September 11, 2025
Today is the 24th anniversary of the coordinated terrorist act that we have all come to know as “9-11.” That was the day that passenger aircraft plowed into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. 2977 people were killed.
But today, most of us aren’t thinking about 9-11. We are focused on yesterday’s assassination of 31-year-old conservative Christian political activist, Charlie Kirk. Charlie was assassinated while addressing a crowd of about 3,000 students on a college campus in Utah.
Charlie founded Turning Point USA which has a presence on 3,500 college campuses. One of his primary methods was to engage students in public debate about topics that are often not open for debate – especially on college campuses. These formats were called “Prove Me Wrong.” Charlie listened to wildly dissenting opinions without backing down from his own. As you can imagine, that made Charlie very popular with some and very unpopular with others.
Much has already been said and written about this tragic crime. President Trump weighed-in yesterday. He knew Charlie personally. I do not intend to add a lot of words to the public commentary; but I do have a responsibility as your pastor to help all of us choose our response. What to do and not do. What to say and not say.
Our responses to everything in life must be out of our primary commitment to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. This commitment to Jesus takes precedence over our political affiliation or even our U.S. citizenship. Our primary citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20) However, I am definitely a patriotic military veteran and American citizen of the land of the free and the home of the brave that stands for liberty and justice for all. We are often tempted to avoid those responsibilities or take those freedoms for granted.
Dr. David F. Watson responded immediately to yesterday’s tragedy by sitting down and prayerfully and carefully writing an article, “On the Assassination of Charlie Kirk.” I invite you to read David’s words. David is President of Asbury Theological Seminary, a fellow Global Methodist colleague, and my personal friend for over 30 years. David invites us to respond as citizens of heaven even as we live in a fallen world.
Hold onto Jesus. Love one another. Love even your enemy.
In Christ,
Pastor Mark
