A Kentucky church is standing by a controversial Vacation Bible School skit after footage showing soldiers appearing to execute a character portraying the devil in front of children sparked widespread backlash online.
The viral video, filmed during Mt. Olivet Baptist Church's annual VBS in Lexington, shows several men dressed in camouflage uniforms entering the sanctuary carrying what appear to be airsoft rifles. As adults and children chant, "Take him out! Blow him up!" the soldiers surround a figure dressed in black portraying the devil before firing multiple execution-style shots. The character is then dragged from the sanctuary, followed by a loud explosion sound effect intended to symbolize the devil's destruction.
The clip quickly spread across social media, prompting criticism from both Christians and non-Christians who questioned whether such imagery was appropriate for a children's ministry.
Among those speaking out was retired teacher and Moms Demand Action Kentucky volunteer Kathi Crowe, who described the performance as "unbelievably disturbing," calling it "an appalling abuse" and "a major breach of trust."
As criticism mounted, Pastor Dewayne Walker released a video responding to the controversy, insisting the viral clip was being taken out of context.
"I'm, quite frankly, befuddled," Walker said. "The misinformation out there is sad."
According to Walker, the church has incorporated dramatic skits into its Vacation Bible School for more than three decades as a way of illustrating biblical truths for children.
"For 32 years," he explained, the church has used characters representing both good and evil to teach spiritual lessons through songs, games and theatrical presentations.
Walker said the military-themed group featured in the skit, known as the "Commandos for Christ," carries what he called the "Gospel Gun," symbolizing the power of God's Word rather than physical violence.
"The clip you saw was simply killing the devil," Walker said. "I'll be honest with you, if I could kill the devil every day and raise him up and kill him again, I'd do it. He's the one we hate. We're not allowed by God to hate anybody else-not even our enemies."
The pastor acknowledged that some viewers may disagree with the church's presentation but maintained that the goal was to give children a visual illustration of spiritual warfare.
"We're painting a real picture to kids, visibly, what's going on invisibly," he explained.
Walker also apologized to anyone who was offended by the performance while stressing that offending viewers was never the church's intention.
"If it offended you, I'm sorry that it did," he said. "That was not the intention."
He added that the short video circulating online failed to capture the broader context of the weeklong Vacation Bible School program.
"What you saw, that little snippet, is not even close to what we're about," Walker said.
The incident has reignited debate over how churches should teach children about spiritual warfare and evil, with supporters arguing that the skit portrayed the triumph of Christ over Satan, while critics contend that execution-style imagery and simulated gunfire are inappropriate in a children's ministry setting.
As the discussion continues online, the church maintains that its focus remains on proclaiming the gospel, teaching children to love people, and emphasizing that the real enemy Christians face is the devil-not other human beings.
