Jesus People Podcast – Episode 33

Title: A Biblical Response to the Shooting of Charlie Kirk
Host: Ryan Miller
Release Date: September 11, 2025

Episode Overview

In this deeply passionate and timely episode, host Ryan Miller responds to the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk through a biblical lens. The conversation centers on how Christians should respond to persecution, violence, and hatred—not with vengeance, bitterness, or fear, but with bold love, truth, forgiveness, and a refusal to dehumanize even their enemies. Ryan channels his grief and righteous anger into a rousing call for Christians to pick up the mantle of faith, advance the Kingdom of God through Christlike responses, and let revival begin at the site of suffering and loss.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The True Enemy: Spiritual, Not Human

• Ryan opens by clarifying that the real enemy lies in spiritual forces, not in people—even those who seem to stand in opposition (00:00–04:00).
• Quote:

  "The enemy is not the shooter of Charlie Kirk. The enemy is not the liberals. The enemy are not the people on TikTok that are making fun of this death... Our battle is not against flesh and blood."
  — Ryan Miller (00:40)

• He warns that, in times like these, it's tempting to make it "us versus them," but emphasizes scriptural teaching that the true battle is against "principalities and spiritual forces of darkness in the unseen realm."

2. The Christian Response Blueprint: Four Key Points

a. Move in Love

• Christians are called to love, not retaliate.
• Jesus’ ultimate example on the cross frames the response:

  “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.”

• Ryan discusses his own struggle with anger but stresses prayer, Holy Spirit reliance, and refusing to demonize people.
• Quote:

  "The weapons of our warfare are love. Our weapon is not fire with fire. Jesus said, turn the other cheek."
  — Ryan Miller (09:20)

• He recounts a recent experience at an abortion rally, where the Holy Spirit challenged him to truly look into his ideological opponent's eyes, to see their (misguided) attempt at fighting for good (18:00–23:30).

b. Reject Fear—Choose Boldness

• Tragedy can breed fear, but Christians are to be “ridden by love” and emboldened by the gospel rather than cower.
• References to persecution fueling church growth globally (Iran, China, Pakistan) support the point.
• Quote:

  "Perfect love drives out fear... The love drives out the fear, and then the love propels us towards boldness. So it's time to ride. Like, it's time to go."
  — Ryan Miller (36:40)

• Ryan warns against being silenced by threats or intimidation.

c. Never Water Down the Truth

• Even under threat or criticism, Christians must proclaim truth (in love) boldly and unashamedly (46:30).
• Refers to Paul's near-fatal stoning and immediate return to preach as a biblical model (Acts 14:19; 41:00–44:10):

  “How they make many disciples? Well, they saw the boldness, they saw the bruises, they saw the bloody nose. They saw the torn clothes. That's how the gospel was preached in the Bible.”
  — Ryan Miller (44:30)

• The message: Stay true, even if it divides families or brings persecution.

d. Bless and Love Enemies

• The Christian response to hatred and even murder must be to “bless and love” enemies, trusting God, not seeking vengeance (51:00–54:00).
• Quote:

  "Forgiveness is not saying that what they did doesn't matter or wasn't wrong... What we're saying is we relinquish our right to take vengeance against them and we turn them over to the Lord who says, vengeance is mine, I shall repay."
  — Ryan Miller (53:42)

• Retaliation or bitterness only corrupts the believer’s own soul, while love and forgiveness are what spark true revival.

Memorable Stories & Illustrations

Carol Ward’s Testimony: Radical Love in South Sudan (25:15–36:00)

• Ryan recounts a previous episode with Carol Ward, whose father was a missionary persecuted in Southeast Asia, and her own call to be a martyr for Christ at age 8.
• Carol’s story in South Sudan under Joseph Kony’s LRA: Faced with near-certain death at the hands of child soldiers, she prayed for love for her killers, preached the gospel, and saw both her would-be attackers and entire villages transformed by Christ.
• Quote:

  "She starts preaching the gospel... and these men give their lives to Jesus. They ask her, 'Do you know what we were about to do to you?' She says, 'Yes, I do.' And they change their lives ... and the whole village gets saved because of love."
  — Ryan Miller (34:25)

Notable Quotes and Moments with Timestamps

• On anger and temptation:

  "I'm pissed off right now, I'll say it. I'm mad. I'm angry. And if we don't stop and pray and ask the Holy Spirit how to respond ... we will fall into the same trap."
  — Ryan Miller (03:30)

• On why Charlie Kirk was targeted:

  "Charlie Kirk was not killed because he was conservative. Charlie Kirk was assassinated because he was effective. He was effective at proclaiming truth in a world full of lies."
  — Ryan Miller (06:10)

• On persecution and gospel advancement:

  "Where there's persecution in different countries, the gospel spreads like wildfire ... You can connect it to that and say, wow, the church is advancing and exploding because there's persecution and because Christians choose to move in love."
  — Ryan Miller (13:20)

• On loving ideological opponents:

  "[God said,] I want you to look in this pro abortionist's eyes ... he's fighting for humanity ... his intention is love. It's crazy. I know that's hard for some people to grasp."
  — Ryan Miller (21:05)

• On Paul’s response to being stoned:

  "He's stoned to near death. He rises up the next day and goes back to the people who killed him, and he preaches the gospel. And they were now persuaded. And it says that they made many disciples."
  — Ryan Miller (43:00)

• On the risk of watering down the message:

  "The Lord's not impressed with the stage. The Lord's not impressed with the followers. You know what he's impressed with? He's impressed with a heart that says, I've been so moved by the gospel that even if they hate me, I still proclaim the truth."
  — Ryan Miller (49:45)

• On the paradox of Christian forgiveness:

  "Love without truth is hollow, but truth without love is harsh. So we move in truth and love, and that's what moves the Kingdom of God forward."
  — Ryan Miller (54:20)

Call to Action & Prayer (56:00–End)

Ryan closes with heartfelt intercession:

• Prays for Charlie Kirk’s family, especially his wife and children.
• Prays for listeners—to be filled with forgiveness, love, and boldness.
• Asks the Holy Spirit to lead each person into practical action, to pick up the mantle and proclaim the gospel fearlessly.

Quote:

"It's to pick up his mantle. It's to proclaim the gospel, it's to stand against evil, and it's to love people. Even if they revile us and persecute us and utter all kinds of falsehood against us, and if they kill us, we still choose to move in love." — Ryan Miller (58:15)

Key Timestamps for Reference

• 00:00–04:00 — Setting the stage: Enemy is spiritual, not human
• 06:00–17:00 — Charlie Kirk’s witness and the cost of truth
• 18:00–23:30 — Abortion rally story: seeing the humanity in ideological opponents
• 25:15–36:00 — Carol Ward’s story of loving enemies in war-torn South Sudan
• 41:00–44:10 — Acts 14:19, Paul’s stoning and return
• 46:30–49:45 — Encouragement: do not cower, do not water down the truth
• 51:00–54:20 — Bless, love, and forgive enemies
• 56:00–End — Prayer for Charlie Kirk’s family and for listeners’ empowerment

Summary Takeaways

• Christians are called to respond to violence and hatred with radical love, forgiveness, boldness, and unwavering truth, modeled after Jesus and the early apostles.
• True enemy is not the person or the political movement, but spiritual forces of darkness.
• Persecution is fuel for revival and gospel expansion—history and scripture attest to it.
• Love and forgiveness, not vengeance, are the “forceful” weapons for advancing the Kingdom.
• In tragedy, the mantle left behind is a call for every believer to courageous action, not retreat.

Listeners walk away from this episode reminded: the world may kill the messenger, but Christ’s message advances with power wherever believers refuse to hate, refuse to cower, and choose to love and speak truth—no matter the cost.