirk’s former chief of staff, Mikey McCoy, was one of many who said some form of the phrase, “My life was forever changed by Charlie.”
Several said Kirk had encouraged them to get married young, have lots of children, and to skip college and devote themselves to serving God and reclaiming America.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles credited Kirk with delivering the young people’s vote to President Donald Trump.
Vice President J.D. Vance has said Kirk was instrumental in his being chosen as Trump’s running mate.
Dr. Larry Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, said simply, “He can’t be replaced.”
Trump himself referred to Kirk as a “master builder of people.”
The president also said, “One of the last things he said to me was, ‘Please sir, save Chicago.’”
“We’re going to do that,” Trump pledged, to cheers and applause.
During her remarks, a tearful and emotional Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, pointed out the stark difference between her husband’s death and those previously protested by leftists.
“[When Charlie died] you didn’t see violence. You didn’t see rioting. We didn’t see revolution. Instead, we saw what my husband always prayed we would see in this country: We saw revival.
“This past week we saw people open a Bible for first time in a decade. We saw people pray … We saw them go to church.”
Erika Kirk told the crowd that whenever her husband went to speak on a college campus, as he did hundreds of times a year, “he wanted to show them a better path, a better life.”
“He wanted to save young men — just like the one who took his life,” she said.
She then recalled Jesus saying on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” and applied those words to her husband’s killer.
“That man … I forgive him!” she proclaimed, to thunderous applause.
“It’s what Charlie would do,” she added.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.