By Samuel Rodriguez, CP Contributor Friday, September 19, 2025 | Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesEvangelicals do not believe in canonizing saints. We hold firmly that salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone. No one can be elevated “above” another based on works accomplished in this world.And yet, every so often, history reveals a figure whose life seems to rise above the ordinary. Someone who speaks with bold conviction to further the advancement of the Gospel. If there were ever an exception to the rule, if ever a man or woman of faith lived in such a way that their life echoed the very cadence of the Kingdom, it would be Charlie Kirk. Throughout history, God has raised up imperfect yet extraordinary men and women who carried the flame of revival. A light in the darkness of their generation.Think of Jonathan Edwards, whose sermons sparked the Great Awakening, and George Whitefield, whose voice thundered across the country and helped develop an American spiritual identity, long before the emergence of a political one. Think of Billy Graham, who became a household name, not for his own glory but for relentlessly pointing millions to the cross of Christ.These leaders never asked for sainthood, but their devotion and uncompromising proclamation of truth left a legacy and true Kingdom impact here on this earth.The question is not whether we should call them saints. The question is whether we will heed the same Spirit that compelled them to stand, preach, pray, and believe for the impossible. America does not need canonized figures; America needs consecrated believers. We do not need saints on pedestals; we need servants on their knees.None of these leaders asked for sainthood. None sought applause. They simply yielded. They surrendered to the Spirit’s fire, and in doing so became vessels God used to alter history.Charlie Kirk joined that chorus. His life, his voice, his relentless drive to call a generation back to God were not born of ambition but of consecration. He stood where others bowed. He proclaimed truth where others stayed silent. He reminded us that spiritual courage is not optional in an age of moral compromise. It is essential.What makes Charlie’s witness remarkable is not perfection — no one is without sin. It is courage. In a season when our nation trembles with division, when hostility silences truth and fear shackles conviction, Charlie dared to speak boldly. He dared to lift high the name of Jesus in public squares where faith was often ridiculed. He dared to live in a way that declared to young and old alike: God is not finished with America.Charlie’s passion was not for power, but rather to see people set free by the truth of Christ. His tears in prayer, his fire in debate, his uncompromising defense of life, liberty, and faith — all were expressions of a heart captured by the Gospel.His life teaches us that America’s true hope does not rest in Washington, Hollywood, or Wall Street. Our hope rests in Christ alone and in His Church, which refuses to bow to the idols of the age. His story is not about sainthood; it is about surrender, and surrender is the invitation extended to each of us.The Scriptures tell us that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Charlie answered the call of his generation, choosing the narrow path, the harder way, the road less traveled. And in doing so, he became a voice of awakening.There is no question about whether we should or will canonize Charlie Kirk. We will not. Rather, will we continue the work? Will we rise in his footsteps? Will we believe in the impossible? Will we surrender our own ambitions, reputations, and comforts to carry the Gospel into the heart of a nation in crisis?History may one day describe Charlie as one of the closest things Evangelicalism has ever had to a “saint.” But what matters more is whether history will look back on us — the Church of this generation — and find that we, too, rose with courage, lived with conviction, and dared to usher in the revival this nation craves.Rev. Samuel Rodriguez is the lead pastor of New Season, one of America’s most influential megachurches, and president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), which represents millions of Christians worldwide. Rodriguez has advised three U.S. Presidents and is the first Latino to participate in multiple presidential inauguration ceremonies. He is also a best-selling author of 12 books and serves as producer of 7 faith-based films including Breakthrough, Flamin Hot, and Dream King.Rev. Rodriguez has been recognized by CNN, Fox News, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Univision, Telemundo, and NBC as America’s most influential Hispanic Christian leader. Above all, he is dedicated to magnifying the name of Jesus through every aspect of his ministry and life, giving God all the glory for his influence and impact.
Is Charlie Kirk the first American Evangelical saint?
