Stephen and Allison Pope sat down with the Permian Press to discuss their plans to begin a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) Faith program in Midland. The conversation outlined the program, its importance, and the legacy of Charlie Kirk.

TPUSA Faith Midlands’ first meeting will be held on Thursday, Nov. 13, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Midland Bible Church, and all are welcome to join. “We are excited to start the Midland branch of TPUSA Faith because we are eager to push back against the lies of our surrounding culture and speak the truth of scripture to those who profess to follow Jesus Christ,” the Popes said. Watch for other developments and future events on their Instagram page.

Motivation for launching TPUSA Faith in Midland

The Popes said that in recent years, they have grown increasingly concerned about anti-biblical progressivism in the church. “Even right here in what many believe to be a conservative Christian bubble,” the Popes said of Midland.

“Some of our local churches promote ‘people of all genders and sexual orientations’ in church leadership, and others have a church pledge to dismantle ‘white supremacy’ and ‘other oppressions’ in our institutions. We find this concerning, given that Christians are called to be salt and light. To influence culture rather than be influenced by culture.”

They noted that scripture is clear on issues such as gender and the sanctity of life. They added that pastors who avoid teaching what the Bible says on these subjects are doing a disservice to their congregants. “Worse yet, churches that support what God hates have been infiltrated by the lies of Satan,” they said.

They said they began listening to conservative podcasts in 2020. While they found voices who shared their political views, few shared their biblical worldview. “All of our conservative perspectives stem from our foundation of a biblical worldview, not the other way around,” the Popes said.

Allison recalled Stephen coming across clips of Charlie Kirk about a year ago and telling her, “I think we finally found the voice we’ve been looking for.” To many, Charlie was known as a conservative political activist, but they said he was first and foremost a Christian. In late 2024 at Calvary Tucson, he said, “The most important thing that we can do is to bring people to Jesus Christ.”

Structure and purpose of the Midland chapter

The chapter plans to meet monthly at various churches. TPUSA Faith provides a video series for those involved to watch and discuss. “We are given lots of freedom to have meeting agendas look like whatever is needed right here in Midland,” they said.

They also plan to form subcommittees focused on apologetics, activism, or community building. “We may have book clubs on pertinent topics, revival tents set up at community events, or any other number of initiatives,” the Popes said. “It all depends on the Holy Spirit’s leading based upon the passions, interests, and talents of the people who join TPUSA Faith Midland.”

They are gathering an advisory council of pastors who agree to TPUSA Faith’s vision of uniting congregations around core doctrine and resisting anti-biblical progressive ideologies in Midland churches.

One of their primary goals is to unify various local congregations around the core doctrine. They plan to rotate churches for their monthly meetings. “TPUSA Faith Midland is intended to be a unification of the broader church, bringing multiple congregations together to fight the good fight of the faith,” they said.

Vision and goals for Midland’s faith community

The two-pronged approach, as described by TPUSA Faith, is to “unite the church around primary doctrine and to eliminate wokeism from the American pulpit.” Primary doctrine includes belief in the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, His crucifixion and resurrection, and salvation through Him alone. They said unity on these core beliefs provides room for various denominations while remaining anchored in shared faith.

They said unity on foundational doctrine must come before addressing cultural issues such as homosexuality, transgenderism, and abortion. Once that foundation is established, they hope to equip Midlanders to have conversations rooted in scripture.

They pushed back against the idea that the church should avoid issues affecting public life. “Everyone brings their worldview to the voting booth, and all laws are based on someone’s morality. The only question is: whose morality?” they said.

In late 2024, Charlie Kirk stated that Christians must be active rather than passive. “If we are serious about fighting for the unborn, if we are serious about honoring God, we as Christians must no longer be spectators but instead must be participants in taking back this country.” He added, “The Gospel is controversial. The Bible is controversial. You go to church to get saved, not to get affirmed.”

The Pope’s also referenced Allie Beth Stuckey’s message that politics has increasingly crossed into theological ground. “It’s not that our theology as Christians has become political. It’s that politics has become theological,” she said. “When a pastor says, ‘I don’t want to talk about gender. I don’t want to talk about abortion.’ It’s not the politics you’re scared of, it’s the Bible you’re ashamed of.”

They said they hope to encourage pastors to preach scripture clearly and boldly, and to equip Midlanders to guard against cultural confusion. Stephen Pope said, “Our vision is to ignite a God-centered revival across America, starting right here in Midland, Texas.”