When Churches Stay Silent: The High Cost of Avoidance | Faith + State

What happens when tragedy strikes our nation—and the pulpit says nothing? The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk has left many believers stunned, not only by the act itself but by the silence that followed in churches across America. Is that silence just caution—or is it drift? In this episode, Vince Miller and Elliott Engen unpack the dangers of silence in the church. From the book of Judges to today, we’ll see how silence has always led to drift, confusion, and cultural compromise. Summary This episode tackles the danger of silence in the church. From Judges to today, silence has always led to drift, confusion, and cultural compromise. Scripture and history remind us that courage, not caution, is what marks God’s leaders—and believers today must stand firm in truth rather than stay quiet in fear. Reflection & Small Group Questions 1. Why do you think many churches remain silent during cultural or political crises? 2. How does Judges 2:10 connect silence in leadership with generational drift? 3. What parallels do you see between Gideon tearing down Baal’s altar (Judges 6) and modern-day leaders speaking out against cultural idols? 4. In what ways does silence in the pulpit shape silence in the pews? 5. Which do you think church leaders fear more—losing members or failing God? Why? 6. How can believers discern whether their church is courageously shepherding or avoiding cultural realities? 7. What are the long-term effects when leaders refuse to name reality, as seen in Judges 19? 8. Who are some modern or historical leaders (Bonhoeffer, MLK Jr., etc.) who modeled courage in speaking truth, and what can we learn from them? 9. How can individual believers stand firm when their leaders remain silent 10. Which of the five practical steps in the call to action (pray, engage, stay rooted, live truth, discern) is hardest for you right now, and why? Read more about PROJECT23 👉🏼 https://beresolute.org/project23/ Join this channel to get access to the perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMTXiJbuAVrF2hTJgnYK5qw/join Check out all Vince Miller's videos and audios for small groups at https://beresolute.org/ Get Vince's most widely read resource, The Daily Devotional, at https://beresolute.org/mdd Check out more ALL IN products like the one Vince is wearing at: https://beresolute.org/product-category/all-in-hats/ Connect with Vince socially: FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/millervince INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/vinceleemiller LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincemiller TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vinceleemiller