The 2024 Presidential campaign and election season was a time of deep division in our nation.  Meet The Need and partners launched the Drop The Stone campaign to encourage Christians not to contribute to divisiveness, but to follow Jesus’ example of engaging openly with those across the political or religious aisle.  He didn’t convict the woman the Pharisees caught in adultery, but invited any accuser without sin to throw the first stone.  However, last week’s assassination of a leading political figure, following multiple attempts on our President’s life, indicates America’s divide has not only grown but escalated.

This is not the place to refute or defend the alignment of Charlie Kirk’s words with Scripture, but his approach and boldness bore some resemblance to Jesus’ ministry:

• Jesus talked with everyone regardless of their politics or faith.
• Jesus went out of His way to speak with those who opposed Him.
• Jesus told all who would listen who He is (the Gospel).
• Jesus based His contentions on knowledge of the Father and Scripture.
• Jesus had strong opinions about political leaders.
• Jesus believed in a biblical standard of right and wrong.
• Jesus understood human nature was evil.
• Jesus believed in the existence of absolute truth.
• Jesus knew His life was at risk but spoke up despite death threats.
• Jesus died for His beliefs, murdered by the jealous and insecure.
• Jesus was resurrected to eternal life with His Father in heaven.

Unlike Jesus, Charlie Kirk was sinful and likely said things he later realized were incorrect or regretted.  Jesus also was not politically inclined.  However, Jesus and Charlie were similar enough in their openness to engagement and discussion of “offensive” topics (like sin, law, and the Gospel) to call into question whether many of those who labeled Charlie a “fascist” or “hateful” view Jesus the same way.  People callous enough to be glad Charlie is now out of the picture likely want Jesus removed from our culture as well.  Most who love Jesus liked Charlie.  Nearly all who dislike Jesus disliked Charlie.

His events on college campuses challenged students to “Prove Me Wrong”.  Proving someone wrong requires extensive research to come armed with facts.  Those attempting to “Prove Jesus Wrong” should do their homework.  Jesus is much smarter and better prepared than Charlie Kirk.  Complicating matters further for prospective combatants is the fact that digging deep into Scripture makes it impossible to accuse Jesus of anything but unconditional love.  Those who reject Jesus don’t understand Him – they haven’t invested enough time in studying His actions and words.  Most who hated Charlie haven’t met him, attended an event, or watched many of his videos.

The Progressive Continuum…

That lack of due diligence and reluctance to engage with those who disagree help Progressive leaders recruit adherents to join their movement.  Their ultimate ends are “progressing” beyond America’s Christian heritage and removing any vestige of Christian influence from our nation – at any cost.  The movement is less about the issues and more about Jesus than its leadership would have us believe.

As Progressivism’s political power diminishes, the means employed to advance its mission become less peaceful and passive.  When it has control of the public square, Criticism is sufficient to silence most Christians.  When the movement has the power to withhold government funding, it can exert pressure on leaders and companies to Cancel non-conformists.  When doubt arises about Progressivism’s ability to maintain political control, Condemnation instills hyperbolic fear of the opposition.  When the movement loses the ability to force compliance through those prior three methods, desperation can lead to the last resort – Killing those impeding its “progress”.

That Progressive continuum is not without precedent.  The Pharisees saw their power to control the populace slipping away with each miracle Jesus performed and message He delivered.  Like Progressive leaders, the Pharisees attempted to wrestle the moral high ground away from God by defining their own set of laws they could pressure society into obeying.  However, when Jesus threatened to undermine their authority and vaunted place in the political and social hierarchy, the Pharisees no longer considered Criticism, Cancellation, or Condemnation viable options or adequate recourses to protect their positions.  So they stirred up the crowd to have Jesus killed.

Today, Progressive influencers have channels for fomenting hatred against Christians not available back then – insulated college campuses, trainable AI, and vitriolic social media.  The Progressive movement goes underground when its conventional power structures collapse.  Venues devised and once viewed as open forums to exchange ideas close off to competing thought.  Besides his faith, the greatest threat Charlie Kirk posed may have been dialoguing with college students in those proprietary places, invading their turf.

The Christ-Centered Continuum…

What was Jesus’ response when John the Baptist, His cousin and foremost advocate, was assassinated?  He didn’t Criticize, Cancel, Condemn, or Kill.  Instead, He went off with His disciples to pray, spoke with the crowd following Him, fed them, and shared the Gospel.  In other words, Jesus’ approach was Covering (in prayer), Conversation, Compassion, and Conversion.  That’s the countercultural continuum Jesus commanded and modeled, regardless of whether Christians are gaining or losing political power – or their leaders are assassinated.  Pursuing human nature’s Progressive path in those situations obviates the transformational impact of witnessing supernatural grace and mercy.

The fundamental flaw of Progressivism is assuming human nature is good.  So there’s no need for Jesus, police, moral restraints, or meddling in what a pregnant woman does with (the preborn baby in) “her” body.  In their minds, those supposed “freedoms” are worth defending vehemently.  Even allowing a Christ-follower to infiltrate their safe spaces introduces the risk of reviving suppressed consciences.  On the other hand, Christians understand the depravity of mankind and humbly seek God’s forgiveness, thankful for Jesus’ sacrifice.  An authentic disciple’s last (if not first) resort is Conversion, not Killing.  We value human life (earthly and eternal), made in God’s image.  We don’t wish evil on anyone because there’s enough of that in this world.

Although followers of Jesus are not to enter the fray with intent to do battle, the battle is coming to them.  Christ instructs them to put on the full armor of God, like fervent prayer and study of God’s Word through the Holy Spirit.  Christians will be persecuted in every nation and America is no exception.  The United States are in the final stages of empires – beyond the Ages of Affluence and Intellect, well entrenched in the Age of Decadence that precedes the Age of Decline.  Christians in America lose this earthly battle but know who wins the war because we’ve read the Book of Revelation.  Eternal life is secure, so we imitate the proverbial soldier in the foxhole, no longer cowering because he reckons himself already dead – and steps out into the “battlefield” of ideas to engage in civil discourse.  Progressives assume they only have this life and cling to it – fighting or distancing from anyone who threatens or questions their ideology.  Christ-followers find courage in assurance of eternal life with Jesus and sacrifice for the sake of His Kingdom – loving even “enemies” who kill their leaders.

It’s Your Turn…

Accept our Drop The Stone Challenge if you’re willing to take a stand for Jesus at a time when the risks and urgency in America may never be greater.  Death to self and physical death bring new life in Christ.  Now is the time to take a chance and pursue the Christ-Centered Continuum with those who don’t embrace our worldview.  That’s where you come in…

1. Select either Jesus’ story from John 8 or Charlie Kirk’s video about that story on Drop The Stone’s website
2. Share that post on Facebook, Instagram and/or X with 4 friends, 2 who are Christ-followers and 2 who aren’t
3. Challenge your friends to #dropmystone by sharing the post with 4 other friends if they liked it or by engaging in a #civildiscourse if they didn’t