Evangelical figureheads, Ed Stetzer and Russell Moore, during the early stages of the COVID-19 plan-demic, adopted a markedly incendiary tone toward Christians who questioned the mainstream narrative surrounding the virus and considered the lab leak theory plausible. Their criticisms were not mere disagreements but bore a condescending edge, painting us as falling prey to “harmful conspiracy theories” and such.

Stetzer, in particular, was forthright in his Christianity Today piece, categorically rejecting the lab leak theory as almost certainly untrue, belittling the concerns of a considerable section of the Christian community. Moore, aligning with similar sentiments, used his influence to downplay these concerns, reinforcing a narrative that questioned the discernment of those within their own faith community who dared to think differently.

Russell Moore, former head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, repeatedly used his platform to promote Dr. Francis Collins, the then-director of the NIH. He presented Collins as an ally for the Christian community to heed, especially in relation to COVID. This was part of a broader effort to endorse government-sponsored “scientific” narratives within the evangelical community while painting Collins’ lies as authoritative and aligning them with Christian responsibility and discernment. Moore and Collins significantly influenced how many Christians perceived and responded to pandemic-related information​​.

Now, in a dramatic shift of tone and a brash demonstration of gaslighting, Collins has conceded, according to an article in Daily Mail, that the COVID-19 lab leak theory, previously dismissed as a conspiracy, was in fact not a conspiracy theory. According to the article, Collins testified in a closed-door session to Congress, admitting that the lab-leak narrative was “credible” even though he attempted to quelch a petition criticizing the government lockdowns.

This stunning revelation further puts evangelical leaders like Ed Stetzer and Russell Moore in an embarrassing spotlight, who had previously chided believers for questioning the dominant narrative. Stetzer and Moore now face a reckoning as their earlier panic-driven condemnations of those questioning the mainstream about the virus’s origin have backfired spectacularly. This situation exposes a critical flaw—a desire to align themselves with government elites via a hasty alignment with fluctuating scientific stances without sufficient scrutiny.

As Collins’ admission sends the narrative into a tailspin, it becomes clear that the earlier castigation of Christians for their skepticism was not only premature but also reflects a deeper issue of blindly following shifting scientific assertions. The evangelical community deserves leadership that approaches complex issues like this with real discernment and caution, not leaders who embarrass themselves by uncritically parroting globalist narratives.

This episode is more than just an embarrassing misstep, it’s a lesson in humility and the importance of maintaining a balanced, critical stance in the face of evil. It’s time to shun these clowns and ignore and rebuke their voices while replacing them with evangelical leaders who have our best interest at heart, not the panic and chaos of the moment.