我之前的文章(一個喚醒我們的年輕人- 記念查理·柯克https://bit.ly/4mQK8Oy) 寫於查理·柯克遇刺當天，旨在悼念他的突然離世，並反思他是如何喚醒我們的。過去一週半，尤其是昨天(9/21)長達五個小時的追思會，讓我們對他的人生有了更深入的了解。

在他短暫而年輕的一生中，查理確實「轉折」了美國的命運。他不僅意識到美國走上了錯誤的方向，還採取行動，將美國「轉折」回其建國之本。 18歲時，他甚至放棄了大學，創辦了「美國轉折點 Turning Point USA」，以期「轉折」美國。無論人們是否認同他所做的一切，他的努力和成就都值得所有人敬佩。

首先，查理·柯克將美國從自由主義轉向了保守主義，尤其是在年輕一代。 「思想會帶來後果」，正如作家理查德·韋弗在其著作《思想會帶來後果 Ideas have consequences》中所說。幾十年來，根植於馬克思主義的自由主義思想席捲大學校園，沒有遇見太多抵抗。如今的高等教育如同歌利亞，先前無人敢於如此公開地挑戰它。然而，一位年輕的「大衛」，沒有博士學位，甚至沒有大學學位，卻敢於直搗虎穴，用公開的辯論和對話，而非武力對抗，贏得了眾多年輕人的心。過去幾週，我們也意外地了解到，許多現任政府官員之所以能身居其位，正是因為查理的努力和鼓勵。上帝使用一位勇於奉獻、願意付出的年輕人，成為「轉折」美國命運的工具。這真是一項了不起的成就。

其次，查理·柯克將美國從個人主義轉向家庭。我們的孩子被誤導，將家庭視為個人成就的障礙。所以他們不想結婚生子。甚至許多牧師也將家庭視為他們事工的障礙；我曾經也是其中一位。我們的文化推崇那些創造大公司、大事工、大教堂的人。查理卻恰恰相反，他鼓勵年輕男女：「結婚、生育孩子、建立傳承、傳遞你的價值觀、追求永恆、尋求真實的喜樂。」 在「我世代」的文化中，這是多麼令人耳目一新的聲音啊！查理實踐了他的理念，珍惜家庭，並以此激勵和指導了許多年輕人。

令人悲傷和遺憾的是，許多教會「效法了世界」。我們以宣教的名義，忽略或犧牲了自己寶貴的家庭，尤其是我們的孩子。格雷格和索諾哈里斯在他們的著作《有宣教使命感的家庭》中說得好：

把孩子犧牲在宣教的祭壇上，無異於現代形式的摩洛崇拜，而這種崇拜至今仍為上帝所憎惡。家庭並非事工的障礙，而是事工的載體。

最重要的是，查理·柯克將美國從世俗主義帶回了建國之初的基督教信仰。正如大衛奉萬軍之耶和華的名與歌利亞搏鬥一樣，查理·柯克也以他的基督教信仰為基石。長期以來，包括美國在內的世界一直在公共場合宣判並慶祝「上帝已死」。許多教會被「政教分離」這個被誤解的術語所欺騙，最終放棄公共領域而屈服於世俗主義。查理·柯克在公共場合大膽地談論他的信仰，不僅冒犯了世俗世界，也冒犯了許多教會。

休士頓大學的一群政治學教授曾做過一項研究──探究美國政府是否有獨特之處。經過10年的研究，他們的結論是：94%的開國元勳引文都源自聖經。

如果基督教原則不能用在公共領域，那我們還有什麼其他原則可選擇呢？

奇妙的是，神藉著查理·柯克的追思會，將許多政府官員「轉折」為傳道人和傳福音的：在整個追思會中，福音被清晰地、反复地宣講，使追思會實際上成為了一場屬靈的復興聚會！

正是艾瑞卡親口說出的話語，將我們帶入福音的核心，並讓我們潸然淚下：

「我的丈夫查理，他想拯救像那位奪走他生命的年輕人……在十字架上，我們的救主說：『父啊，赦免他們，因為他們所做的，他們不曉得。』那個人——那個年輕人——我赦免他。我赦免他，因為這是基督所做的。這也是查理會做的。」

是的，在十字架上，愛戰勝了恨，復活戰勝了死亡！

查理·柯克跑完了他的路程——通過創立「美國轉折點」，他完成了「轉折」美國命運的使命並建立了灘頭堡。願查理·柯克的人生激勵我們，繼續「轉折」美國回歸真神的使命！讓我們像查理·柯克ㄧ樣對上帝說：

「我在這裡，請差遣我！」

I wrote my previous article (A Young Life That Has Awakened Us – Remember Charlie Kirk https://bit.ly/4mQK8Oy) the day Charlie Kirk was assassinated, to mourn his sudden death and to reflect upon how he had awakened us. In the past week and a half, especially from yesterday’s five-hour long memorial service, we have been given more insights into his life.

In his very short and young life, Charlie has indeed “turned” America around. He not only recognized that America has gone in the wrong direction but also took actions to “turn” America back to the principles she was founded upon. At the age of 18 he even let go of his pursuit of a college degree to start “Turning Point USA” in order to “turn” America around. Whether or not a person agrees with him on every aspect of what he did, his endeavors and achievements deserve everyone’s respect.

First, Charlie Kirk turned America from liberalism back to conservatism, especially among the young generation. “Ideas have consequences“, as author Richard Weaver stated by using those exact words as the title of his book. For decades liberal ideas rooted in Marxism have swept college campuses without resistance. Higher education is today’s Goliath that up until now no one dared to so publicly challenge, yet a young “David” without a PhD, without even a college degree, dared to come into the lions’ den to battle not with a physical weapon but with open debate and dialogue, winning many young hearts. In the past week we also learned surprisingly that many current government officials are in their positions because of Charlie’s work and encouragement. God used a young man who was simply willing and courageous enough to be an instrument to turn America around. That is quite an amazing achievement.

Second, Charlie Kirk turned America from individualism back to a focus on the family. Our children have been deceived into viewing the family as a hindrance to personal achievement. So they don’t want get married and have children. Even many pastors view the family as an obstacle to their ministries; I used to be one such pastor. Our culture glorifies those who build BIG companies, BIG ministries, BIG churches. Charlie, on the contrary, encouraged young men and women: “Get married. Have children. Build a  legacy. Pass down your values. Pursue the eternal. Seek true joy.” What a refreshing voice in a “ME ME ME” culture! And Charlie lived out what he preached, valuing his family, and as he did so, inspiring and mentoring many young men.

Sadly and unfortunately, many churches have gone along with the thinking of the world. In the name of missions, we have neglected or sacrificed our own precious families, especially our children. Gregg and Sono Harris said it well in their book, The Mission-Minded Family:

Sacrificing our children on the altar of missions is very close to a modern form of Molech worship, which God continues to abhor. The family is not an obstacle to ministry; it is a vehicle for ministry.

Most importantly, Charlie Kirk has turned America from secularism back to the Christian faith of her founding. Just as David fought Goliath in the name of the Lord, Charlie Kirk did so on the grounds of his Christian faith. For too long the world including America has declared and celebrated that “God is dead” in the public square. Many churches have been deceived by the incorrectly understood term “separation of church and state” and have abandoned themselves or surrendered to secularism. Charlie Kirk boldly spoke about his faith in the public square,  offending not only the secular world but also many churches. 

A group of political science professors at the University of Houston once did some research, wondering if there was anything unique about the U.S. government. After 10 years of research the conclusion was that 94% of all Founding Fathers’ quotes are of biblical origin. 

If Christian principles cannot be applied in the public square,  what other principles would we use?

Amazingly, God used the memorial service for Charlie Kirk to effectively “turn” many government officials into preachers and evangelists:  throughout the entire memorial service, the gospel was clearly and repeatedly proclaimed so that the time of remembrance actually became a spiritual revival meeting! In life and in death, Charlie Kirk embolded us to not be ashamed of the gospel in the public square.

It was Erika’s own words which brought us to the core of the gospel and to tears:

“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men just like the one who took his life…On the cross, our Savior said: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ That man—that young man—I forgive him. I forgive him because it’s what Christ did. And it’s what Charlie would do.”

Yes, on the cross LOVE has overcome hate, and resurrection has overcome death!

Charlie Kirk has completed his earthly journey. By founding “Turning Point USA“, he fulfilled his part of the mission to turn America around by establishing a beachhead. May Charlie Kirk’s life inspire us to continue the mission to transform America and return it to the one true God! Like Charlie Kirk, let us say to God:

“Here I am, send me!”