“Father forgive them…”

Happy Monday to our CFC family;

I wasn’t planning on saying anything more about the killing of Charlie Kirk this week. With so many hearts still heavy in grief, I thought it best to turn to another subject. But after watching his memorial service yesterday, I realized there was something more I needed to share.

With more than 200,000 people gathered in person—many forced to watch from outside on large screens—and an estimated 100 million more joining online, I couldn’t help but weep at what I was witnessing in that moment.

The worship was powerful—so moving it felt almost heavenly. Yet even that did not move me as deeply as the words spoken by Charlie’s widow, Erika.

As she offered her heartfelt tribute, recalling the ways Charlie had shaped her life and touched the lives of so many others, she paused midway through her remarks, took a deep breath, and said: “My husband, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life …That young man … I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it is what Charlie would do.”

Where so much of the media has tried to paint Charlie and his Turning Point organization as extremists, bigots, troublemakers, or even dangerous agitators, Erika’s words revealed something entirely different. What came through was not hate or hostility, or a cry to avenge her husband’s killing, but compassion, forgiveness, and a deep desire to see lives redeemed—even the life of the young man who had taken her husband’s.

Jesus himself challenged us with these very words: “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” He not only taught forgiveness—He lived it. On the cross, as He was being mocked, beaten, and crucified, He cried out, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Erika’s response echoed that same spirit of Christ like mercy, showing the world what true Christianity looks like when it is lived out in the most difficult of circumstances.

Millions who watched the service yesterday witnessed more than a memorial—they witnessed the power of Christ in ones life. In a world so often filled with bitterness, division, and retaliation, what they saw was the heart of the gospel being displayed in real time. This is what sets apart those who merely profess faith from those who embody it. Not just words spoken on Sunday, but a life that reflects Jesus even in the valley of deepest sorrow.

The Scriptures tell us about Stephen, the first Christian martyr, who was stoned for his faith. As he was dying, he looked up to heaven and prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Saul, who would later become the apostle Paul, stood there giving approval to Stephen’s death. Yet I believe Stephen’s act of grace and forgiveness left a lasting mark—not only on Saul but on countless others who heard the story. Erika’s words yesterday carried that same weight, leaving an impression that will ripple far beyond the walls of that stadium.

I believe the revival that is coming will not be led by those who simply talk about their faith, but by those who live it out with conviction and courage. People like Erika, who in her moment of deepest pain chose forgiveness over vengeance, are the ones God will use to spark hearts toward Christ. Her testimony reminds us that true strength is not found in anger but in grace, and that the most powerful witness is a life surrendered to Jesus, even when the cost is great.

As I think back on what millions witnessed yesterday, I am struck by how forgiveness is not just an act of mercy toward others—it is a reflection of Christ Himself working through us and in us as we choose to, “Let go and let God.” This is what true Christianity is meant to be: a faith that doesn’t just speak, but one that forgives, heals, and restores.

Question: What steps will you need to take in order to display this

                 type of forgiveness in your life?

Have a great week and we’ll see you Sunday

Pastor Dan