How can Jesus-followers respond to tragedies like the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton in faithful, transformative ways? In this raw and reflective episode, Mike Erre, Bonnie, and Tim wrestle honestly with their grief, anger, and frustration in the wake of yet another national tragedy. They push back on empty Christian clichés, challenge politically entrenched responses, and instead offer a vision for lament, action, and reconciliation that reflects the way of Jesus—not American partisanship.

This critical conversation touches on how the church must reject passivity and empty platitudes, and instead embrace deep repentance, courageous lament, and a prophetic presence in the world. Drawing from Scripture, painful personal experiences, and the Sermon on the Mount, the episode explores how to be light in the darkness without becoming a mirror of the world’s rage and polarization.

Key Takeaways: • Reclaiming Lament – Why biblical lament is not passive grief, but honest truth-telling rooted in the character of God and the hope of restoration. • Rejecting Cliché Responses – The danger of “thoughts and prayers” when they replace meaningful action and solidarity. • Nonpartisan Discipleship – Why the church must be a place where people from all political viewpoints can sit under the lordship of Jesus. • Enemy Love in Action – What it means to love your enemy without condoning injustice, and how this calls the church to speak boldly against white nationalism and all forms of hate. • The Church as Reconciling Community – Creating spaces for repentance, listening, and redemptive conversations that resist the fracturing of our culture.

Notable Quotes: “There’s something deeply hypocritical about praying for a problem you are unwilling to resolve.” “If gun owners are willing to fight to save one unborn child, shouldn’t we be willing to give up something if it could save even one life in a mass shooting?”

Resources Mentioned: • Miroslav Volf – Reflections on confronting evil with actions, not only prayer • Dallas Willard – Teachings on “joyful non-compliance” and discipleship • Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5-7 • James 1:27 – “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure…”

This episode is a sobering yet hopeful reminder that we can—and must—live into a better story. Join the ongoing dialogue about how to embody Jesus’s love in a divided world. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow Voxology on your favorite platform or social media channel to continue the conversation.

As always, we encourage questions and community dialogue as we journey together. Email us at [email protected] and connect on Facebook and Instagram.

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Follow the hosts: Instagram: @voxologypodcast Twitter: @mikeerre Music by Timothy John Stafford: https://www.timothyjohnstafford.com Twitter/Instagram: @GoneTimothy



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

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Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

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