The assassination of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University has prompted a pointed response from Pastor Matt Trewhella of Mercy Seat Christian Church in Wisconsin. In a September 12 Facebook post, Trewhella offered prayers for Kirk’s family while critiquing the late activist’s ties to the Republican Party, urging Christians to reject political paradigms and seek national repentance.
Kirk was fatally shot in the neck during a speaking event, an act Utah Governor Spencer Cox called a “political assassination.” Authorities arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of St. George, Utah, on September 12, after he confessed to family members, with a court appearance scheduled for September 16.
A prominent conservative and outspoken Christian known for mobilizing young Republicans through TPUSA and his media platforms, Kirk was a polarizing figure whose death – captured in viral footage as he collapsed mid-sentence – has intensified debates over political violence in the U.S.
President Donald Trump ordered flags lowered to half-staff until September 14, hailing Kirk as a “patriot” whose influence would endure.
Trewhella, author of The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates and a vocal advocate for Christian resistance to government overreach, addressed his congregation just two days after the shooting. He recounted posting about the incident within 15 minutes: “Charlie Kirk shot in the neck. There has been a low-level civil war in our nation for about 6 years now – but grows. Praying for Charlie.” The next morning, he elaborated, defending his prayers for Kirk despite past criticisms of the activist’s actions, particularly TPUSA’s promotion of an openly homosexual speaker and its financial ties to Republican campaigns.
“If a brother has been shot, I am going to pray for him. If a brother is doing public wrong, I am going to speak against it and rebuke the actions. Both are right to do,” Trewhella wrote. He emphasized the need to mourn for Kirk’s family, stating, “Yes – mourn for Charlie’s family. It is absolutely heart-rending. Pray for them. Appreciate the good things Charlie did say.” However, he cautioned against “re-writing who Charlie was” or granting him “sainthood,” urging his followers to see through the “hoopla and virtue signalling” by those exploiting the tragedy for personal gain.
Central to Trewhella’s message was his critique of TPUSA’s relationship with the Republican Party, which he sees as diverging from Christian principles. “Understand the connection between TPUSA and the Republican Party. The Party changes the platform to be more baby-murder and homo friendly – while TPUSA brings Christians and others into the Party,” he wrote. Trewhella argues that the GOP’s evolving platform, which he perceives as increasingly supportive of abortion and sodomy, undermines its appeal to Christians, yet organizations like TPUSA continue to draw believers into its fold, blurring the lines between biblical law and political agendas.
Trewhella’s critique reflects his broader theological stance, rooted in Reformed Christian convictions that prioritize God’s law over human institutions. He warned against getting “caught up in the left/right paradigm” that fuels division, asserting that the nation is under “the just judgment of God.” For Trewhella, political efforts like those championed by Kirk and TPUSA are insufficient to address America’s moral decline.
“The nation sits under the just judgment of God. And the conservative-leaven pushed by Charlie and others will not change this nation,” he stated. “The need is repentance. And for the honoring of God’s law amongst men and the governments of men. Men must be pointed to Christ and His law and Word.”
Trewhella’s history of engaging political issues through a Christian lens informs his perspective. His book advocates for lower magistrates to resist unjust laws, and he has publicly opposed policies he views as contrary to Scripture, including abortion and homosexuality. His critique of TPUSA aligns with his long-standing call for Christians to discern the moral compromises within political movements, even those aligned with conservative causes. Kirk’s TPUSA, founded in 2012, grew into a powerhouse for mobilizing young conservatives, raising millions to support Republican campaigns. Yet, Trewhella sees its integration with the GOP as a liability, pulling Christians into a platform he believes has abandoned key biblical tenets.
