God truly does use all things, even the very worst, for the good.
According to a report from The Christian Post, a funeral service for 17-year-old Jabari Malik Kenney in Detroit, Michigan, took a sharp turn to an already somber event.
During the service, Breaking Chains Outreach Ministries’ Pastor Darthanian Nichols faced a gunman who pointed a gun at the pastor’s head and proclaimed that he did not believe in Jesus.
Nichols took to social media, where he explained what happened at the New McFall Brothers Funeral Home.
“While I was officiating a funeral service, I asked the room to clear the floor just in case of any emergency, just trying to keep everyone safe. In that moment, a man began yelling obscenities, pulled out a gun, and pointed it toward me, threatening to hurt me if I didn’t stop speaking. Immediately, the room went into chaos, people screaming, running, fear and anger filled the room,” Nichols wrote.
In the middle of this situation, Nichols shared about the peace that he had in this storm.
“I grabbed the microphone and calmly instructed everyone to leave in an orderly way. I made sure my wife and kids were removed to safety. And even in that moment, as a trained clinician, I recognized this wasn’t just anger, this was grief speaking loudly. So I began to pray,” Nichols wrote.
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Nichols then noted that the gunman told him he didn’t believe “in the God I believe in.” Nichols said he then “braced myself. I just knew I was going to be shot, but even in that moment, my heart wasn’t just about me, it was about making sure others were safe…and making sure my children don’t see me being shot.”
Miraculously, Nichols was spared, and through the godly peace and courage he exemplified, 10 people at the service decided to dedicate their lives to Jesus.
What the enemy meant to shatter a grieving room with fear, God turned into a holy moment of awakening. In the face of a gun and a declaration of unbelief, the peace of Christ stood unshaken—proving once again that the presence of God is not confined to comfort, but often revealed most powerfully in crisis. Ten people walked out of that funeral not just mourning the dead, but stepping into eternal life.
This is the paradox of the gospel: that even in the valley of the shadow of death, God is still writing redemption stories. Moments like these are a call for the church to rise in boldness, anchored not in fear, but in unshakable faith. Let this be a reminder that no situation is beyond God’s reach, no heart too hardened, no darkness too deep.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
