““When people stop talking, really bad stuff starts. When marriages stop talking, divorce happens. When civilizations stop talking, civil war ensues. When you stop having a human connection with someone you disagree with, it becomes a lot easier to want to commit violence against that group. What we as a culture have to get back to is being able to have reasonable disagreement – where violence is not an option.””
You may be wondering how our team is doing in the midst of a tumultuous year where we’ve seen more vandalism than in previous years and where we’ve watched, along with you, a shocking succession of murders unfold over the past few weeks, including the assassination of Charlie Kirk in the midst of a college campus free speech event. Our team gathered that night to pray for Charlie’s family, for college students, for protection over our work that likewise seeks to create dialogue with those who disagree, and to entrust ourselves to God.
JFA Intern Martha (left) creates dialogue at University of Kansas on September 10, 2025.
Our team continues to be eager to engage on campus and reports that our recent events (see below) have been very busy and active, with many people stopping and willing to engage. Our trainer Jeremy Gorr shared a quote from Charlie Kirk (right) at our online Love3 training event shortly after the murder. I think it captures an important part of why we do our work.
I also want you to read an excellent reflection from JFA’s Director of Community Engagement, Jon Wagner. You can read an excerpt below or read the whole reflection by clicking here. Thank you for praying for us and for supporting JFA’s work financially. We can’t do this without you.
“Prayer and Encouragement in the Midst of Grieving” (Excerpt)
Jon Wagner, JFA Director of Community Engagement
I’ll always remember where I was when I heard of the shot that took Charlie Kirk’s life at Utah Valley University. In between phone calls for setting up Justice For All speaking and outreach events, I was dropping off donations for our local pregnancy help ministry when one of the staff members alerted me...
As I reflected, I thought of the tens of thousands of people who have engaged our JFA team in dialogue or observed our displays. I am praying they each have a caring friend to process with during this trying time. I am praying they are encountering Christ and flourishing. I pray for our many thousands of seminar trainees, presentation participants, and volunteers to maximize their impact during this critical time – that now more than ever they would heed James 1:19 and be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger...
“My prayer is that this horrific injustice, this critical cultural moment would open doors for dialogue, forgiveness, and understanding in our communities, especially with those who oppose us most firmly. ”
Even as some opponents of Charlie publicly praised the horrific act, most condemned it as evil. Pro-life and pro-choice, conservative and liberal, various political parties united against this horrific act against a man and organization...
How do we grieve in a godly manner? I suggest we should refrain from either immortalizing or demonizing Kirk. Kirk himself would want us to focus on Christ rather than himself. Even most of Kirk’s opponents refuse to demonize him. Instead, can we unite against violence, unite for free speech, and unite in seeing the image of God in each other? Let us resolve to dialogue with, respect, and befriend others even if we don’t agree...
Kirk prioritized those with whom he disagreed, listened carefully, and stayed on point. He countered ideas much more than people. He was an earnest defender of the preborn... He challenged bad thinking, challenged young men, shared his faith in Christ unapologetically, and engaged culture.
Did you agree with much of Charlie’s worldview? You have an opportunity to grieve with those who are like minded, but you also have an opportunity to love those who are confused that a person they despised is being celebrated – by hearing their concerns and committing to healthy dialogue. Did you disagree with much of Kirk’s worldview, strategies, or his event optics? You have an opportunity to unite in grief and prayer for Charlie’s family and friends, to affirm the importance of free speech, to unite against violence, and to also commit to listening to those with whom you disagree...
Read Jon’s Entire Reflection, including specific prayers by clicking here.
Recent and Upcoming Events
8/26-27 Surveys at CO Colleges (Various, CO)
9/10 University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS)
9/11 Univ. of Missouri at Kansas City (MO)
9/15-16 Indiana University (Bloomington, IN)
9/22-24 Colorado State Univ. (Fort Collins)
10/13 UCSD (San Diego, CA)
10/14-15 Grossmont College (El Cajon, CA)
11/3-4 Kansas State Univ. (Manhattan, KS)
More Upcoming Events and Details: jfaweb.org/calendar
More Recent Events: jfaweb.org/impact-quick-look