09/13/2025
A message from one of our pastors:
“Dear Family,
It is with a heavy heart that I reflect on the last few days. In the last 48 hours, we have seen terrible violence in our country. A 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee was stabbed to death on a train in North Carolina, Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University, and a student at Evergreen High School in Colorado shot two other students and then took his own life.
How does one process all of this? How does one wrap one’s head around such evil? Families have been shattered and thrown into fear and chaos.
As we wrestle through a lot of emotions, it can be so very easy to give in to those emotions. There is a lot of outrage and anger flowing around on social media. But there is also a lot of hate and vitriol that is mixed into everything.
There are those who have declared every conservative to be guilty of the school shooting. There are those who have declared every liberal to be guilty of Charlie’s murder. And there are those who have rejoiced over the death of a fellow human being. In the wake of tragedy, we see hatred rise and threaten to perpetuate the evil that has already been committed.
What troubles me more than the evil that has taken place these last few days is that I have seen Christians take to social media and post so many things that seem to be the opposite of how Christ has told us we should live. Those whom I would say love the Lord Jesus Christ have ranted and raged against groups of people they perceive as responsible for these heinous acts.
In *Luke 6:27-36* (I won’t put the whole passage here, so please go and read it), Jesus tells us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, and to pray for those who abuse us. He concludes verse 36 with, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
The Apostle Paul, in *Romans 12:9-21*, emphasizes the same lesson (again, please go and read the section). Here, Paul is writing to the church in Rome at a time when persecution is happening on and off. “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all” (v17). “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (v21).
Brothers and Sisters, we should be outraged at the evil that has taken place. But we must not forget how we are commanded to live. We all have strong thoughts and opinions on so many different topics. As the world rages around us, let us live differently. Let us love those we don’t like and don’t agree with. Let us bless those who despise us. Let us pray for those who abuse us. As evil rages, let us overcome evil with good. When we post things to social media, let us examine our own hearts. Are we posting in a way that brings glory to Jesus Christ? Or are we posting in a way that brings glory to our ideologies? When we speak out against things, what is our concern? Are we concerned with what Christ was concerned about? Are we being merciful in how we speak out?
It can be easy to be swept away in our emotions (I am guilty of this for sure). It is in these times that we need to take a step back and refocus. This may mean taking a break from the news, from social media, and from other outlets. And that’s ok. Spend the time in prayer. Spend the time reading God’s Word, meditating on Christ, and setting your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on this earth. Spend the time surrounding yourself with your church family, in fellowship with one another. Then, after a time, step back into the raging world with intentionality.
As you step back in, just remember: we have been called to a higher standard. Let us be outraged in love. Let us speak out in love. And if people rally against us, let us bless them. As we see evil occurring, let us overcome it by doing good. Above all, let our words, let our voices, point people to Jesus Christ. There are those who are hurting right now, and their only hope is Christ. There are those who are angry right now, and their only peace is Christ. Let us live our lives in such a way that in everything we say and do, we do it all to the glory of God.”
-Aaron Mills
