SBC Pastor Drags Charlie Kirk During His Sermon, Suggesting He Was ‘Carnal,’ Unempathetic, and Racist

Protestia ^ | September 16, 2025 | staff

[Morgana]

James T. Roberson III is the senior pastor of Bridge Church NYC, which is a congregation part of the Southern Baptist Convention. Roberson is tight with the North American Mission’s Board, given that the Send Network helped plant his church, and he is speaking at a Send Network event this October.

During his recent sermon, he denounced the assassination of Charlie Kirk, but still managed to spend roughly half his statement (and even the following prayer) dragging the man’s name through the mud.

This morning before we pray, I want to lean into some of the political tension in our country and the recent assassination of gentleman named Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated this past Thursday, I believe. And I’ve written out a statement here.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 reads this way: “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God. And we take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

In this text, Paul is reminding us that as believers, our battle is not a physical battle. It’s a spiritual battle God has called us to be a part of. And it is therefore not fought with carnal weapons but with spiritual ones. And I think in this political tension that we live in, Charlie Kirk and other political activists, particularly some on the evangelical right, often see ideas and policies that claim to be Christian, but they’re fought with in a carnal posture. They’re fighting for Jesus with anger and harshness and rage. And the danger of that is when you when you fight spiritual battles in a carnal way, the world responds with that same carnality. It’s as if the world says we know how to do worldly better than you.

So, let me be clear. I denounce his assassination veheminently [sic], and we all should. That shouldn’t be hard. It’s wicked. That’s obvious. It is also wicked to celebrate his death. It is carnal to celebrate his death. To lack empathy for someone who doesn’t have empathy for you is to live in carnality.

At the same time, while he fought for ideals that he believed were Christian, I also denounced the way he carried himself and especially the way he talked about black people.

So, here’s what I want us to remember as a church, what I need all of us to know. People are not defined by their ideology. They are defined by the image of God. Genesis 1 says “God created them in his own image.” So here’s what we’ve got to understand. Charlie Kirk, at his core, is not a Republican or a conservative. He is a child of God made in the image of God who has right-wing positions. And as a believer, we’re called to see people not politically but spiritually. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh, even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh.” I think we’re getting some feedback over here, FYI.

So, let’s be clear. We should be grieving with his wife, his kids who have woken up this morning without a father. We should weep with those who weep, and we should be praying for their families. But I also grieve for our country that elevates people into hero status and martyr status so quickly.

Disagreement is not wrong, but it’s how we disagree that matters. And my prayer is that we, the people of God, would resist the temptation to fight our battles with carnal weapons. Instead, let us choose a spiritual posture that Christ has given us, because truly, the weapons of our warfare are spiritual and not carnal. Amen. Pray with me.

Father, we pray right now that as we jump into the word here, we do lift up the Kirk family. We lift up those who are weeping this morning. And I pray, God, for a spirit of compassion in this room. Make us wise with what we post online. Make us wise with what we watch online. But just because someone fought for Jesus doesn’t mean they fought like Jesus. God, I pray for a spirit of peace. I pray that a spirit of fruit in our community and I pray that we would renounce all elements of the flesh. Now, God, be with us. Speak to us in this time. In Jesus’ name. Amen? Amen.

This is in sharp contrast how he spoke about the death of George Floyd at an event their church put on, The Stories We Tell: Why America Continues to be a Racist Country, where he sought to comfort the flock:

“His death started a riot. One African proverb said it this way: The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth’ To be clear I’m not condoning violence, but I’m affirming their voices. I hear you. I hear you as you spraypaint. I hear you as you yell their name in protest. As as you say…. ‘George Floyd’. I want you to know as a pastor I hear you, but I’m here today to tell you not only does God hear you, God is in the protest and he is saying George Floyd’s name.”

video on link

[fwdude]

Why is my gaydar pegging just reading this?

[Salamander]

Huh.

I always thought if I joined a church, it’d be Baptists.

Reckon not.

[xp38]

my fatigue meter is showing some readings

[packrat35]

Again, this is another reason, I have not attended church regularly for over 30 years. Satan has infested the churches from the top down.

[rktman]

Such pronouncements with no basis in facts. Typical fidiots.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Evil man. One more time, stop. Stop now. I can NOT understand why you can not see what you are doing and the problems you are about to cause. This is unbelievable. I have NEVER in my life seen people this evil.

[Jim W N]

James T. Roberson III senior pastor of Bridge Church NYC

How was Charlie Kirk racist, James?

Because he didn't buy into the self-pity, victim mentality, self loathing, and entitlement of the dysfunctional part of black culture that keeps blacks from rising to their happy and healthy potential?

That's not "racist". That's called "not enabling" self destructive behavior. That would mean Charlie was actually trying to help black people. How is that racist?

And since we're on the subject, James, since you are a Senior Pastor, what have you done to help blacks climb out of their victim mentality and self pity and fix the dysfunctional part of their culture so they can excel to be the people God meant them to be? Huh?

[fwdude]

No kidding.

I went serious church shopping several years ago, must have visit every nominally evangelical church in my area. And I live in a pretty big metro area. I didn’t find one I would call solidly Christian.

It is a spiritual wasteland out there, and I don’t know when this happened.

[plain talk]

“I also denounced the way he carried himself and especially the way he talked about black people.”

But he affirmed those who were violent after George Floyd died?

This guy makes no sense and is all over the place. He is focused on worldly politics instead of spiritual matters.

[WhiteHatBobby0701]

Triumph of the CBF.

[rdcbn1]

The homos have even infiltrated the Southern Baptists

We are doomed

[packrat35]

Been going on for over 30 years and mostly no one noticed. Gay marriage really brought it out more in the open along with lunatic left wing being pushed so hard the past 10 years.

Every time a preacher excuses evil and sin to be more progressive with the times is a big NO for me.

[Preachin']

DEI hire...

[mdmathis6]

The pastor is convicted that he hasn’t been doing the job that Kirk has been doing...going into the byways and dregs of society and college campus certainly can be described as such, and preaching the gospel to every creature, showing them Christ!

The black pastor could have been a great influence on black college kids but instead he bashes another white man who was not a pastor for doing the job the “good reverend” hasn’t been doi9ng!

[Wuli]

Hypocrisy is a common and dominant virus in Liberal/Progressive/Left thinking.

[wild74]

As a NYC-based nondenominational church, everyone is welcome, and we invite you to know God. Doesn’t say anything about the SBC.

[Puppage]

Lemne guess…. He’s black?

[daku]

This “pastor” is an asshole

[jjotto]

https://churches.sbc.net/church/the-bridge-church-of-nyc/