The nation continues to grapple with the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s murder. Kirk, a conservative Christian father and husband, was assassinated by a gunman last week while hosting a college campus talk at Utah Valley University. Kirk’s Christian faith was a particularly prominent feature of his campus discussions, leaving many Christians leaning on their faith as they grapple with Kirk’s death.

Despite the devastation, however, a number of churches have reported an increase in church attendance following Kirk’s death. Not The Bee, the news site in partnership with the Christian satire site, Babylon Bee, highlighted several posts on social media of people attending church for the first time. “Google searches for “church” are the highest in 12 months. We are going to win,” wrote one user.  “Significant boost in millennials and zoomers at church today. Hoping it sticks,” wrote Presbytery Inn. Many attended after years of being out of church. “We did it fam. Went to church for the first time in more years than I can remember. Feels good man,” wrote another user. “I just came back from church for the first time in 9 years. It was a Christian church that “bathes” in God’s word every Sunday. This is my church! I have so much to process, and have so much to share. More to come…CURRENT: Bathing in the blessings of the Lord for this day!” said MAGA Scotty. Even Robert Kennedy Jr.’s family has been impacted as he noted that his 17-year-old niece packed a Bible in her suitcase. “She said, “I want to live like Charlie Kirk,” Kennedy told a crowd at the Kennedy Center during a prayer vigil following Kirk’s murder.

Referred to as the “Charlie Kirk Effect,” a number of Catholic churches on universities also reported increased attendance. “I have not talked to anyone who has not seen an increase in Mass attendance. Some schools are reporting increases of 15%,” said Matt Zerrusen, co-founder of Catholic non-profit Newman Ministry. Many are attending as Kirk’s death has led them to grapple with some tough questions. “So many people are asking ‘What do I do?’ What is evil? How does God allow this? They are asking so many basic questions,” said Zerrusen.

Allie Beth Stuckey, a close friend of Kirk’s, shared a message she’d received from someone who read their Bible for the first time in a year and was planning to be baptized. “Have seen thousands of similar messages and comments across the internet,” she wrote. “Let the demons hiss, let the enemy do his best. God is using all of it—even the evil, the darkness—for His glory. This is our moment, Christians, to show a dying world what courage, clarity, strength, and hope look like. Don’t shrink back.”