The Curious Case of Christian Martyrdom in America Today

I titled this "The Curious Case of Christian Martyrdom in America Today" for a reason; not that martyrdom itself is strange or foreign to the church of Jesus Christ. We have all seen that in the Scriptures—from the blood of righteous Abel, who was slain by his brother Cain, all the way down to the brutal death of Stephen in the book of Acts. And if you know anything of church history or the world today, you will know that martyrdom is not something confined to the pages of Scripture, but it has been an ongoing reality from the very beginning of our history as believers. As one writer eloquently wrote, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”

So why do I call it a curious case? Well, it’s quite simple actually. Here in America we have, by and large, been sheltered from this horrific reality since the inception of this country. Whether it be by the laws which have bound us together and given us the right of freedom of speech, freedom to assemble, and freedom to worship our God in our way (which, may I add, is the correct way), or whether it is because, up until very recently (the Obama administration), we have by and large seen ourselves as one people. Yes, we may differ on things such as policy, when and where we spend our nation’s dollars, and other issues. But we were all Americans, and at the end of the day it seemed as though, for lack of a better phrase, we had one another’s backs.

I can even remember telling my eighth-grade teacher, who was not a believer and certainly thought I, as an eighth-grader, was foolish to witness to her about Christ. I told her that I didn’t believe the things she said, but I would happily fight and die for her right to say them. Does anyone else remember days like that?

Then came September 10, 2025, and the obscene, public shooting of a brother in Christ (whom I’d never met, but happily call him brother), Charlie Kirk. The shooting was obscene, not because of the placement of the shot (although that was horrific), but because it was in public, in front of his wife and children. What made it worse was how many (tens of thousands) took to social media to celebrate. And here we all thought we were playing on the same team; we were just disagreeing on which plays the coach called. Little did we know that there were those among us who were actively rooting for our demise (and not just a few of them).

We all know and understand that part of the equation, but now why do I call him a martyr? Charlie Kirk was a man who traveled to college campuses and debated students vigorously (but respectfully) on conservative ideas, was extremely active in politics, and was even central to getting Donald Trump elected to his second term in office. This, though, does not make Charlie a martyr. Charlie is a martyr because of the stance he took for Jesus Christ.

One preacher (Phil Johnson) said this Sunday (Sept. 14, 2025) that Charlie preached Jesus to more people at once than most pastors of churches will in a lifetime. If you think about it, that is actually a very true statement. Charlie was often filmed telling people that they needed to turn their life over to Christ. I even recall him telling one individual that the reason he was a Christian was that “Jesus saved my life.” More than one social media post affirms Charlie’s belief in Jesus Christ—not just his belief in Christ as a concept, but far more than that. Charlie believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, telling people that “Jesus conquered death so that you may live.” Isn’t that the Christian message? Isn’t that the core and heart of the gospel itself? So yes, I view Charlie Kirk as a martyr for the cause of Jesus Christ.

He was killed by evil forces because of the stand he took on the gospel and biblical issues. You may disagree with his packaging of ideas or the way he confronted others with the message, but what you can’t deny is that Charlie Kirk delivered the gospel message—Jesus Christ’s vicarious life, death, and resurrection in the place of sinful man. If this is not a Christian voice, a Christian man—if this is not a martyr—then friend, I don’t know what is. No longer can we consider martyrdom something that happens on some shore far away from America, because this week (if you’re reading this at that time) it was front and center in every American home through television and social media.

In light of this, let’s take a look at Hebrews 11:4, which says, “Through his (Abel’s) faith, though he died, yet he still speaks.”

1. Faith often leaves a louder voice than death’s silence.

Look at what the text says: through faith, even though he is dead, he still speaks. It’s clear, emphatic, and incontrovertible. When Abel died, the testimony he left spoke louder in his death than it did in his life. Everyone who has looked at or studied the Scriptures or knows anything about the life of Abel knows him to be “a righteous man who worshiped God with the very best that he had to offer.” Abel brought the sacrifice which God demanded—a blood sacrifice. It was a simple yet profound thing. Simple obedience to what God had already made clear.

It is much the same with Charlie Kirk. We expect that in his death, because of his faith, his voice will only get louder and stronger than it was in his life. The assassin’s bullet may have taken away Charlie Kirk from this world, but it cannot and must not silence his testimony or his voice. His courage to stand on hostile ground, have hard conversations with those who counted themselves his adversaries (although I don’t think Charlie viewed them this way), and, most importantly, his refusal to take even one step back from the truth—these things must not be allowed to die with him. Instead, they should be embodied by those who believe the things that he believed.

This is not to give Charlie any special place in the Christian’s heart, as that seat belongs only to Christ, but rather to comfort those who are hurting and inspire those who come after. If you wish to honor the message he put forth, or even the man himself, then you must not let these three things slip your mind:

• Be courageous when on hostile ground (because, friend, if you’re a Christian, then this world itself is hostile ground).

• Do not be afraid to have hard conversations with people; as Peter would tell you, be ready always to give a reason for the hope that lies in you.

• And do not, no matter the cost, ever take a step back from the truth—especially the truth of the gospel.

  
  

2. A faithful death points to a faithful life.

The text doesn’t tell us that death speaks, but rather that faith speaks in the light of death. Death is the simple underscoring of the life that a man or woman lives. The life itself was the sermon. Abel’s righteousness is not found in Cain’s killing of him. Abel’s back was turned; Cain then slew him with a rock. What faith says of Abel is that he died the same way that he lived—faithfully, righteously. As painful as it may be for us to hear, sometimes death is the megaphone that God uses to amplify what we (Abel or Charlie or a plethora of others) have done in this life.

This is why we can’t just dismiss Charlie’s death as mere tragedy or another case of gun violence in America. No, this is not that. This is God amplifying what the man did on earth—using his faith to speak louder now in death than he ever could have in life. What do we hear faith screaming to us over this megaphone in this instance?

• First, that truth is worth fighting for. Plain and simple. The truth of God’s creative order—that human beings are born either male or female, that God intended for man to have one wife and for them to raise a family together and for that family to be a little church unto itself, that we’re all born in God’s image and thus we should respect life, even unborn life in the womb. These are truths that we must fight for!

• Second, faith is screaming in the megaphone of Charlie’s death that obedience to Christ is sometimes costly. It cost Charlie his life; it may cost us friends or family or jobs or money, but at the end of the day obedience to Christ is worth it.

• Finally, we hear this: Christ is worth suffering for. During his life, Charlie Kirk was called every slanderous name that his adversaries could hurl at him. I’m sure that on some level it bothered him. But where did we find him in the last moments of his life? Right back in the seat, doing the same thing which caused his enemies to revile him, the same thing which God had, according to him, called him to. He was reviled as a fascist, racist, and almost any other hateful term you could imagine. But he suffered it all, even down to the last moments of his life. I promise you this: on September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk found out that suffering for the cause of Christ is not in vain.

  
  

3. Christ’s blood speaks a better word.

Finally, I want to draw your attention to Hebrews 12:24 to show you that there is a better word spoken than the blood of Abel or of Charlie Kirk. If either of these men were reading this today and I did not take this message here, they would rightfully rebuke me.

Christ’s blood is the better word. While Abel’s blood, the prophets’ blood, the apostles’ blood, and every other Christian martyr’s blood (even down to Charlie Kirk) speaks loudly, they all speak with the same voice and shout in unison together: We cannot save you, but Jesus Christ can! We are not the hope for the world, but Jesus Christ is! Our blood can only point you to the one who can actually heal our families, our churches, our communities, and ultimately our world.

For as much as any martyr’s testimony speaks after their death, it ultimately only speaks of one thing, of one person—a martyr’s blood only knows one name…the name of Jesus Christ. So with Abel, with the prophets and apostles, with Charlie Kirk, I ask you today: do you know this man Jesus Christ? Have you experienced the saving grace of God through His holy name? If not, then I beg you to allow Charlie’s testimony, or Abel’s testimony (ultimately it doesn’t matter whose testimony), to point you to the crucified and resurrected Son of God. Place your faith and trust in Him today. Repent of your sins and inherit eternal life.

Article contributed by local Southwest VA minister