Mariposa couple launch Bible providing effort in memory of Charlie Kirk

A Mariposa couple has launched a faith-based effort to provide free Bibles to anyone who wants or needs one, saying the ministry grew from a simple Facebook post made in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination a little over a year ago.

Adam and Marissa Plares said the effort, called Arming the Kingdom, began when Marissa offered to buy a Bible for anyone seeking one after Kirk’s death prompted renewed conversations about faith among people they knew.

“People reached out,” the couple said in announcing the launch on social media. “What began as a simple act of faith planted the seed for something more.”

The Plareses formally announced Arming the Kingdom on the anniversary of Kirk’s assassination last week, describing the project as a local ministry with a straightforward mission: to place the Word of God into the hands of people who request it, at no cost and with no conditions attached.

Kirk, 31, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The killing drew national attention and renewed public discussion about political violence, public safety and the tenor of civic debate.

For Adam and Marissa Plares, the response was personal and spiritual. They said they saw people turning toward Christianity after Kirk’s death and wanted to make sure cost would not keep anyone from having a Bible of their own.

“If you want a Bible, we want to help put one in your hands,” the couple said.

The name Arming the Kingdom reflects the Bible verse Ephesians 6:17: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The couple has adopted the phrase “Advancing the Kingdom by Arming the Saints” to describe the effort.

For now, the Plareses said they are funding the project themselves and starting in their home community. Their long-term hope is to grow Arming the Kingdom into a nonprofit capable of reaching people outside Mariposa County.

They acknowledged they do not yet know how large the effort will become but said they are moving ahead as an act of faith and trusting God to provide, open doors and guide the work.

The couple is inviting people who need a Bible, know someone who does or want to help supply Bibles to reach out to them at the email address below.

“Every Bible placed in someone’s hands is an opportunity for that person to encounter the truth of God’s Word and the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” they said. “And if even one person comes to Christ through this ministry, then every Bible, every dollar and every effort will have been worth it.”

To contact them, email ArmingTheKingdom@gmail.com.