11/09/2025
As I reflect upon the passing of Preacher Kirk, my heart is drawn to Stephen, the first martyr of the New Testament. Stephen stood with boldness before the council, declaring truth with unshaken conviction, though he knew full well that his words would provoke anger and opposition. The Scripture says, “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:54–55).
What a scene it must have been — a man surrounded by enemies, hated for his faith, yet unmoved in his spirit, and instead of fear, he was filled with vision. He lifted his eyes away from the stones of men and set them upon the glory of our Lord. That moment, though marked by violence, was in truth a moment of triumph, for Stephen’s faith did not falter even as his life was taken.
And when I think of Preacher Kirk, I cannot help but see the same courage reflected. He, too, faced a world that resisted truth, that despised boldness, and that sought to silence the voice of one who dared to proclaim what is righteous. And though the hand of violence was raised against him, I believe that, like Stephen, his spirit was not conquered. For the Scripture records of Stephen, “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59). And so too, I believe Preacher Kirk, at the very hour of his trial, was received into the presence of our Lord.
The parallel is clear to me: Stephen, though silenced by stones, yet speaks even today through the pages of Scripture; and Preacher Kirk, though struck down in this world, yet speaks still through the testimony of his life and the courage of his stand. Men thought to erase Stephen, but his witness only multiplied the boldness of the early church. So I trust God will use this moment to awaken many, to stir the hearts of believers, and to remind us all that the gospel is worth living for and worth dying for.
Yes, his course may seem unfinished in the eyes of men, but in the eyes of God, it is complete. He has finished the race set before him. He has endured to the end. And just as Stephen saw the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing, so too may we believe that Preacher Kirk, in his final moment, beheld the glory of our risen Savior, welcoming him home.
This is my opinion: Preacher Kirk, like Stephen, was faithful unto death. He stood firm when it mattered most, and he sealed his testimony not with retreat, but with courage. And now, in glory, I believe he has received the crown of life, and hears those words that every servant longs to hear: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant… enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21).
Though we grieve, we grieve not as those without hope. For his voice is not gone — it echoes in the hearts of those who remain. His example is not buried — it lives on as a call for us to stand as boldly as he did. And just as Stephen’s death became a seed for greater faith in the church, so may the passing of Preacher Kirk be used of God to strengthen His people in these last days.
