John Bevere sat down with his sons Addison and Ardan to process a raw, complicated moment for the church. Using Charlie Kirk’s killing as the backdrop they traced a bigger story: fear is muzzling leaders, offense is fragmenting believers and yet God is stirring hunger and repentance across the nation. Their message wasn’t a eulogy. It was a charge.
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Government isn’t off-limits for the people of God
Bevere argued that Christians are called into every sphere of society, government included. He pointed to Scripture’s pattern of prophets and kings speaking to rulers and laws as evidence that believers shouldn’t treat civic life as forbidden territory. For him, Kirk’s boldness in public debate fit that calling rather than violated it.
Revival and confusion are rising together
They noted unprecedented church attendance alongside anger, uncertainty and grief. That tension, they said, is exactly why leaders must speak plainly from Scripture. When pulpits dodge hard topics congregations get motivational talk instead of real help. Surface comfort can numb pain for a day but it won’t heal the abscess underneath.
The real battle line: fear of God vs fear of man
Bevere’s central diagnosis was simple: fear of people erodes conviction, breeds hypocrisy and turns shepherds into crowd pleasers. Fear of God by contrast steels leaders to tell the truth in love when it costs reputation or followers. The apostles needed that correction too; Peter folded under criticism until Paul confronted him. Courage is not optional, it is pastoral.
Offense blinds and becomes the seedbed of deception
The conversation returned again and again to offense. They described how borrowed grievances spread online, how people pick up their group’s anger without ever having a face to face conversation and how that posture distorts perception. Offense hardens into contempt then opens the door for voices that soothe pain without addressing sin. When that cycle takes root love grows cold and unity breaks down.
Forgiveness is a daily rhythm not a one-time decision
To break the cycle they urged a daily practice: receive God’s forgiveness and extend it to others. That rhythm reaches into old wounds loosens bitterness and clears the fog that offense creates. Without it believers drift into a victim mindset and become easy marks for flattering half-true messages.
Compassion tells the truth
They contrasted “toxic empathy” which mirrors feelings but dodges root issues with Christlike compassion which names idols and invites repentance even when people walk away. Jesus loved the rich young ruler and still put his finger on the real problem. Love that refuses God’s commands, they warned, isn’t love at all.
Division that clarifies reality
The family acknowledged that some division is inevitable because truth exposes what we serve, God or approval. Moments like this reveal who will carry the whole counsel of God and who will shrink to keep the room calm. Leaders must examine themselves first then tend their people with steady hands and open Bibles.
A practical charge to pastors and influencers
- Seek God privately before you speak publicly. Humility before God fuels courage before people
- Feed people with Scripture not slogans. Address the real pain not just the feels
- Refuse to become a slave to approval. Serve your flock by telling the truth they actually need
- Model reconciliation. Practice that daily “breathe in breathe out” of forgiveness
- Train for discernment, learn the difference between right and almost right
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The moment to step forward
Bevere closed with a simple posture: side with God in a dark world even if it costs you. He believes the fields are white for harvest and that God is moving in ways that demand clear voices and steady hearts. The task now is not to manage outrage or collect followers. It is to love people enough to tell the truth, to cast off the fear of man and to lead with a holy boldness that heals.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
