Christian Musicians Respond to the Assassination of Charlie Kirk

Until now, names like Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, and Robert F. Kennedy lived in history books and grainy footage. But on September 10, 2025, the world watched in real time, in 4K video, the cold-blooded murder of Charlie Kirk, one of today’s most passionate voices for the political right and Read More

Until now, names like Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, and Robert F. Kennedy lived in history books and grainy footage. But on September 10, 2025, the world watched in real time, in 4K video, the cold-blooded murder of Charlie Kirk, one of today’s most passionate voices for the political right and conservative Christianity.

In the days that followed, churches filled with mourners, vigils lit up city streets, and tributes poured in from across the cultural spectrum. From CCM icons to mainstream acts like Coldplay, artists have spoken, sung, and prayed in response to this moment that has shaken the world. At CCM Magazine, we chose to wait a week before sharing this story, allowing artists space to process before we spotlight their voices.

Some have spoken boldly, others more cautiously, and still others have chosen silence. But what unites them is the sobering reality that political violence can never be the answer. It never has been, and it never will be.

Michael W. Smith, Kathie Lee Gifford, and others helped lead a prayer vigil in Franklin, Tennessee, the heart of Christian music, that drew thousands together in remembrance and intercession. Their words and actions echoed the deeper history of Christian music itself: born out of lament, protest, and a longing for redemption in a broken world. From the hymns of Europe, to the slave songs of the American South, to the countercultural anthems of the Jesus Movement in the 1970s, the tradition has always carried a plea for something greater: the love of Jesus at the center of our darkest hours.

Here is just a small sample of tributes and statements from some of the top voices in the Christian Music world.

Michael W Smith:

Debbie and I are in Europe, but we of course heard the terrible news about what happened in Utah. We are numb.

Our hearts break for Charlie Kirk’s family, and for all of those who’ve lost loved ones to senseless violence lately. Our world is broken. I have been struggling to find words (or music) to express my deep ache. But I know this:

I am not shaken, not defeated, not afraid. I know God’s record of carrying his children through tragedy and it’s flawless. 100% of the time he comes through.

I also know the only hope for the broken state of our world is that many come to the cross – which is happening in so many places, in mass numbers!

We are praying fervently for more.

If you wondered what the picture of the snake in the road is all about, my daughter Anna sent it to me. These are her words:

As I was heading to drop the girls at school this morning, still grappling with the evil we witnessed yesterday, we came across a dead snake in the road. Immediately I knew God was showing me something important. Satan has already been defeated, though he desperately wants us to believe otherwise (Dillon and I were discussing this very thing last night). I believe Charlie was doing the work of the Lord and his labor was not in vain. I believe this will be a catalyst for this generation (and those to come) to stand up for truth.

“‘Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:55-58

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall crush your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Genesis 3:15

Brandon Lake:

…I’m still processing and I haven’t and maybe I’m wrong for this, but I didn’t immediately just go to repost someone else’s. Like, I don’t believe that God looks at my Instagram posts and is like, I’m proud of you for immediately saying something.

I went to God first. I didn’t go to the (insta)gram first. I went to God first. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with immediately reposting or saying I’m praying, but y’all, I have been. This one hit me hard. And of course I’m praying for the family and me and Brittany of them processing the last two days and been sick to our stomachs.

And y’all, I just I wanted to gather my thoughts because I’m angry. And I’m still trying to find myself in this as being somebody that’s look to on a platform of how quickly do I say something and what do I say? Yeah, I’m a human being and I am angry. I’m frustrated. I don’t care if you believe and what he believed or the way he was doing it.

The man was representing Christ in the way he felt called to represent Christ, and he lost his life over it. And as somebody that gets up on a platform, often it or at least in this season, as long as God calls me, that is it’s it is eye opening and as sobering. And so I’ve been processing a few things.

One, just the loss of his life and how that breaks my heart to as someone who doesn’t do what he did, but who’s representing Christ on a platform and large spaces with large crowds. I have felt two things one immediate fear. But then I have felt God remove that fear with his love and give me confidence and a renewed confidence and a surety that I and an assurance that like and myself like I, I do believe this and I will represent this and share the gospel, no matter the cost and the way that I feel God’s calling me to do that.

And so I feel I feel a fire. But it’s also there’s anger in there and I think mostly a righteous anger. And then three, I’ve been processing when I get back home because I’m not home right now. How do I talk to my kids about this in a way that they can understand? And it’s not too much for them, but I also want them to understand if they’re going to carry the banner of Christ, that what cost it could come with that, you know?

So y’all, I don’t I don’t know, I’m still processing, I’m angry and I’m just trying to talk to God and hear from God instead of running to what everyone else is saying, which I’m not saying. There’s great things to observe from this, and that’s on online, but I want to make sure that God is my first response.

And, and I’m just being honest, I don’t know, as being a public figure now or whatever, how to conduct myself when things like this happen. Because I’m, I still feel like I’m new to this, and I want to shepherd those who are watching me, follow me. Well, truly. But we’re all getting it right and getting it wrong, and I’m just.

I’m just trying my best to hear from God and represent him and encourage people. And I just don’t want to be a playground where everyone can just bicker and fight. I’m sick of Instagram and the comment section for that reason, but it is a gift and being able to spread the gospel and I just, I want that to be what it is.

Matthew West

Forrest Frank

Lecrae:

“I’m slow to speak because I’m trying to process. And part two is there are people much smarter than me, much more articulate. I’m not that narcissistic to feel like I have to have the leading voice on everything that’s going on in America. I can silently process this or process it with people that I love and people that I know. I do not have to share with the entire world the stuff that’s going on up in here. But if you want to know what’s going up here, let me tell you a little bit of what’s going up in here. We keep on trying to solve our differences and our grievances with violence and murder since the beginning of time, since Cain and Abel.

This is what we do… And Jesus comes and says, it’s not the way. As a Jesus follower. I’m tired of it, man. Like it’s not the way it solves nothing solves nothing. But that’s it,

Chris Tomlin:

My heart and prayers to Erika Kirk and her 2 children…what a tragic moment for our nation. I appreciate how Charlie was bold and unashamed in his faith…

“THE FURTHER A SOCIETY DRIFTS FROM THE TRUTH. THE MORE IT WILL HATE THOSE THAT SPEAK IT.”

John Cooper:

John Cooper, frontman of Skillet and friend of Charlies released a 30 min episode of his podcast Cooper Stuff on the assassination. “On September 10th, 2025, Charlie Kirk, founder of TPUSA, was shot and killed. While being at a loss for words, we try to express our grief and shock, along with how to process moving forward.”

Tauren Wells:

I am stunned. There are so many ways I feel compelled to comment on the tragic events unfolding…as a Believer, a Husband, Father, Pastor…as an American. I’m personally still processing it all. But I’ll start here. The violence that has transpired over the last several weeks, days, and hours in our neighborhoods, schools, communities, churches, and campuses, just that I happen to be aware of, is absolutely horrendous and gut wrenching.
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The reality that you can be stabbed and killed while sitting doing nothing, or our children targeted while they learn and play, or shot and killed for standing for what you believe in in 2025 in America, is painful. Sobering.
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Senseless acts of violence, motivated by demonic forces of hatred, should provoke something deep in the heart of all people to wake up to the godless ignorance that is rampant in the hearts and minds of people. Especially, the Church, should be provoked into taking our spiritual position of intercession to activate our prayers and all of heaven’s forces to wage war against our invisible enemies!
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Our heart and prayers go out to Charlie Kirk’s entire family, wife and children and I pray that the powers of darkness at work would be exposed and expelled by the power of Jesus Christ.
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In the scriptures we find hope…

“13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
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God, our hope is in you.

Danny Gokey:

Gokey has released multiple videos and statements to his IG including this one just today.
We must think clearly in difficult times. I don’t know much, but what little I do know is that we can only move forward through forgiveness and showing kindness to those who we may deem our enemies. Jesus said it best “bless those who curse you” in Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:28–that calls for a radical, non-vengeful response to enemies and abusers, urging all of us believers to love them and pray for their well-being rather than retaliating with curses or anger. We must do it Gods way or we will stay in a cycle of retribution.

Martin Smith:

RIP Charlie Kirk
Deeply saddened by this news today.
This is not a political statement but a human one.
To take someone’s life because you ‘disagree’ with them is an extreme snapshot of our modern society.
God we need your mercy.

Matt Hammitt:

The enemy is working overtime to divide our nation politically, racially, and any which way he can- but our God will have the final word.
May our hearts be bent in prayer for this nation, and for the Kirk family today.

Rhett Walker:

Heartbreaking. No matter where you stand politically, violence is never the answer.
This was pure evil!

31 years old. The craziest thing about this is, he was one of the only ones that would take any question. He wanted to converse. He wanted to debate but he always did it with kindness. Pray for his family. His wife and kids who just had their world flipped upside down. Pray for our country. Pray against evil. Pray for Justice.

Again, this is only a snapshot of the tributes and statements shared in the wake of Charlie’s passing. Countless others across the CCM community—and beyond—have offered words of comfort, music, and prayer in their own ways. If you represent an artist who has made a public statement and would like it included here, please reach out to us at pr@ccmmagazine.com. We’ll continue updating this story in the weeks ahead as more voices are added to the chorus of remembrance.