There’s a video of Kirk Franklin making the rounds on social media that’s been dubbed a “rant,” receiving mostly negative reactions and judgmental responses. In light of this clip, he’s been called “demonic,” not “born-again,” and “fallen away,” among other accusations. However, I find it hard to understand how anyone could reach such conclusions based on this single clip.
Let me start by saying that I used to be a big fan of this brother’s music back in the day. Songs like “Why We Sing,” “Melodies From Heaven,” and “Stomp” were my favorites long before I became a follower of Christ.
However, I cannot support or condone his recent musical endeavors or actions. Still, I don’t presume to understand his heart or whether he’s genuinely a child of God—that judgment belongs to God alone. Nonetheless, when someone speaks truth, regardless of my personal feelings towards them, I pay attention.
In this live video, Franklin seemed to convey a universal message that I wholeheartedly agree with, and I find myself opposing the numerous trivial and judgmental comments and “correction videos” made by various Christian groups and individuals. I don’t think many even tried to understand what he said before speaking.
Franklin starts the video by stating that he’s sleepy and tired, so there’s no telling what he will say. A useful acronym that the late Dr. Charles Stanley taught was H.A.L.T. It stands for “hungry, angry, lonely, and tired.” He said to halt when feeling any of these emotions and wait for a better time to make decisions. The best thing to do in the meantime is to talk to God.
In this case, I think this principle might have been useful, as Franklin’s point wasn’t well articulated, contributing to people’s confusion. I’m still left guessing myself. In spite of the fact that his words, at first, may seem all over the place, if you actually listen without biases concerning how you feel about Kirk Franklin, you begin to understand.
First, here’s a link to the video if you haven’t seen it.
From my perspective, his message suggests that Christians often hold unrealistic expectations for themselves and others, demanding perfection despite the fact that even the saints in the Bible were flawed. I find this to be accurate.
We frequently rush to judge others for “stepping out of bounds” in their faith—boundaries that are often established by human interpretation rather than divine or scriptural authority. However, no biblical believer achieved a flawless existence, and neither will we.
One might confidently argue, “The saints are not our example, Jesus is.” I will reassuringly reply with, “Not one of us is Jesus,” so none of us are capable of that type of perfection on earth.
Therefore, we ought to abandon the concept that Christianity equates to perfection, as that’s not the essence of this life. Instead, it revolves around yielding to the One God and Creator, the God of Abraham and his Son Jesus Christ, and striving to live in accordance with his principles and commandments as we steward his creation—this is the purpose for which we were made.
Another complaint Mr. Franklin shared in the video, which we all could reflect on, is our tendency to bombard others with Scriptures, even when they may not be helpful or solicited. In fact, he says this “pi**es” him off.
Many have taken his comments out of context, likely to push their own biases and agendas, suggesting that he’s minimizing the role of the Holy Scriptures in our lives; but that wasn’t his message at all.
This seems to be a typical instance of immature believers, eager to highlight the shortcomings of others, as they have yet to grasp God’s true heart and purpose for their lives. Because if they had, they wouldn’t have time to criticize others for trivial matters all the time, since they would be about their Father’s business.
But, it’s more entertaining to join the latest Christian gossip than to join a Bible study to seek God’s will, and it’s more comfortable to critique others than to confront own shortcomings.
The man was indicating that when people are suffering or facing difficulties, it frustrates him when others choose to immediately recite Scriptures instead of sharing in that person’s pain.
Some have suggested that he’s using this as a way to hit back at those who criticize his business and lifestyle choices, and while it could be a possibility, for me, that’s going way too deep for no reason. The fact remains that some of his comments prompted me to think.
Now, I wouldn’t say that someone sharing a Scripture would upset me to that extent, as I understand they’re simply trying to help the best way they can. Moreover, Franklin himself made the song “I Smile,” whose lyrics seem to promote the very behavior he’s criticizing. Imagine approaching someone suffering from grief or stress and telling them to “just smile.” To me, that’s worse than giving them Scripture. As such, he’s just as guilty as this “ya’ll” he’s referring to, whoever “ya’ll” really is.
But, I can relate to his perspective on how some individuals tend to throw Scriptures at those who are facing challenges. It seems to me that those who do this, often haven’t truly experienced significant hardships themselves. I know this from my own experience, as I used to do the same until I encountered losses, hardships, and overwhelming grief that I’m still battling today.
During those intense moments, being given a Scripture or being encouraged to return to church and normal life, felt dismissing. I was in so much pain that those words felt irrelevant. When I’m hurting so badly, how can you act as if everything is fine and like life should carry on as usual?
All I wanted was to mourn and cry out to God in my sorrow and to have others empathize with me. Even if no one was there, at least acknowledge my pain and don’t disregard what I’m going through as if it’s business as usual. Don’t try to fast talk over my suffering or tell me a story from your life that’s not even half-relatable. Just allow me to feel what I feel.
It’s not a lack of faith; it’s being human. Even Abraham took the time to mourn for Sarah (Gen. 23:2). So why should we pretend that everything is fine and that all our problems can be solved by quoting a verse from the Bible?
The Good Samaritan didn’t simply stand over the injured man and recite a comforting verse from Scripture. Instead, he took action, providing the assistance that was necessary. Similarly, when Peter cried out for Christ to rescue him from drowning, Jesus didn’t respond with, “Don’t worry, Peter,” followed by a recitation of Isaiah 41:13, which states, “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” (NIV) Rather, he extended his hand and offered help.
This also mirrors the idea of telling someone, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without actually supplying what they need for their well-being. This approach yields no benefit. It’s useless.
It’s time we stopped acting like super-spiritual beings. At the end of the day, we must remember that we are only human. Even God remembers that we are dust—weak and fragile creatures (Psalm 103:13-14). We can’t all just grab a Scripture and keep it movin’.
The truth is, we have to acknowledge our weaknesses and humanity as believers, and stop doing things that may harm other people simply because we don’t know what else to do or how to react to their pain, regardless of how good it appears to us.
When people are “going through,” sometimes, the best approach is simply to listen and support them, striving to comprehend their struggles. Alternatively, some people may find comfort and value in Scripture. Others may need a helping hand. Personally, I prefer to be by myself.
But it’s best to pray about a situation before reaching out to others, allowing the Holy Spirit to help you discern what that person truly needs; because this life is not “one-size fits all.”
Find out what people need.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t imply that we should set aside God and his Word. They must always remain central, but in a way that addresses the needs of each individual, at the right time.
There is a time and place for everything. There’s a time for teaching and learning, followed by a time to put that knowledge into practice. Teaching and sharing Scriptures are intended for our enlightenment (2 Tim. 3:16-17) with the goal of living out these Scriptures at the right moments.
The heat of the moment is not the best time for instruction; that should have been established beforehand to cultivate the hearts and faith of believers before the storm, not during or after. When challenges arise, that’s the moment to apply those teachings. Therefore, teaching sound doctrine is crucial because man-made beliefs won’t benefit much during these times.
But, the bottom line seems to be this: We should be doers of the Word, not mere listeners and teachers. So, when the Word instructs us to love our neighbor (Mark 12:30-31), it means more than just reciting a verse; it means being present for others. Asking how you can lend a hand. Fulfilling a need. Or perhaps, remaining quiet.
Love requires action, not recitation.
This principle is relevant to everything concerning Scripture. While teaching and learning are essential for our growth, they should not merely lead to the accumulation of knowledge. True learning and understanding is shown through our application of what we’ve been taught.
If faith in God is strengthened during the calm, we will cling to him during the storm—even without your Scripture references. But what may help the most is knowing you care. And you can show this in many ways.
We are called to live out God’s teachings every day. Do we, as the church of God, truly practice what we preach? This is a goal we should all pursue. While I’ll be the first to admit that I fail, I’ll also be the first to admit that I strive.
This post may have strayed slightly from Kirk’s perspective, but it was not intentional and it was for a good purpose. But, to wrap up, I might not be a fan anymore, and his methods may not suit my preferences, yet I see no issue with Kirk Franklin’s remarks in this context, and I think it would be wise to consider his advice.