Coral Ridge Ministries' Rob Pacienza Remembers Conservative Icon Charlie Kirk
(FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA) — As much of the nation mourns the tragic assassination of Conservative icon Charlie Kirk, Rob Pacienza, the Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and the CEO/President of Coral Ridge Ministries, is remembering his friend and calling on America to turn back to God.
Appearing this morning on Newsmax TV’s “Wake Up America,” Dr. Pacienza said: "The man that everybody saw on television, the man that they saw on the stage, was the same man in the green room and behind the scenes openly welcoming his children and his family backstage. He was a family man, he was a man devoted to his wife, to his children. Most importantly, a man that was devoted to his God. He lived out his faith, not only in public, but in private.”
In a statement to Coral Ridge Ministries supporters last night, Dr. Pacienza wrote: "We are grieving tonight over the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk. Charlie was not only a courageous public voice but also a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, a faithful husband to Erika, and a loving father to their two children. His recent reminder that 'Jesus defeated death so that we can live' now carries an even deeper weight. As believers, we mourn, but not as those without hope. Christ has conquered the grave, and because of Him, death does not have the final word. Still, our hearts break for Erika and the children, and we lift them before the Lord, asking for His comfort and peace. Please join me in prayer for the Kirk family and for our nation, so desperately in need of healing and revival."
Charlie Kirk was a courageous voice in this cultural moment, and his assassination is another tragic event that forces us to confront the sickness in our society.
"This tragedy reminds us of the brokenness of this world but also the importance of claiming the Lord’s sovereignty over this nation and also our lives," says Dr. Pacienza. "We need to pray for the opportunity the Church in America has to bring real hope and comfort to those who are grieving, disillusioned, and fearful. This is an opportunity for the Church to bear faithful witness with courage and grace."
Adds Dr. Pacienza: "Violence flows from hearts estranged from God. Lord, heal our land. Another life taken by senseless violence. Another family shattered. Unless our society turns to God, we will continue to see a harvest of despair and death."
Dr. Pacienza is scheduled to discuss the tragic loss of Charlie Kirk on FOX LiveNOW tomorrow - Friday, September 12 - at 8:00 a.m. EST.
About Rob Pacienza: Dr. Robert J. Pacienza is the Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (Fort Lauderdale, FL), the CEO/President of Coral Ridge Ministries, and the Founder of the Institute for Faith and Culture.
He serves on the General Council of the Gospel Reformation Network, serves as Board Member for National Religious Broadcasters, and is a contributor to WORLD Opinions and The Washington Times.
Rob is a graduate of Samford University (B.A. ’03), Knox Theological Seminary (M.Div. ’12), and Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia (D.Min. ’23). His doctorate project was entitled, This Is My Father’s World: A Vision for Equipping Culture-Shaping Christians. Rob is married to Jennifer and they have three children – Preston, Lydia, and Lilianne.
