Forging Faith: Bible Sales Surge After Charlie Kirk's Death

The weeks since Charlie Kirk's assassination have seen a groundswell in faith-based activities, speaking to the strong Christian legacy Kirk leaves behind. The latest example is a surge in Bible sales. The Wall Street Journal and Breitbart reported Bible sales in the U.S. rose 36% annually in September, the month Kirk was killed. In addition, average monthly Bible sales jumped by nearly one-million after Kirk's death on Sept. 10 compared with before that date

These numbers are no coincidence, according to Christian Collins, founder of Texas Youth Summit. "Not just an increase in Bible sales, but there's been a 15-percent increase in church attendance, and that is a credit to Charlie Kirk," says Collins. "He had a really profound legacy during his life of just 31 years, but the legacy he is leaving after he's passed away is even more profound."

That legacy also includes hundreds of applications for new chapters of Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded and now led by his widow, Erica. Some conservatives believe Kirk's death has unleashed an "army of Charlie Kirks" to carry out his vision. Collins has seen a similar phenomenon with his Texas Youth Summit participants. "For young people, Charlie made it cool to be a social conservative, and he made it cool to want to be a Christian," says Collins.

While Kirk's post-death influence is just beginning to be felt, Collins says it is already clear that Kirk was more than an activist, influencer, or even leader. "He really was a Christian martyr," he tells KTRH.

"They wanted to silence Charlie for a reason, because he was so effective," Collins continues. "And they didn't kill him because he was expressing his ideas, they killed him because our young people were listening."