As a currently serving Black pastor, I was recently stunned when Dr. Steve Caudle, a Black pastor from Tennessee, appeared to call for violence against Donald Trump’s assistant and billionaire Elon Musk.
I saw the video clip, and unlike most, I want to hear his entire position rather than judge him solely based on a brief excerpt. However, I heard enough to recognize that—despite his recent denials—he fully understood that even if his words were taken out of context, they strongly implied a call for violence against someone directly working for the President of the United States (1 Thess 5:2, 1 Pet. 2:18).
More plainly, he intentionally created plausible deniability to offer himself an escape route (Rom. 16:18, Eph. 4:14). How do I know this? More than two decades in ministry leadership has shown me that black pastors “talk good” and are masters at the word game (Col. 2:8, 2 Pet. 2:3).
Make no mistake Saints, pastors know exactly what they mean even when it doesn’t align with scripture (Mic. 3:11, Jer. 6:13). I listened to Dr. Caudle and so have ten million people on video, and he repeated a false news media talking point: that Elon Musk wants to take away Social Security checks and even steal Social Security numbers from the poor.
Why the world’s richest (known) person, worth more of $440 billion would steal social security numbers was never mentioned of course.
Black pastors count on two things to sustain false teaching and deceitful narratives: keeping their congregations low-information and ensuring sheep remain ignorant of God’s Word (Isa. 9:16, Luke 6:39).
Furthermore, whatever Dr. Caudle’s intentions were, he has allowed the devil to infiltrate him to such a degree that he spoke non-Holy Ghost words without providing full biblical context.
Sure, as these men do, he sprinkled in a twisted Bible verse about the “kingdom of God is violence” but his intentions were not holy. During a debate with Oneness Pentecostals some time ago, I explained that the misuse of scripture is based on trickery to manipulate outcomes. As the Oneness theologians offered, “the Bible says this one text and that is all there is to it.”
My response was to explain that it is never “just this” rather “this and that.” For example, the false Oneness doctrine says that only people baptized “in Jesus’s Name” are saved and “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” (Godhead) baptism is invalid (Matt. 28:19, Act 2:38).
With respect to Dr. Caudle, he unrighteously used a text on the Gospel of Matthew and taught it as if this was the only possible meaning of what he taught and it had to be for violence against Musk (John 8:44, 1 John 1:6).
Don’t get me wrong—when this preacher said, “sometimes we have to fight,” and meant it in a physical sense, I have no issue with that and the Bible supports this (Eccles. 3:1-8)! According to Ecclesiastes 3, there is even a time to kill. Furthermore, Jesus stormed into the Jewish temple, became violent with people, and destroyed property (Matt. 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17).
Moses, the prophet among prophets, declared, “The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His name” (Exo. 15:3). Throughout Scripture, God openly corrected people in error—but in these instances, He was silent, affirming the legitimacy of these words and actions, and many besides.
Where this theologically deficient church leader failed—before approximately ten million video viewers—is that he justified violence over a verifiable lie (Prov. 6:16-19).
The Bible states that no lie is of the truth (1 John 2:21). Given the catastrophic messaging from Black church members nationwide just months ago—that Donald Trump, if elected, would use the military against Black people—how could this lying clown have done this?
To be clear, as I have said many times, I have no political affiliation. Whether it’s Trump, Biden, Obama, Bush Jr., or Clinton, none of them have displayed the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). All are guilty of crimes, and not one is innocent.
If Trump is locked up, then, in fairness, so should the rest (Lev. 19:15, Jam. 2:1-4). Furthermore, the hypocrisy of both Trump and Elon Musk is open for all to see. Musk, who holds U.S. defense contracts through his company Starlink, and Trump, who cut taxes for big businesses (personally profiting millions in the process), are calling other people crooks?
If preachers cry out, it should be for righteousness’ sake, sparing no one due to favoritism, and political expediency (Deut. 10:17, Jam. 2:1, Rom. 2:11). Nevertheless, the same God who allowed Joe Biden to rule has now assigned Trump whether black folk accept it or not (1 Sam. 2:7-8, Dan. 2:21, Rom. 13:1).
So, Black preachers like Dr. Caudle are not merely questioning Republicanism or MAGA—they do not believe the word they preach (Matt. 23:2-3, Rom. 2:21-22, Jam. 1:21). How could they so openly question God’s wisdom (Job 38:2-4, Rom. 9:20)?
Apparently, the phrase “God is God all the time, and all the time God is God” only applies when a Democrat holds the presidency (Jam. 1:8).
Additionally, I question whether “Dr.” Caudle is a true scholar at all. For those unaware, Black pastors can award themselves an honorary “Dr.” title without any legitimate academic accomplishment—based solely on pastoring a church for seven years. One such man leads a church in the city in which I pastor.
More than any other thing and as I have often said, pastors seek three thing above every other: power, prestige, and position. Men like this do not seek the heart of the Lord when bringing this kind of dis-repute to the cross, they are seeking influence by any means necessary (Matt. 23:1-8, Titus 1:15-16).
Worse, Caudle is now trying to clarify what he said and even blaming ‘enemies’ for sound biting what he clearly said irrespective of intent. No preacher, you said it and if you believe the Holy Spirit led, stand it (Deut. 4:2, Prov. 30:5-6, Rev. 22:18-19).
John the Baptist, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul and others did so and as far we know, four of the five ended up dead for doing.
In closing, I have written several articles dealing with the heresy and self-centered use of God’s word by black preachers. At some point God’s people must accept that these men and women are just not serious people and worse, they continue in ignorance because they keep the people so (Jer. 5:31).
How much longer do we, as a people, must do as Jesus and Paul said; confront them openly and should they not listen, shun them unto repentance but always ready to restore these wayward leaders (Matt. 8:15-17, 1 Tim. 5:20, Gal. 6:1).
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