Bold Faith Challenge

“Never again.” Those words echo from Dachau Concentration Camp as a reminder. Survivors and witnesses declared that the horrors of the Holocaust must never be repeated. However, the attitudes and actions behind those horrors are bigger than one historic event. We must continuously say “never again” in the face of evil. These words boldly call out oppression and prejudice, standing instead for community and connection.

Boldness without righteousness becomes brutality, an evil, arrogant, aggressive, unrestrained force that costs millions of lives. This shows up in recent headlines of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, who was attacked without provocation, and the senseless assassination of Charlie Kirk. What the world calls “bold” is cowardice. These acts require no real strength. In reality, boldness is doing the right thing and speaking the truth, no matter who is watching or listening. Boldness does not change direction with the crowd, even if it means swimming upstream.

Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, embodied boldness and fierce resilience. After fleeing her war-torn homeland with her family, she arrived in the United States, determined to build a life filled with purpose and creativity. Friends describe her as a passionate artist, a devoted animal lover, and a young woman unafraid to chase her dreams, even in the face of uncertainty. Her life was tragically cut short in an unprovoked attack on a Charlotte light rail train, but her story rings out as a testament to the courage it takes to start over, to live fully, and to stand strong despite unimaginable challenges. Iryna’s spirit reminds us that boldness is not the absence of danger, but the courage to move forward anyway, fiercely, with integrity and hope.

Charlie Kirk was a force of nature, co-founding Turning Point USA at only 18 years old. He ignited a movement that challenged the status quo on college campuses and beyond. Fierce in debate and unapologetic in conviction, he encouraged people to think critically—not just repeat mantras or regurgitate borrowed opinions without wisdom or understanding. He often faced opposition, threats, and criticism, yet never wavered in his mission to reshape the conversation. Though his life was tragically cut short at 31, his legacy endures as a testament to courage, conviction, and the power of bold, principled action. That kind of boldness takes humility and courage. It means engaging in real conversations, weighing evidence, seeking truth, and standing on it. It’s no surprise that such boldness often draws resistance. His story reminds us that the boldness this world most needs is not shallow slogans, but clear-eyed truth rooted in conviction.

Closer to home than Dachau and in more recent history, we have September 11, 2001. That day is seared into memory. The terrorists acted with terrifying boldness, but their determination was bent on destruction. Their sacrifice was not noble but fanatical. It proved that boldness, when divorced from truth and love, becomes monstrous. The first responders, those on Flight 93, and others showed true boldness when helping others, running toward the danger, and working to rebuild in unity.

Boldness itself is not the problem. The question is: What fuels it?

• Boldness fueled by hatred leads to destruction.
• Boldness fueled by pride leads to oppression.
• Boldness fueled by ignorance or thoughtless repetition leads to confusion.
• Boldness fueled by God’s Spirit and guided by wisdom leads to life, truth, and hope—the kind of boldness that acts justly, loves mercy, and walks humbly with God (Micah 6:8).

Joshua’s challenge in Joshua 24:15 still matters today: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Boldness will always serve something—self, hate, fear, or the living God. The choice is ours.

What the enemy intends for evil, God uses for good. Joseph’s suffering became the salvation of many (Genesis 50:20), and as Paul reminds us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28). When the enemy intends to silence, we have the opportunity to increase the volume: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent” (Acts 18:9-10).

As Bryan Denton said in Newsies, “Sometimes all it takes is a voice, one voice that becomes a hundred, then a thousand, unless it’s silenced.” Boldness begins with a single voice willing to speak truth, defend the vulnerable, and stand for justice. One voice can inspire many, unless we let fear or apathy silence it.

“Never again” must be a call to action. We need the boldness to defend the vulnerable, to speak truth in all circumstances, to think critically instead of blindly repeating, to love when hatred shouts louder, and to stand firm when the cost is high.

The world will always have boldness. Whether it destroys or offers healing and transformation is our choice. True boldness is not reckless or arrogant, but is instead guided by wisdom, grounded in love, and fueled by God’s Spirit. It chooses to serve the living God rather than fear, pride, or hatred.  The prophet Micah proclaims, He has shown you, O man (mankind), what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

That is the kind of boldness our world desperately needs! Courage that acts justly. Compassion that loves mercy. Faith that walks humbly with God. Let us commit today to be voices that cannot be silenced. Stand firm, speak truth, and inspire others to rise in courage. May our boldness reflect the heart of God, becoming a force for justice, mercy, and lasting hope.