Liberty’s Freedom Uncensored event inspires the next generation to reclaim America for Christ

Dozens of Christian and conservative influencers converged on Liberty University’s campus Oct. 23-24 for the Standing for Freedom Center’s fifth annual Freedom Uncensored conference, where they encouraged and equipped the next generation to strengthen the Church and defend life, liberty, and truth.

The event welcomed over 1,000 guests on Friday and Saturday inside Liberty’s newest campus building, The Champion Center, and featured keynotes from some of the nation’s most influential conservative voices, including CEO of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) and Liberty alumna Erika Kirk (’19), former neurosurgeon and presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson, Daily Wire personality Isabel Brown, women’s advocate and former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, former Virginia Del. Nick Freitas, and many other notable guests.

“Seven years ago, Charlie Kirk came to Liberty with a vision to start what would become the Standing for Freedom Center,” Executive Director Ryan Helfenbein said in his opening remarks on Friday evening. “He said ‘we must defend the Christian heritage and the institutions that gave birth to America.’ Christianity is the key irreplaceable element. If we lose Christianity, America is lost.”

Charlie Kirk, the founder of TPUSA, was assassinated on Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking to students at Utah Valley University. He was a regular Convocation speaker at Liberty and developed a close relationship with the university, laying the groundwork for the center.

“Charlie wanted (Gen Z) to know that if you would pursue faith in Christ, if you would not give in to the siren song of the left, if you would reject the black-pill mindset that all hope is lost … if you would choose truth over lies, gratitude over grievance, courage over cowardice, and responsibility over apathy, then you could be the generation that leads America into the greatest renewal of the century,” Helfenbein added.

Main sessions were held in The Champion Center Ballroom, with breakout sessions and a meet-and-greet hosted in the new Flames Theater and the adjacent Hancock Welcome Center.

During Friday evening’s session, Helfenbein sat down with Erika Kirk for a Q&A. She reflected on the importance of Liberty University to her and her late husband, sharing memories of exploring campus together, playing basketball, throwing a football inside Williams Stadium, and walking the grounds.

She also discussed Charlie Kirk’s influential leadership at TPUSA, his deep appreciation for Liberty, and the qualities that made him a devoted leader, father, husband, and stalwart Christian leader.

“He inspired me to be the best version of myself so I could be the best wife for him,” Erika Kirk said.

“(Liberty) makes sure that you have Christ in the center of everything, but then also woven into everything,” she added, noting that Liberty’s semiweekly Convocation gatherings are one of the best ways students can develop their faith. “All of your curriculum always incorporates Scripture. You are really so blessed to be exposed to so many different voices. So, what I think sets you apart is that you guys really do have an opportunity to sharpen each other.”

Following the Q&A, Liberty President Dondi E. Costin presented Erika Kirk with an honorary doctorate of humanities, the same honor her late husband received in 2019 when he spoke at the university’s Commencement.

Isabel Brown, who has spoken at the past three Freedom Uncensored events, encouraged Gen Z attendees to let their Christian convictions guide their voting decisions.

“A society is made up of people, families, communities, churches, schools, friendships, tradition, and the shared commitments that allow all of us to live together, despite our differences, united in our identity as one nation under God,” she said. “And when those institutions begin to disintegrate in a culture of lukewarm, noncommittal Christianity, no election alone could ever begin to restore them.”

Freedom Uncensored concluded with a gala in the Montview Student Union, Alumni Ballroom, with keynotes from Carson and author and President of WallBuilders Tim Barton.

Carson rose to prominence in 1987 by leading the first successful separation of occipital craniopagus conjoined twins (twins joined at the back of the head). During his remarks, he spoke about a movement where secular leftists are actively seeking to fundamentally change the United States into a “Marxist utopia.”

“Before 1776, before the beginning of the rise of America, the vast majority of the world lived in dire poverty,” said Carson, who served as the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017-21 after his presidential run in 2016. “But this country, with its belief (in a) capitalist society … has raised the standard of living not only in this country but in other countries around the world. And what leftists try to do is to convince people that you’re worse off.”

The Standing for Freedom Center exists to preserve the Christian faith and defend America’s Constitution and honor the founding ideals that inspired the Founding Fathers to create the greatest nation on earth.

In addition to hosting its signature Freedom Uncensored event each fall, the center brings 1,000 Liberty students to Washington, D.C., each January to participate in the National March for Life, the largest pro-life demonstration in the country. The center also regularly publishes articles on its website addressing cultural issues from a biblical worldview. Its Theology of Politics publications reach readers nationwide, and the center’s podcast, “Give Me Liberty with Ryan Helfenbein,” is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

The Freedom Center engages Liberty students through its Freedom Center Society, which hosts weekly meetings, volunteer opportunities, and learning sessions. Learn more at Standingforfreedom.com.