Turning Point USA founder and CEO Charlie Kirk recently denounced American seminaries at an event held at Influence Church in Anaheim Hills, California. In his remarks, Kirk referred to institutions where pastors have traditionally received theological training for ministry as “one of the most destructive influences on American Christian life.”
The event, titled “Freedom Night in America,” took place on Thursday, March 14, and was livestreamed to Influence Church’s Facebook. Influence Church pastor Phil Hotsenpiller sat alongside Kirk onstage and interviewed him.
During the conversation, Kirk and Hotsenpiller spoke about issues of gender identity and sexuality, and Kirk expressed that he is “underwhelmed and disappointed at the silence of the American church on this topic.”
“The American church has been so cowardly…but this is the easiest win for the church to engage in,” Kirk added, going on to claim that Georgia pastor Andy Stanley hosts “trans witch doctors” in the pulpit of his church. It is unclear exactly what event Kirk was referring to.
Kirk then expressed his distaste for American universities, which he believes are largely responsible for the advancement of the LGBTQ+ movement, particularly when it comes to gender identity issues.
“Outside of going to Hillsdale College or Liberty University, I don’t see a reason to send your precious loved one to college,” said Kirk, who dropped out of junior college without earning a degree but later received an honorary doctorate from Liberty University.
Kirk went on to say that general managers of Walmart stores make “between $350,000 to $450,000 a year” but that parents would rather their children spend their time “studying North African lesbian poetry at UCLA.”
Later, Kirk and Hotsenpiller fielded questions from attendees. One questioner, who approached the mic wearing a camouflage hat emblazoned with “Trump 2024,” asked how Christians can keep their churches from “sitting on the fence” when it comes to political issues, something he characterized as a “sin of omission.”
Hotsenpiller said that Christians should pray for their pastors, many of whom he claimed “don’t know the word of God.” Hotsenpiller added, “Don’t pray for Christians; pray for pastors. Pray that they either get right or get dead.”
Kirk added that Christians should “support and pray for the good pastors” like Hotsenpiller, Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, and John Randall of Calvary Chapel South OC.
“And then for the bad pastors,” Kirk went on to say, “confront them lovingly, and if they don’t [change], tell them to go become an insurance salesman or something, right? It’s like, leave the ministry.”
“The modern American pastor has the testosterone rate like hovering around like 180, which by the way is like lower than most women,” Kirk continued. “Estrogen levels that are through the roof. They usually have lisp.”
