Keep Standing. Keep Talking.

“I’m a Christian, and I live in a culture that thinks that Christians ought to be shot. And it’s not gonna change by us choosing to keep our gospel to ourselves. It’s only gonna change by us taking our Gospel—the Good News that Christ came, lived, and died for sinners so that sinners could be set free from their sin, walk in newness of life, and return to a right relationship with Him.”

T. Russel Hunter, Abolitionist Rising

September 10, 2025 was a sad day for Christians in America when Charlie Kirk was martyred in Orem, Utah at a college campus for challenging college students to think for themselves and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in hopes that they would respond and come to a right relationship with their Creator. He wasn’t murdered for talking—he was murdered for sharing ideas and challenging an evil culture of death to do repent and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

This comes off the backs of one of the bloodiest, emboldened evil we have seen in just a short period of time. We also saw in horror a woman, Iryna Zarutska, a Ukranian refugee who was brutally stabbled to death on a Charlotte, North Carolina light rail train in front of witnesses and security cameras by a man who was released from prison 14 times, for violent crimes.

On August 27th, we saw evil in which a “transgendered” man loaded with demons shot through windows indiscriminately upon children and staff inside when they were taking part in a school-wide Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneaplolis, Minnesota. Two children—8 and 10, died with twenty others wounded. This happened just after another mass shooting at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Minneapolis, injuring six and killing one.

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You enlisted

It’s understandable the desire to lay low until things blow over in hopes that the people wanting to shoot Christians will be less “trigger-happy;” but it’s not going to. There’s no hiding from the enemy. He wants to steal, kill and destroy YOU! He’s not going to stop. He doesn’t relent. He doesn’t tire. He takes no vacations. He shows no mercy, and only increases pain and wants you to feel every ounce of it. He hates God. He hates Christ. He hates you.

Paul, in 2 Timothy, wrote to his son in the faith, Timothy, who was scared, timid, and maybe even wanting to get out of the fight because it was getting too difficult and he felt he was too young. Paul, wrote this letter to encourage him and remind him that he “must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ; that no one engeged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:3-4) But also to let him know his time was ending and Timothy will have to pick up the batton where Paul left it and pastor the church in one of the most godless places on earth—Ephesus.

Ephesus was like the United States in many ways

There are many striking similarites between ancient Ephesus and the United States when viewed through biblical and theological lenses. Ephesus, a major city in the Roman Empire, was known for its wealth, cultural influence, religious pluralism, and moral decadence—traits that can also be observed in contemporary American society.

First, both Ephesus and the United States have been centers of economic prosperity and global influence. Ephesus was a wealthy port city and hub of commerce in Asia Minor, much like we are today on the global market. This prosperity led to a sense of self-sufficiency and pride, which can become spiritual stumbling blocks. We see this in Revelation 3:17, which warns against this mindset: “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wreched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Second, it was this prideful independance that plagued both societies which led to overwhelming idolatry. Ephesus was home to the great temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the world, and was filled with various forms of pagan worship. The United States, while historically a Christian nation, has increasingly embraced plauralism, and a relativistic approach to religion, often elevating personal spirituality over biblical truth; thus elevating self over God.

Third, both cultures dove headlong into moral corruption and sexual immorality. Ephesus was infamous for it’s lewdness and often tied it to religious practices. In the United States, the normalization of sexual immorality (divorce, co-habitating before marriage, fornication, pornography, homosexuality, promescuity, etc…) and the rejection of biblical standards of marriage, chastity, and sexuality reflected similar moral decline in Ephesus.

Finally, the church of both Ephesus and the United States, have had strong Christian influence, yet faced the dangers of spiritual complacency. The church at Ephesus, which Timothy eventually pastored, was commended for its doctrinal vigilance, but rebuked for losing its first love (Revelation 2:4). Therefore, we as Chrisitans in the Church of the United States of America, should recall this sobering reminder: not to rely on past faithfulness of cultural Christianity, but to daily pursue a genuine Christ-centered life, and “remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” (Revelation 2:5)

You will suffer

Now, we are at a crossroads and a new chapter in our similarities with Ephesus. When evil of the world is confronted by the Word of God, it has no other option than to retaliate with violence. I encourage you to read Acts 19, and realize that much of what happened in Ephesus in Paul’s day is what we are seeing, and saw with Charlie Kirk. Paul first confronts them with the Word of God and the gospel, and from that, all who dwent in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus both Jews and Greeks (v. 10). Some did not believe, and spoke evil of Christians (the Way), and confronted Paul in the streets and in the synagogues.

But Paul’s numbers grew and he did miracles while preaching Christ. Fear came upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified (v.17). Therefore, many came to confess sin, repent, and those who practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all and the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. Many came to know Christ in this idolatrous city (vs. 18-20).

Therefore, since a great amount of people throughout Asia were coming to Christ, this greatly effected their commerce and livelihood. Those who’s occupations of making idols and shrines of Artimis and other gods got hit the worst. Tourism which flourished througout Ephesus, halted. This “new” God was interefereing in all their way of life, and it must be stopped. A Silversmith by the name of Demetrius, caused a city-wide riot that caused members of Paul’s party to be taken and were ready to sacrifice their blood to the gods. For two hours straight, the city cried, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” They wanted violent revenge.

But, going back to 2 Timothy, Paul had some words of warning for the young Timothy. Two Bible verses in that letter, ironically back-to-back, state something very profound that I never thought of until the shooting of Charlie Kirk:

1. “Yes, all who desire to life godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12)
2. “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13)

I’m sorry if you were duped by a simplistic, repeat-after-me, word-for-word “easy-believism” prayer that promised you salvation only to realize that being a Christian demands hard work and can even provoke persecution without even looking for it. But here’s the stark truth: if you genuinely desire to live a godly life in Christ—which is the pivotal point—you’re bound to suffer. The world can’t stomach Christ; they detest Him and His teaching, not to mention everyone that aligns with it.

The world does not merely tolerate Jesus; it actively reviles Him, not just out of evil, but due to a relentless indoctrination against Him. Evil men and impostors will only grow worse, mercilessly deceiving and being deceived. To me, it is incomprehensible how leftist media propaganda and the vile individuals who enthusiastically share that garbage, creating videos that praise Charlie Kirk’s death. It’s been ages since I’ve witnessed such disgusting filth. The so-called “news” disseminates this toxic deception far and wide, and people eagerly consume it, propagating the lies even further. Deceiving and being deceived!

We are at a point we are seeing our entire nation split in two. The same demonic voices that cried out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” at Jesus are the same voices that cried out, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” at Paul. Charlie Kirk was no stranger to threats of violence and intimidation either, and even after death, the demons shreik and celebrate his murder throughout the internet and social media. Just like they can’t crucify Christ again, they can’t shoot Charlie again. So, they point their anger and hatred at us who are living.

Timothy, like Charlie, was no stranger to persecution and took the batton and ran with joy. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs describes his earthly end:

“Timothy was the celebrated disciple of St. Paul, and bishop of Ephesus, where he zealously governed the Church until A.D. 97. At this period, as the pagans were about to celebrate a feast called Catagogion, Timothy, meeting the procession, severely reproved them for their ridiculous idolatry, which so exasperated the people that they fell upon him with their clubs, and beat him in so dreadful a manner that he expired of the bruises two days later.”

We should all hope to be counted worthy to suffer shame for His name sake (Acts 5:41).