When Tragedy Strikes By A CHEA Homeschooler

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When Tragedy Strikes: 6 Ways to Disciple Your Children After an Unexpected Death
by Nathan Pierce *
Family Protection Ministries (FPM)
Sep 22, 2025

The assassination of Charlie Kirk has left many Christians stunned, grieving, and searching for how to respond. For homeschooling parents, this moment is more than just another news headline. It is an opportunity — even in sorrow — to guide our children in seeing the world through the lens of God’s Word.

Charlie Kirk was a young man used mightily by God. Though not a pastor, he boldly defended biblical truth in public spaces, engaging respectfully yet firmly on moral and cultural issues like life, sexuality, and faith. His sudden death is a stark reminder of the brokenness of our world. But it is also a reminder that God is sovereign, Christ is victorious, and we as parents have the privilege of discipling our children to stand firm in such a time as this.

Maybe your family has also experienced the sudden and seemingly senseless death of a loved one. No matter how it happens, there are practical steps to walk through it as a family.

1. Teach Your Children to See God’s Sovereignty
Psalm 139:16 declares that all our days were written in God’s book before one of them came to be. Charlie’s life ended shockingly to us — but not to the Lord. Nothing is random, not a fatal accident or heart attack, or even an assassin’s bullet.

Remind your children: God knows all things. He is not surprised, confused, or powerless. This brings deep comfort in a chaotic world. We can anchor our families in the truth that “our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases” (Psalm 115:3).

2. Affirm Christ’s Victory Over Death
We must always remember the important truth: Charlie Kirk is not dead. He lives. For the Christian, death is not defeat but entrance into eternal life with Christ.

Teach your children this glorious truth: Jesus conquered the grave. Because He lives, all who trust in Him live also (John 11:25–26). This doesn’t erase grief, but it transforms it into hope-filled sorrow. Christians simply “leave the land of the dying for the land of the living,” and that truth steadies us as we face life’s uncertainties.

3. Help Children Recognize the Reality of Evil
It is right to grieve. It is even right to feel righteous anger. Evil is real. Yet, as Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, our ultimate battle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of darkness.

This is an important teaching moment: political opponents, activists, even those who commit violence, are not our ultimate enemies. They are image-bearers of God, trapped in sin, in need of redemption. The true enemy is Satan, and the true battle is spiritual. Our children need to see this clearly so that their hearts do not harden into bitterness or fear.

4. Inspire Boldness Through Charlie’s Example
Charlie Kirk was only 31. He did not pursue formal education after high school, yet he courageously took his convictions onto college campuses, engaging thousands with gentleness and patience. He endured hostility with calmness and often turned cultural debates toward the gospel.

Strong Christian examples should inspire us and our children. Homeschooling gives us the unique opportunity to model and teach conviction: to stand for truth even when unpopular, to speak with kindness even when opposed, to shine light even when darkness presses hard.

Encourage your children with this challenge: Will you be faithful to Christ when it costs you something?

5. Keep Christ Central
In moments like this, it is easy to confuse political causes with eternal hope. Charlie himself admitted that his convictions were formed not by the Constitution but by Scripture. Charlie was not called to be a pastor, but he was faithful to always speak the truth in his sphere — and was ”not ashamed of the Gospel” (Romans 1:16).

As homeschool parents, we must continually remind our children that while political engagement and cultural influence matter, our ultimate mission is not to make America great, but to make Christ known. Everything else flows from that center.

6. Practical Steps for Parents
Pray as a family for Charlie’s wife and children, for wisdom in our nation, and for boldness in the church.

Use Scripture (Ephesians 6, Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 15) as your guide when discussing this tragedy.

Discuss current events in light of God’s Word, showing your children how to think biblically about the world.

Encourage compassionate dialogue — firm in conviction, gentle in speech.

Model courage and diligence in your own life, letting your children see faith in action.

Conclusion: Seizing the Teaching Moment
Homeschooling parents, you have a unique opportunity. In times of national grief, fear, or anger, the world looks for answers. Your children are looking to you.

Take this moment to anchor them in God’s sovereignty, remind them of Christ’s victory, teach them the reality of spiritual battle, inspire them with examples of biblical courage, and keep Christ and His Gospel central in all things.

God is at work — even in trouble. Let us be found faithful, joining Him in what He is doing, so that we too may be used by God for His glory and for the good of the next generation.

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*Nathan Pierce began working at Family Protection Ministries (FPM) in 2002 to protect private homeschooling in California. As a homeschool graduate, he received a B.A. in Political Studies from The Master's University. He serves as Director and Legislative Liaison for FPM and works behind the scenes at the State Capitol to advocate on behalf of homeschoolers. He and his wife, Betsy, homeschool their own eight children.