A Tennessee pastor has ignited controversy after suggesting in a sermon that “sometimes violence is necessary” when resisting the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal agency led by Elon Musk. The remarks, made by Dr. Steve Caudle, senior pastor of Greater Second Missionary Baptist Church in Chattanooga, have sparked debate among Christians and political commentators alike.

During a Sunday school message, Pastor Caudle issued a dire warning to his congregation, expressing his concern about what he sees as governmental overreach.

“And in this nation, I’m worried that we are on the verge of bloodshed,” Caudle declared. “This is an attempt to take us back to a day that we do not want to go, and we will not go. Therefore, there will be conflict. I pray that the peace of God will win out and overcome the madness that is attempting to take over this nation.”

The moment that fueled widespread backlash came when Caudle proclaimed: “No one likes violence, but sometimes violence is necessary.”

Protestia first reported the sermon, which later circulated widely after being shared by the X account Woke Preacher Clips. The clip shows Caudle warning that Musk, through DOGE, is attempting to “force his way into the United States Treasury and threatens to steal your personal information and your Social Security check.” He then suggests that such actions could lead to violence.

“Sometimes the devil will act so ugly that you have no other choice but to get violent and fight!” he told his congregation.

Anticipating criticism, Caudle defended his stance by citing Matthew 11:12: “The kingdom of heaven suffers what? Violence. And the who? The violent take it by force. The kingdom of God is a war zone. It is a battlefield. You did know this, right?”

This interpretation of Scripture has drawn sharp reactions, with some arguing that Caudle is distorting biblical teaching to justify real-world violence. Others, however, see his remarks as a strong metaphor for spiritual warfare.

As the clip gained traction online, even Elon Musk took notice, responding on X with a pointed accusation: “This tells me that he is trying to hide MASSIVE fraud.”

Musk’s remark added another layer of intensity to the debate, with some questioning whether Caudle’s sermon was fueled by fear of government oversight rather than genuine spiritual concerns.

In an interview with American Family News (AFN), Caudle rebuffed critics, insisting that his message was misrepresented. He argued that the two-minute viral clip lacks the full context of his 35-minute sermon, which has since been uploaded in full to his church’s YouTube channel.

“It’s really kinda funny,” Caudle remarked. “It’s from the Sunday school lesson.”

He further clarified that his message was about “spiritual warfare,” not a literal call to violence.

However, Woke Preacher Clips, the account that first shared the viral clip, rejected Caudle’s defense.

“People always say things are taken out of context but never explain what specifically in the rest of the sermon (which I linked to) changes the meaning of what’s been said in the highlighted clip,” the account posted in response to AFN’s coverage.