00:00:00.000Today on the Charlie Kirk Show, we take Governor Abbott's press conference live where he's interrupted by Robert Francis O'Rourke.
00:00:06.000We talk about that in our sister episode as well.
00:00:09.000Also, an exciting new effort to try to reclaim theological sanity to the Southern Baptist Convention and so much more.
00:00:16.000Email me your thoughts, freedom at charliekirk.com.
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00:01:37.000You never know what's going to be happening in the world when you book guests and you put things together, but this is still a very important topic that we want to make sure we share with you today.
00:01:48.000And so I've been watching with great curiosity over the last couple years about the Baptist Convention, the Southern Baptist Convention, and their leadership and their direction and how they're handling some of these issues of critical race theory and how it has been engaging with the church.
00:02:06.000And there is a movement to try to restore, in my opinion, theological and biblical sanity back to the convention.
00:02:15.000And one person in particular is a senior pastor from Grace Baptist Church in Cape Corral, Florida, beautiful Cape Corral, Florida, Tom Askel, and he's with us right now.
00:02:26.000Tom, welcome to the Charlie Kirk Show.
00:02:28.000I just want to first start and just ask you, as a pastor, just give our audience some words of comfort from the scriptures in this very unexpected and brutal time of national mourning as we look at what's happened in Uvalde, Texas.
00:02:44.000Yeah, well, this ought to be a reminder to us that we live east of Eden.
00:03:02.000God is with those who are brokenhearted.
00:03:05.000He deals gently with people who find themselves cast down.
00:03:09.000So my encouragement is to look to Christ, to recognize, again, why we need a savior and how good God has been to us to give up his own son to save us from our sin.
00:03:21.000And we need to get that message of salvation as widely distributed as we can because this type of evil continues in our world.
00:03:35.000I want to talk about the Southern Baptist Convention.
00:03:39.000So you've been nominated for SBC president, but Southern Baptists have to vote for you in the upcoming meeting in Anaheim to make it happen.
00:03:49.000Talk about how influential and how important the Southern Baptist Convention is.
00:03:55.000And talk about how the SBC has, in some ways, kind of veered off the path, in my personal opinion, in recent years when it comes to some of these issues of critical race theory and otherwise.
00:04:26.000What happens to the SBC impacts far beyond the SBC?
00:04:29.000It impacts other evangelical institutions, organizations in North America, and indeed around the world, because America exports our Christianity.
00:04:38.000And the SBC has a lot of influence on the character and quality of that Christian faith in this generation.
00:04:48.000The president doesn't have a great deal of authority in the SBC, though he does have the mechanism at his disposal to begin a change.
00:04:57.000And we do need a change of direction in the Southern Methodist Convention.
00:05:00.000As you pointed out, these ideologies in our culture that have just infiltrated all the structures, all the institutions around us, have come inside the realm of the churches of the SBC as well, as well as all evangelicals.
00:05:15.000I mean, so now we have housewives showing up at school board meetings and they're decrying critical race theory, queer theory.
00:05:23.000All of these ideologies are being taught in our public education systems.
00:05:26.000And those same, those same ideas in our culture have infiltrated our churches.
00:05:34.000Several of us have tried to contend against it, to withstand it.
00:05:38.0002019, I argued as strongly as I could to avoid seeing the convention adopt a resolution that's now infamously known as Resolution 9 that says critical race theory and intersectionality can be helpful analytical tools for us to use.
00:05:57.000But since that time, we produced at Founders Ministries a documentary called By What Standard.
00:06:02.000It's available online on YouTube for free, or we'll send you a disc of it if you want that.
00:06:07.000And we've called attention to the fact that these things are coming.
00:06:10.000They're with us and we've got to withstand them because critical race theory, intersectionality, queer theory, all of that is incompatible with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:06:19.000And we are called upon in the scriptures to contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.
00:06:26.000And that's why people have prevailed upon me to allow myself to be nominated to be president of the SBC in the annual meeting coming up in June.
00:06:45.000His book, Fault Lines, has been instrumental to so many people in our audience and so many pastors out there.
00:06:51.000And so you are, you being president of the Southern Baptist Convention would just be, would be incredible in more ways than one.
00:07:00.000In the couple minutes we have remaining, can you speculate as to why some members of the SBC have been willing to adopt and entertain some of these ideologies?
00:07:11.000Why do you think that they have been as successful as they have?
00:07:15.000You and I would both agree that they are inconsistent and incongruent with theological truth and teaching, but yet they've had a surprising amount of success.
00:07:27.000One, it's the cultural air that we breathe.
00:07:29.000And so we cannot escape the fact that we are living in a time when these kind of ideas are just permeating everything in culture.
00:07:38.000And if you're not having your defenses up and being on guard all the time, then you're going to be moved along by those cultural winds.
00:07:46.000And that happens more readily where there is not a rock-ribbed, solid commitment to the full inerrancy and authority of God's word and the lordship of Jesus Christ over every square inch of creation.
00:07:59.000And sadly, I think what's being exposed in our Southern Baptist Convention is that our theological convictions have been more theoretical than they have been practical, that our confessional theology has not moved into functional theology nearly as rigorously as it should have.
00:08:16.000And as a result, as we've been warned not to in Ephesians 4, I see that we have been moved along by various winds of doctrine out of our confessional parameters at points.
00:08:30.000We need God to come and send us a great spirit of repentance and revival so that we can once again stand firm under the Lordship of Christ.
00:09:12.000I've not ever held any denominational position.
00:09:14.000And so I would be a true outsider coming in.
00:09:16.000So pray that if this is God's will, he'll make it happen.
00:09:18.000Pray that God will help me also to maintain consistency and not to dishonor him in anything I say or do.
00:09:26.000But if you're a member of a Southern Baptist Church, talk to your leaders.
00:09:29.000You've got to get messengers to Anaheim.
00:09:31.000The only way that we can change the direction of the SBC is to operate with our polity, which begins with electing a president who sees these things and is willing to take a stand to begin the process of change.
00:09:43.000It's going to take years, but starting is always the hardest part.
00:09:47.000And we've got an opportunity to start in Anaheim.
00:09:49.000So I would plead with Southern Baptists to go to Anaheim.
00:09:54.000I've talked to pastors that are driving out there, staying in their cars and going to vote and then come home because they can't afford to stay in hotels.
00:10:01.000And I know, I know it's hard, but if we are committed to seeing change, this is the only way that it can happen under the polity that we have in the convention.
00:10:11.000So you have to show up for a two-day business meeting, June the 14th and 15th in Anaheim, California.
00:10:17.000You have to register as a messenger from your church and go and sit through the business meeting and vote for a change of direction.
00:10:23.000And if God raises up enough Southern Baptists to do it, then we will see a change.
00:10:28.000There's 47,000 churches in the SBC and no more than about 8,000 to 9,000 ever see messengers any year.
00:10:35.000So it wouldn't take much of the rest of that percentage to show up, and we would change the direction.
00:11:17.000You rarely see this kind of focus and commitment.
00:11:19.000They recently shared with me that they are doubling down and want to literally double their total number of happy customers in the next year.
00:11:27.000If you're struggling with back pain, neck pain, shoulder, hip, or knee pain, even general muscle aches and pain, then I'm suggesting you order their three-week quick start, still discounted, only $19.95.
00:12:23.000With that one being the outlier, every one of these tragic events, there are people that say, oh, yeah, he was said this or he did this.
00:12:32.000For example, the individual that was shooting, that committed the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas shooting in Parkland, Florida, would walk through the quad of Marjorie Stoneland Douglas School pantomiming shooting people with his gun with his hands as guns.
00:12:51.000As soon as there were gunshots at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas School in Parkland, Florida, people said, Oh, it must be, and we don't say his name on the program.
00:13:01.000They knew immediately there are almost always warning signs before these tragic and evil acts happen, which again, if you're hearing this and if your son or your daughter says, Oh, yeah, you know, this person at school is talking really weird.
00:13:17.000Intervention is necessary, immediate intervention.
00:13:22.000Here's a brand new update from Bill Melusian Play Cut 65.
00:13:30.000Just a few moments ago, I got a brand new update from Texas DPS telling me there are still 17 people injured as a result of this mass shooting.
00:13:38.000Specifically, University Health and San Antonio Hospital, they're reporting they are still treating a 10-year-old girl who is in serious life-threatening condition.
00:13:47.000They are treating a 10-year-old and a nine-year-old who are both in good condition, and they are treating a 66-year-old woman who is in serious life-threatening condition.
00:13:56.000That is believed to be the shooter's grandmother.
00:13:59.000And Texas DPS tells me he shot her in the face before he went over here to this school to commit this mass shooting.
00:14:06.000And let's continue with Cut 66, please.
00:14:46.000Those things are nice byproducts of the intent of the Second Amendment, but the Second Amendment is designed to protect all the other amendments.
00:14:54.000Second Amendment is the Freedom Amendment because it is a check on government tyranny and power.
00:15:00.000Governor Greg Abbott of Texas is having a press conference.
00:15:02.000Let's throw to that live is to ensure that the community is not going to be ripped apart.
00:15:12.000All Texans must come together and support the families who have been affected by this horrific tragedy.
00:15:21.000What they need now more than ever is our love.
00:15:27.000What they need is uplifting from all of our fellow Texans and all of our fellow Americans.
00:15:38.000And let me emphasize something that I know you all know.
00:15:44.000But the reality is, as horrible as what happened, it could have been worse.
00:15:54.000The reason it was not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do.
00:16:05.000They showed amazing courage by running toward gunfire for the singular purpose of trying to save lives.
00:16:17.000And it is a fact that because of their quick response, getting on the scene, being able to respond to the gunman and eliminate the gunmen, they were able to save lives.
00:16:39.000But I want to make sure that everybody knows all of the law enforcement agencies and groups that are involved and were involved in this process.
00:16:52.000The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation, and they are supported by the Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol, the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigative Division, DPS Aircraft, DPS Intelligence Counter and Terrorism Division, DPS Crime and Victim Support.
00:17:14.000They're also supported by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, the FBI, as well as multiple federal partners, including the DEA, ATF, HSI, and Border Patrol.
00:17:26.000And then, of course, the valiant local officials, the Uvalde Sheriff's Department, Uvalde Police Department, Uvalde Independent School District Police, Uvalde County Constables, Uvalde Mayor, the County Judge, Uvalde District Attorney's Office, local public works and surrounding police department, and the San Antonio Police and Fire Department also.
00:17:57.000Let me walk you through some of the facts of what has happened.
00:18:01.000There's been a lot of things that have been said.
00:18:05.000Let me tell you the best information that we have at this time, understanding very importantly that this is an ongoing investigation, and ongoing investigations often reveal new information as those investigations progress.
00:18:23.000The first thing that happened was that the gunman shot his grandmother in the face.
00:18:35.000The gunman fled, and as he was fleeing, he had an accident just outside of the elementary school, and he ran into the school.
00:18:44.000Officers with the Consolidated Independent School District approached the gunman and engaged with the gunman at that time.
00:18:52.000The gunman then entered a back door and went down two short hallways and then into a classroom on the left-hand side.
00:19:00.000The gun room entered into that classroom, and the classroom was connected internally to another classroom.
00:19:08.000Border Patrol, consolidated ISD officers, police, sheriffs, and DPS officers converged on that classroom, and a Border Patrol officer killed the gunman.
00:19:24.000As I said, Texas Rangers are leading the investigation, joined by federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
00:19:33.000At this time, we know that 19 children, 19 children have lost their lives.
00:19:59.000In addition to that, there are 17 people who are injured, but their injuries are not life-threatening.
00:20:10.000All family members of all of these students and faculty members have been contacted and informed about the circumstances.
00:20:22.000Officials are working with parents to ensure that their parents are going to be able to see their children.
00:20:28.000Parents should contact victim services at the county fairplex.
00:20:36.000We know that there are parents still striving to make a connection.
00:20:42.000All parents are welcome and urged to contact victim services at the county fairplex.
00:20:53.000The gunman was 18 years old and reportedly a high school dropout.
00:21:01.000Reportedly, there has been no criminal history identified yet.
00:21:08.000He may have had a juvenile record, but that is yet to be determined.
00:21:14.000There was no known mental health history of the gunman.
00:21:21.000He used one weapon, which was an AR-15, using 223 rounds.
00:21:28.000There was no meaningful forewarning of this crime other than what I'm about to tell you.
00:21:39.000As of this time, the only information that was known in advance was posted by the gunman on Facebook approximately 30 minutes before reaching the school.
00:21:54.000The first post was to the point of, he said, I'm going to shoot my grandmother.
00:22:03.000The second post was, I shot my grandmother.
00:22:07.000The third post, maybe less than 15 minutes before arriving at the school, was, I'm going to shoot an elementary school.
00:22:21.000I mentioned that during the shootout that took place at the school, in addition to the students and the faculty, there were three officers who were injured who all remain in good condition.
00:22:41.000One deputy sheriff lost a daughter in that school.
00:22:49.000Before coming out here, we had a long discussion with law enforcement at all levels.
00:22:57.000We had a discussion with community leaders, elected officials.
00:23:02.000And I asked the sheriff and others an open-ended question and got the same answer from the sheriff as well as from the mayor of Evalde.
00:23:17.000The question was, what is the problem here?
00:23:23.000And they were straightforward and emphatic.
00:23:26.000They said, we have a mental, we have a problem with mental health illness in this community.
00:23:35.000And then they elaborated on the magnitude of the mental health challenges that they are facing in the community and the need for more mental health support in this region.
00:23:50.000I want to make sure everybody understands the mental health services that are available at this time.
00:23:57.000With me making one clarifying point in advance that I'm going to redouble down in the aftermath.
00:24:06.000Whenever anything as shocking and extraordinary and disturbing as this event is occurs, there is an urgent need for everybody affected to access mental health.
00:24:24.000I cannot be more emphatic than saying with great urgency: everybody in this community, I mean everybody, the victims, the families, family members, friends, the law enforcement involved, but the entire community is in utter shock about this.
00:24:55.000Some physical wounds that were sustained by the officers, they're going to heal in the coming days.
00:25:03.000The mental and emotional wounds are far harder to see and last far longer.
00:25:12.000The state of Texas working with federal and local officials and agencies, we're going to be here for a long, long time.
00:25:22.000And one key point that we will focus on is making sure that everybody in this community has the access they need for as long as they need it to address with the mental and emotional health care needs that they have.
00:25:41.000I want to list various agencies and make sure these are made available to the public.
00:25:49.000The mental health services currently available are from victim services from across the area, from federal, state, and local levels, including the Family Resource Center at the Uvalde County Fairplex.
00:26:03.000Schools have crisis teams at the Uvalde Civic Center.
00:26:08.000They provide wraparound services for families who are affected.
00:26:16.000The Texas Child Mental Health Consortium, created by the state legislature in 2019, is available to assist.
00:26:26.000The Blue Bonnet Children's Advocacy Center is available to provide services for children.
00:26:34.000The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is on site and will be available for ongoing provision of services.
00:26:43.000The Texas Education Agency is providing.
00:26:45.000That's a speech that Joe Biden should have gave.
00:26:48.000But that is not the president that we have.
00:26:52.000I'm going to go back to the Texas press conference.
00:26:54.000Dan Patrick, the great lieutenant governor there, good American, is speaking, and so is Greg Abbott.
00:26:59.000I disagree with Governor Abbott on things, but he gave a phenomenal press conference.
00:27:05.000I said this yesterday when people are at each other's throats everywhere we turn, whether it's on the internet or an Oscar stage or two coaches arguing or in the political world or the media world.
00:27:59.000It's God that heals a shattered and broken heart.
00:28:04.000And if we don't turn back as a nation to understanding what we were founded upon and what we were taught by our parents and what we believe in, then these situations will only get worse.
00:29:23.000So Robert Francis O'Rourke, who the former congressman who is running against Greg Abbott, interrupts the press conference and comes up to the front and starts screaming at Greg Abbott like a teenager.
00:29:38.000So Beto O'Rourke just bumrushes the stage and starts screaming at them.
00:29:47.000The bodies have not yet been identified.
00:29:49.000The blood has not yet been cleaned up.
00:29:53.000And Beto O'Rourke bumrushes the stage like a narcissistic politician that he is, all about himself, with the cameras flooding around him, people taking pictures as he starts screaming and he starts all about him, not about the children.
00:30:12.000And remember, Beto Rourke said, hell yes, we're going to take your guns.
00:30:15.000Hell yes, we're going to take your guns.
00:30:17.000It's an immature child that does something like that that goes and interrupts an event and the media just loves it.
00:30:23.000They just start to take pictures and the whole thing is Betto bumrushes the stage and he's going to get all the sorts of media hits.
00:30:30.000Oh yes, Rachel Maddow, I just couldn't take it any longer.
00:30:36.000It's all about you and your upcoming failed governor's race where you are going to go into the oblivion of political irrelevancy in Texas where you run for Senate and you lose and you run for president and you lose and you run for governor and you lose.
00:30:52.000You see, Robert Francis O'Rourke has created a cottage industry around losing statewide in Texas.
00:30:58.000I give credit to Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick.
00:31:03.000We're learning a lot about the situation in Uvalde.
00:31:07.000And Robert Francis O'Rourke starts screaming like a child, interrupting the entire press conference, screaming at a governor a position that he will never hold.
00:31:17.000Thank you so much for listening, everybody.
00:31:18.000Email me your thoughts as always, freedom at charliekirk.com.