Turning Point USA (TPUSA) under Charlie Kirk has long presented itself as a defender of conservative values, but a closer examination reveals a troubling trajectory—one that increasingly waters down Christianity and dilutes the Gospel. TPUSA isn’t just a political movement, it’s marketed as a Christian movement with an entire branch of the organization dedicated to “faith.” Yet, time and time again, TPUSA has demonstrated not just a serious lack of discernment, but active promotion of that which dilutes and perverts the gospel.
In a previous article, we described TPUSA as a “gateway drug to liberalism” within the conservative movement. By platforming and promoting active and open, practicing homosexuals, TPUSA has abandoned the objective moral standards set by God, turning conservatism into a self-serving ideology. This isn’t conservatism that honors God—it’s a movement seeking broader appeal by compromising essential truths.
Most recently, we have the “Believers’ Summit” being put on by TPUSA Faith. The name itself suggests a gathering of believing Christians committed to standing firm in their beliefs. Yet, among the speakers invited is James Lindsay, a self-professed atheist turned agnostic. What place does an atheist have in preaching at a summit ostensibly designed for believers?
This alone exposes the hollow core of TPUSA’s so-called Christian conservatism. Kirk defends Lindsay’s presence by pointing to his “insights” against “woke” ideologies, but this justification rings hollow. It reveals a willingness to sacrifice theological integrity for political expediency. This isn’t Christian, it’s Christless conservatism.
Lindsay’s invitation is symptomatic of a broader issue within TPUSA—an organization that frequently compromises on essential Christian doctrines. At a previous TPUSA Faith Pastors Summit, Che’Ahn, a leader from the New Apostolic Reformation, made heretical statements about the Trinity, declaring the Bible as the third member of the Trinity to the exclusion of the Holy Spirit. This heresy went unchallenged by TPUSA.
Other false teachers invited to speak at the event are well-known prosperity gospel charlatan, Jentizen Franklin, faux pseudo-historian, David Barton, and several others who’ve exchanged the gospel for politics. Unfortunately, it’s sad to see some otherwise good faces mixed in with such people.
This kind of pragmatism—uniting with atheists, false teachers, and those who dilute the Gospel for political purposes—reflects a movement that is devoid of any real faith. God does not need an alliance of such people in order to carry out His purpose. The integrity of the gospel should never be compromised for the sake of political gain or broader appeal. All of this betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be conservative and Christian. True conservatism is about conserving the moral and spiritual truths revealed by God, not diluting them to fit a broader, more palatable agenda.
The compromise isn’t limited to TPUSA—it reflects a dismal state within much of the professing Church today. Many churches that claim to be conservative are quick to align themselves with such movements. This alliance with a Christless conservative movement is troubling—the gospel is sidelined in favor of a broader cultural influence. But let it be known that God is not going to restore America through a false gospel or a false Jesus nor is he going to restore it through the faithless toiling of unbelieving men. The restoration of any nation depends on complete and total surrender to God.
The bottom line is that Charlie Kirk and TPUSA are marketing these events as Christian gatherings, calling them “Believers’ Summits,” yet plastering atheists and other compromisers on the roster. If this were merely political in nature, not branded as “Christian,” it might get a pass. But this misrepresentation of God and the Church is not just misleading—it’s dangerous. It gives the appearance of godliness—a robust Christian conservatism—while fundamentally undermining it from within. The Church must recognize this deception and stand firm against such compromises and those true believers who may be aligning themselves with it are commanded to depart.
The Apostle Paul captures this kind of movement succinctly, stating:
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. —2 Timothy 3:5-7
How true of TPUSA? Just watch Charlie Kirk try to reconcile the LGBTQ movement with conservatism in this clip:
TPUSA exemplifies a Christless conservatism that compromises the Gospel for political expediency. Its willingness to platform atheists and false teachers at events marketed as Christian reveals a deep-seated problem within the movement. The professing Church must discern these issues and refuse to align with such compromised ideologies. True restoration and cultural influence will only come through unwavering allegiance to Christ, not through atheistic false teacher summits branded as Christian conservatism.
