On Sunday, my wife and I attended the memorial service for Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium. It was a powerful experience—unlike any gathering I have ever attended. I am confident that God will use this momentous gathering for decades to come to gather, heal, encourage, and galvanize his people.
The Moment
Before the lights were even turned on at State Farm Stadium, there were no doubts that it would be a defining moment for everyone attending or viewing. For eleven days, there was round-the-clock news coverage of Charlie’s death, the reactions to his death, and the manhunt and investigation. Here in Arizona, and around the world, people were holding vigils in Charlie’s honor. The reported number of RSVPs continued to climb, the VIP attendee and speaker list included the president and almost his entire cabinet. The logistical and security preparations were at the level of the Superbowl.
That morning, the size of the crowd outside the stadium was stunning. Getting inside was a struggle, but even that couldn’t prepare me for what awaited once we finally gained entrance.
The Presence
The official start time of the memorial was 11:00 a.m., but the three hours before were filled with one of the most beautiful worship services I have ever witnessed. I felt the presence of God the minute we got to our seats. It was beautiful, calming, and healing.
During the memorial, I was particularly moved by the Lord’s presence in two powerful moments. The first came when instrumental music played for about 9 minutes while the lower sections held up coordinated signs honoring Charlie. No words were spoken—just the entire stadium united in corporate grief. The second moment came when one of the worship songs shifted to a cappella, and almost a hundred thousand voices rose together in unison, singing to God. It was a taste of heaven.
The Speech
The speaking lineup was as formidable as it comes—political leaders, faith leaders, and Charlie’s friends and colleagues from TPUSA all eloquently and movingly honored him. I was particularly struck by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who in about 90 seconds shared the entire story of God’s plan to save humanity from sin and death through the sacrifice of his Son Jesus. But one speech stood above them all.
Erika Kirk gave the most profound and powerful speech that I have ever heard in person—and it is not even close. I believe her remarks are the important and impactful of any delivered in my lifetime. If you have not seen them yet, I recommend taking the time to watch them soon.
She began by noting that Charlie had completely surrendered himself to God’s will—a surrender that defined his life, his death, and was now leading to a revival. Erika welcomed new Christians, then encouraged those of us who already trust in Jesus to be ready to welcome, encourage, and support every new believer. In her deepest grief, she shared, the Lord comforted her by showing her that Charlie went in a blink from doing what he loved most on earth—talking with college students—to the presence of his Savior.
Then came the most stunning moment. Erika shared that Charlie cared deeply about young men—young men like one who took his life. She shocked everyone by publicly stating she forgave her husband’s murderer. Just as Jesus prayed that God would forgive his killers as he died, Erika shared that Charlie would also want her to forgive.
This moment was awe-inspiring, and I am still overawed by it. God fills forgiveness with his power. Corrie Ten Boom, who survived concentration camps, famously recounted the moment she forgave one of her former prison guards face-to-face. “As I took his hand, the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.” The God of forgiveness gives us His power to forgive. On Sunday, Erika followed Jesus’ example and provided the world with an overwhelming example of God’s love.
The Revival Calling
Finally, being in person at Sunday’s memorial service reinforced my conviction that we are living in a revival—a massive move of God’s Spirit and a corresponding response of people turning to Jesus to save them from their sins. Pastor Rob McCoy offered an opportunity for anyone who would like to publicly put their faith in Jesus to stand. Thousands stood. God is on the move. He is calling people to be reconciled to him.
What began as a memorial is becoming a movement, proving that even in our darkest moments, God’s light burns brightest and His kingdom advances most powerfully. We who already believe and trust in Jesus can fan the flames of revival by doing what Charlie did: saying yes to God and using every opportunity to share the love of Jesus.
My prayer is that the Lord would use us to grow this movement of people turning to Him.
Arizona Just Drew a Line in the Sand—And the Porn Industry Blinked
It happened today in Arizona.
As our state’s verification law officially takes effect, Arizona families can breathe a little easier. But the real story isn’t just about new legislation; it’s about what happened when we finally said “enough.”
The law, HB 2112, sponsored by State Representative Nick Kupper and signed into law by Governor Hobbs, demands that websites trafficking in explicit content prove their users are adults before opening the floodgates.
Simple concept. Radical results. Rather than implement basic age verification, the kind of checks we require for buying cigarettes or alcohol, Pornhub chose to pack up and leave Arizona entirely. They’ve now abandoned 22 states rather than take minimal steps to protect children.
Let that sink in. A company worth hundreds of millions of dollars would rather lose entire markets than verify users are 18 years old.
This isn’t a legislative experiment destined for court challenges. The Supreme Court delivered a decisive win for states’ authority to protect children online in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton this summer. Justice Thomas noted the “well-documented pernicious effects” of pornography on young people, establishing solid constitutional ground for Arizona’s protection.
I was asked by AZCentral about this, and here is what I had to say:
“Pornhub makes the most dangerous and degrading material easily accessible to children online. Thanks to the leadership of Arizona’s legislature and Governor Hobbs, Arizona’s children will be safer starting this week—but more work remains,” Gentala said. “As their campaign against age verification laws demonstrates, Pornhub and the sex industry always put profits over people. Expect them to continue to oppose commonsense protections at every turn.”
The Center for Arizona Policy vehemently opposes pornography, calling it “a social toxin that destroys relationships, steals innocence, erodes compassion, and breeds violence against women.”
The harsh reality? The average age of first exposure to online pornography is now 11 years old. These aren’t teenagers stumbling onto inappropriate content; these are elementary school children whose developing brains are being rewired by material designed to exploit and degrade.
While no law provides perfect protection, this barrier gives parents a fighting chance in the ongoing effort to shield their children from explicit material that damages developing minds and distorts perceptions of healthy relationships. It’s a recognition that childhood innocence isn’t just a nostalgic concept; it’s worth defending with concrete action.
On Tuesday, CAP partnered with Chris McKenna of Protect Young Eyes for a webinar that provided parents with tools and guidance to safeguard their children in the digital world. We have made it available here if you missed it.
Pornhub’s retreat is more than a simple business decision; it’s an admission. When forced to choose between profits and protecting children, they revealed their true priorities.
Here’s the encouraging part: truth and courage are on the rise throughout Arizona and across the country.
Truth Rising
Pornhub closing shop in Arizona isn’t the only shift in cultural winds. Across the country, bold voices are rising to defend truth and courage. Hear John Stonestreet share why this moment matters and how the Truth Rising documentary captures it. Do not miss the next episode of Engage Arizona.
ICYMI
- Read more about the age verification laws in Arizona
- See what Arizona Republicans are doing to protect girls’ sports
- See why a judge in Missouri is forcing a rewrite of an abortion ballot initiative
- See why schools are welcoming a new law that restricts cell phones in classrooms