10/03/2026
To the Body of Christ in Tulare County California,
In the past two weeks, Tulare County has been shaken by gang related shootings, stabbings, and murders. Many involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19. Behind every headline is a lost life, grieving family, a frightened neighbor, and a young person whose future is being shaped by reckless choices made in desperation, anger, and/or pain. The Church cannot look away! The Church must honestly ask whether we are doing enough to reach the young people in our neighborhoods. We cannot chalk these events up to “problems of modern society.” The Apostle John recorded Jesus speaking of the devil: “the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10).
In Matthew 18, Jesus warns His disciples not to despise one of these little ones. A few verses earlier, He speaks with sobering urgency about causing a child or a vulnerable person to stumble (v. 18:6-7). Then verse 11 gives us the heart of His mission: “For the Son of Man has come to save that which is lost.” Jesus does not dismiss the loss to someone else's problem. He moves toward them with truth, compassion, and the hope of redemption!
That teaching should both comfort and rebuke the Church. We can be quick to condemn violence and quick to blame parents, schools, certain neighborhoods, or even society. Some of those concerns may be real, but blame alone does not rescue anyone. We must also examine our own witness! Have we made room for the young people to be known, mentored, corrected, and loved? Have we carried the Gospel beyond our church doors? Have we treated troubled teenagers as people made in God's image--or as problems we would rather keep at a distance? It is far time we rescue our young ones from the deception and grasp of the evil one! I challenge the Church to see our youth through the eyes of Christ!
The Church has not always answered these questions well. We have sometimes been divided, distracted, or content to serve only those already within our walls. We may have spoken about holiness and obedience without showing young people the patient love that helps them see why Christ is worth following. We should confess these failures plainly! Repentance is not weakness; it is a return to the Lord who calls His people to live what they proclaim.
Yet failure is not the whole story. The Church is also a body with gifts to share, hands ready to serve, and a message of hope that does not depend on our perfection. When congregations and believers work together, we can encourage families, support responsible community efforts, provide safe places to gather, and build relationships that continue after a crisis has passed. “Love covers a multitude of sin” (1 Peter 4:8). That love does not excuse violence or silence those who have been harmed. It calls us to forgive, to seek healing, to speak truth, and to pursue restoration wherever it is possible.
I implore the Church, speak to these young people, greet them, shake their hand, make eye contact, show them how to respect themselves and others. Prayer must remain at the center of our response, but prayer should send us into action! We can learn the names of young people near us. We can coach them, help with school work, invite a teenager to a church activity, listen without rushing to lecture, and connect families with practical support. We can notice the young person who is often overlooked and make sure he or she knows that we care! These steps may seem small, but steady presence can open a door for trust, guidance, and most importantly the Gospel.
We must not despise these children. We must embrace them, pray over them, acknowledge them, and teach them by example that life in Christ offers a deeper identity, and a more purposeful future! Being a disciple of Jesus does not erase every struggle, but it gives us a Savior, a people, and a way of life shaped by truth, holiness, mercy, and hope. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. His mission must shape ours. May the Church in Tulare County become more united in prayer, more faithful and holiness, and more present in the neighborhoods where our young people live. We cannot change every circumstance, but we can refuse to abandoned the children Christ calls us to love!
