Submission by Nate Sheets
America is in the middle of a spiritual awakening—and it has come at a terrible cost.
Last week, Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking to thousands of college students in Utah. He was just 31 years old. A husband and father of two young children who will now grow up without their dad, Charlie was targeted because he dared to live out his faith publicly. He spoke boldly about the Gospel, the importance of strong families, and truth in a time when truth is under attack.
Shortly before his death, Charlie was asked how he wanted to be remembered. His answer was simple: “I want to be remembered for courage for my faith. That would be the most important thing; most important thing is my faith.” That is exactly how he will be remembered.
His wife, Erika, showed remarkable courage, addressing a grieving nation with words that were both bold and heartbreaking. She reminded us of what Charlie lived for—not politics or fame, but the eternal. She urged Americans to do what her husband had dedicated his life to: stand up for biblical truth. And she made a plea that should echo in every heart: “Most important of all, if you aren’t a member of a church, I beg you to join one, a Bible-believing church.”
To understand the weight of that moment, you need to know the backdrop. For decades, church attendance in America has been in steep decline. Gallup reports that in 2000, about 84% of U.S. adults identified themselves as Christian. Two decades later, that number had fallen to just 69%—a historic low. At the same time, public worship is fading from American life: only 30% of adults say they attend services weekly or almost weekly, while more than half seldom or never attend.
But Charlie Kirk’s life and death have already begun to change the story. Anecdotal reports from across the country say churches were packed this past Sunday—so full that in some places people stood in the aisles, and in others pastors had to turn people away due to fire codes. Against the backdrop of long decline, something remarkable is happening: young people, the very generation many thought had turned away from God, are returning to church in droves.
Charlie’s legacy lives on in Turning Point USA, the organization he founded, which became one of the fastest-growing youth movements in America. He spent his adult life walking onto hostile college campuses, witnessing for Christ, encouraging young people to start families, to have children, to believe that their lives mattered, and that faith in God was worth living for—and even dying for.
We should not romanticize his death, but we cannot ignore what it represents. When a man is gunned down for preaching biblical truth, it should shake us. But when that man’s message inspires millions to seek God and fill our churches, it should encourage us that revival is not just possible—it’s happening.
The question now is whether we will answer Erika Kirk’s plea. Will we recommit ourselves to the Church? Will we stand boldly in our communities, in our schools, and in our families, as Charlie did? Revival doesn’t happen by accident—it happens when ordinary believers take extraordinary steps of faith.
Charlie Kirk will never again step onto a stage. His children will never again run into his arms. But the torch he carried has been passed to us. And if the lines outside America’s churches are any indication, God is on the move.
Revival is here. Let’s not miss it.
About the author: Nate Sheets is a fifth-generation Texan and successful entrepreneur who built Nature Nate’s, the nation’s top-selling branded honey company, from a backyard hive. Guided by his Christian faith, Nate has dedicated his life to serving others—spending years in global missions, sharing the Gospel in more than 80 countries, and creating ministries like the EvangeCube and I Am Second, which have reached millions worldwide. Nate is running for Agriculture Commissioner to bring integrity, transparency, and real leadership back to the agency. Nate and his wife, Patty, who share a heart for ministry, live in Frisco, Texas, where they raised their four children and are active members of Providence Church. Learn more at NateSheets.com.
