Charlie Kirk Assassination
I know many of you, including myself, are deeply disturbed and sickened by yesterday’s assassination of Charlie Kirk. The overwhelming sadness, heartbreak and sense of hopelessness is palpable. I have spoken to many of you over text messages, phone calls and some even dropped in for prayers yesterday. We are all trying to process in real time at a very deep level this senseless act and what it means.
Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the Kirk Family. I’m calling on you, Journey church, to please pray for his wife Erika, who lost her husband, and their two children, who lost their father. Regardless of your political or ideological thoughts and positions, this type of violence is reprehensible, inexcusable, and pure evil. I believe this with everything I am: no act of violence like this is in any way condoned morally, ethically, and scripturally. This is not the way of Jesus! In fact, it disgusts me to think some are actually celebrating this type of violence.
Many of you will process this in different ways. For some it's going to be anger, for others fear, for others insecurity. And for some, you won't know what to think or what to believe. The Bible tells us that we “do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13b) We have a hope, and this hope, the author of Hebrews tells us, is an anchor for our souls! This hope has a name, and His name is Jesus Christ.
Charlie knew Jesus and was bold and unashamedly outspoken about his faith. In fact, less than two weeks ago he posted, “it’s all about Jesus” on his social media site, which many professional athletes re-posted onto theirs. I know without a doubt, Charlie is now standing in front of His Lord, full of joy, praising his savior! And when he took his very last breath, there is no question in my mind that the next words he heard from Jesus were, “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Where does this leave us? The truth is our nation is deeply divided right now. When we witness a moment like this, it shows us the degree of brokenness, pain, and hatred that exists among people within our nation right now. As a pastor, it hits close to home, because I have people from different walks of life, experiences and situations who are my friends and who also find a home and sanctuary at Journey Church.
Make no mistake about it, this is not a “right versus left” issue. This is not about a political party or an ideology. This is a “wrong versus right” issue. This is a “dark versus light” issue. We are experiencing and witnessing a spiritual battle that is raging. There are forces of darkness, the forces of the devil, which want nothing more than to kill, steal and destroy everything that reflects God, everyone who reflects the image of God. They cannot do anything to God, but they can hurt the heart of God by marring and damaging God’s created image—us! Ephesians 6:10-12 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
This is the battle the world is engaged in. There are dark spiritual forces of evil in the world. We often forget, yet circumstances like Charlie’s death only remind us of this battle and how truly dark this darkness is. Yet, as children of light, we have been given spiritual weapons and tools with which we can wage war against these forces. We have God himself, the Holy spirit, residing in us, and we do not have to fear. We do not have to cower. Silence in the face of such evil and darkness is NOT an option.
My responsibility as a pastor, to the best of my ability, is to lead people to the savior. Right now, above all else, I really do believe this is a catalyst moment in which we should seek Jesus on behalf of our nation, our state and our city.
Therefore, if you have been on the fence about Christianity, it’s time to commit. Step into the light and out of the darkness. If you have backslid and have become lukewarm in your faith, it is time to repent, wake up and seek God. If you have become quiet, silent, and afraid, it’s time to engage and speak up and be bold about the good news—“the Light has come the darkness shall NEVER overcome it.” Politics will not save us. Policies will not save us. The President will not save us. Jesus is the SAVIOR, and he is our only hope to change the heart of humanity.
I want to encourage and challenge some of you: it’s time. It’s time for some of you to get off the sidelines and take a stand for Jesus. Please hear me clearly. We won’t win the battle with violence, with hateful rhetoric, or acts of vengeance that only divide us more, but with LOVE! With the fruit of the spirit, with courage and truth telling. Not only can we stand boldly in the face of darkness. We must! And like Jesus, we must stand, full of grace and truth.
Together as a community of faith, I’m calling us to rise up and be better fathers and mothers to our children. WE can rise up and be better spouses, neighbors and friends. We can rise up and see the pain and brokenness and evil and engage it with love, speaking the truth about a savior who has come to heal and bind wounds and set captives free. Remember the words of Jesus who encouraged us by saying, “Take heart for I have overcome the world.”
Personally, I have been praying for peace amongst people, as the unrest is tangible. I have been praying for Charlie’s family and for God to heal our nation and the divisiveness. But more importantly I have been praying that God would not raise up the next “Charlie Kirk.” I have been praying that God would raise up an army of bold, courageous, fearless Christians who live out their faith, make a difference in the world and love like Jesus wherever God has planted them. And I pray that would be true of us, Journey Church!
Journey family, if you need help processing or want to know more about Jesus and what engaging your faith looks like, our pastors and elders are ready to serve you and be there with you.
I love you, Journey Church! Let us all run to the author and finisher of our faith—Jesus Christ!
Jesus, please continue to do the work that only you can do in our lives personally and in our nation! AMEN!
Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the Kirk Family. I’m calling on you, Journey church, to please pray for his wife Erika, who lost her husband, and their two children, who lost their father. Regardless of your political or ideological thoughts and positions, this type of violence is reprehensible, inexcusable, and pure evil. I believe this with everything I am: no act of violence like this is in any way condoned morally, ethically, and scripturally. This is not the way of Jesus! In fact, it disgusts me to think some are actually celebrating this type of violence.
Many of you will process this in different ways. For some it's going to be anger, for others fear, for others insecurity. And for some, you won't know what to think or what to believe. The Bible tells us that we “do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13b) We have a hope, and this hope, the author of Hebrews tells us, is an anchor for our souls! This hope has a name, and His name is Jesus Christ.
Charlie knew Jesus and was bold and unashamedly outspoken about his faith. In fact, less than two weeks ago he posted, “it’s all about Jesus” on his social media site, which many professional athletes re-posted onto theirs. I know without a doubt, Charlie is now standing in front of His Lord, full of joy, praising his savior! And when he took his very last breath, there is no question in my mind that the next words he heard from Jesus were, “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Where does this leave us? The truth is our nation is deeply divided right now. When we witness a moment like this, it shows us the degree of brokenness, pain, and hatred that exists among people within our nation right now. As a pastor, it hits close to home, because I have people from different walks of life, experiences and situations who are my friends and who also find a home and sanctuary at Journey Church.
Make no mistake about it, this is not a “right versus left” issue. This is not about a political party or an ideology. This is a “wrong versus right” issue. This is a “dark versus light” issue. We are experiencing and witnessing a spiritual battle that is raging. There are forces of darkness, the forces of the devil, which want nothing more than to kill, steal and destroy everything that reflects God, everyone who reflects the image of God. They cannot do anything to God, but they can hurt the heart of God by marring and damaging God’s created image—us! Ephesians 6:10-12 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
This is the battle the world is engaged in. There are dark spiritual forces of evil in the world. We often forget, yet circumstances like Charlie’s death only remind us of this battle and how truly dark this darkness is. Yet, as children of light, we have been given spiritual weapons and tools with which we can wage war against these forces. We have God himself, the Holy spirit, residing in us, and we do not have to fear. We do not have to cower. Silence in the face of such evil and darkness is NOT an option.
My responsibility as a pastor, to the best of my ability, is to lead people to the savior. Right now, above all else, I really do believe this is a catalyst moment in which we should seek Jesus on behalf of our nation, our state and our city.
Therefore, if you have been on the fence about Christianity, it’s time to commit. Step into the light and out of the darkness. If you have backslid and have become lukewarm in your faith, it is time to repent, wake up and seek God. If you have become quiet, silent, and afraid, it’s time to engage and speak up and be bold about the good news—“the Light has come the darkness shall NEVER overcome it.” Politics will not save us. Policies will not save us. The President will not save us. Jesus is the SAVIOR, and he is our only hope to change the heart of humanity.
I want to encourage and challenge some of you: it’s time. It’s time for some of you to get off the sidelines and take a stand for Jesus. Please hear me clearly. We won’t win the battle with violence, with hateful rhetoric, or acts of vengeance that only divide us more, but with LOVE! With the fruit of the spirit, with courage and truth telling. Not only can we stand boldly in the face of darkness. We must! And like Jesus, we must stand, full of grace and truth.
Together as a community of faith, I’m calling us to rise up and be better fathers and mothers to our children. WE can rise up and be better spouses, neighbors and friends. We can rise up and see the pain and brokenness and evil and engage it with love, speaking the truth about a savior who has come to heal and bind wounds and set captives free. Remember the words of Jesus who encouraged us by saying, “Take heart for I have overcome the world.”
Personally, I have been praying for peace amongst people, as the unrest is tangible. I have been praying for Charlie’s family and for God to heal our nation and the divisiveness. But more importantly I have been praying that God would not raise up the next “Charlie Kirk.” I have been praying that God would raise up an army of bold, courageous, fearless Christians who live out their faith, make a difference in the world and love like Jesus wherever God has planted them. And I pray that would be true of us, Journey Church!
Journey family, if you need help processing or want to know more about Jesus and what engaging your faith looks like, our pastors and elders are ready to serve you and be there with you.
I love you, Journey Church! Let us all run to the author and finisher of our faith—Jesus Christ!
Jesus, please continue to do the work that only you can do in our lives personally and in our nation! AMEN!
2 Comments
Thank you PA. In the midst of the sadness, great hope has been born in me. I believe our nation is truly at a "Turning Point". The Church is awake and God is on the move. What an honor to be alive "for a time such as this"! Let's roll!
Amen and amen!