Radical Advice: How Not to Destroy an Acts 8 Moment
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44, NIV).
Jesus’ words confront our natural instincts when faced with hostility, persecution, and violence. The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk forces us to wrestle with this teaching in personal and practical ways.
What compounds this tragedy is how some celebrated Kirk’s death—reactions that reveal exactly why Jesus’ command to love our enemies remains both urgent and necessary.
The story of Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts 8 offers biblical insight into this modern tragedy. Stephen was among the first Christian martyrs, stoned to death for his faith. His death at first glance appears as a devastating defeat for the early church. Instead, it sparked unprecedented gospel expansion. The church grew stronger and more widespread because believers chose faith and resilience over retaliation.
This demonstrates a critical spiritual principle: the killing of a single individual can galvanize others. Kirk’s assassination, particularly when coupled with public celebrations of his death, creates exactly this dynamic. While his friends grieve, his attackers unwittingly canonize Charlie—doing the very thing they despise. Martyrs inspire deeper devotion and stronger commitment. They unite communities rather than dividing them.
When believers respond to mockers and opponents with anger, they fracture the foundations they seek to protect. Jesus’ demands that we respond in love. Not too ironically, that is what Charlie did for most of his adult life.
True faith reveals itself in times of conflict and testing. To pray for those who persecute us means acknowledging humanity and redemptive possibility in our enemies (think Saul of Tarsus). This reflects God’s own patience and mercy—his desire for restoration rather than destruction.
The assassination of Charlie Kirk challenges every believer to live out their faith with both humility and courage. We must resist the urge to respond with anger which only deepens divisions.
Loving our enemies doesn’t mean ignoring justice or condoning wrongdoing. It means approaching even the darkest moments while pressing for peace and transformation rather than vengeance. When the church responds this way, it is light to the world, a beacon of hope in a polarized nation.
It is the surest path to honoring the memory of those like Stephen or Kirk and furthering the gospel of the kingdom.
For more on this catch a video ag https://youtu.be/8CxlpRdfScY
Ralph Moore is the Founding Pastor of three churches which grew into the Hope Chapel ‘movement’ now numbering more than 2,300 churches, worldwide. These are the offspring of the 70+ congregations launched from Ralph’s hands-on disciplemaking efforts.
He travels the globe, teaching church multiplication to pastors in startup movements. He’s authored several books, including Let Go Of the Ring: The Hope Chapel Story, Making Disciples, How to Multiply Your Church, Starting a New Church, and Defeating Anxiety.
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