Youth Church Attendance Surges After Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

SAN ANGELO, TX — Young Americans are returning to church in significant numbers following the assassination of conservative Christian activist Charlie Kirk — a shift some are calling “the Charlie Kirk effect.”

Pastors and ministry leaders across multiple states report a notable rise in church attendance among college students and millennials in the weeks since Kirk, 31, was fatally shot Sept. 10 during a Q&A event at Utah Valley University.

The increase stands out against a backdrop of declining church participation nationwide. An estimated 15,000 U.S. churches are projected to close this year, according to ministry experts.

“There’s one church in Michigan that said a number of young adults who hadn’t been there in years showed back up,” said JP De Gance, founder of Communio, a ministry that partners with 400 churches. 

De Gance noted anecdotal increases in youth attendance across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Douglas County, Colorado.

San Angelo Stadium last week hosted thousands of students across the Concho Valley as part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Fields of Faith event.

Kirk, who co-founded Turning Point USA and its faith-based arm TPUSA Faith, was known for his outspoken Christian views and political activism. His death has prompted renewed spiritual reflection, particularly among young adults who had drifted from faith communities.

Social media has amplified the trend. Viral posts on platforms like TikTok and X show crowded parking lots and testimonials of young people returning to services. One user posted, “I had to park five blocks away from church because everyone wants to come now! Amen. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Charlie.”

National data shows long-term declines in organized religion. Only 20% of Americans attend church weekly, down from 32% in 2000, according to Gallup. Yet millennials are showing renewed interest: 39% now attend weekly, up from 21% in 2019, Barna’s State of the Church report found.

De Gance encouraged churches to build on the momentum. “I think [Kirk’s death] causes people to ask, ‘What am I living for right now?’” he said. “The opportunity is now.”