George Floyd’s murder: How an ugly situation birthed a new movement for transformation in the U.S.

…Apostle Charles Karuku calls for forgiveness, healing & reconciliation in America

By James Kokulo Fasuekoi|Editor-Publisher

In the beginning of the first chapter of his book titled Forgiveness Therapy and published 2017, world’s evangelist Dr. Charles Karuku quotes the following statement from South African freedom fighter, late Nelson Mandela: “Unforgiveness is like taking poison and then expecting it to kill your enemy.”   

No one perhaps seems to understand the power of forgiveness more than Apostle Dr. Charles Karuku who has authored several Christian books including one on Forgiveness. For it took him 42 years before he and his family could finally forgive the men who killed his father during a fight in the bar.

But after reading a movie documentary on forgiveness and taking the bold step to forgive his father’s killers he received an everlasting healing from LORD Jesus Christ. Now, he and his wife pair, conducting a traveling ministry and preaching forgiveness, healing and reconciliation to thousands of people across America and the world.

At the peak of a mass protest that accompanied the brutal murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, in May 2020, Pastor Karuku and wife Lindsey managed to turn the mass rioting and burning of city properties into one big spiritual revival, never before seen in Minneapolis.

“I still remember the day at 2pm on Pentecost Sunday of May 31st, 2020. My wife and I stepped into the spot where George Floyd died. The city of Minneapolis was burning, police precincts were on fire, and there was tension and protests spreading across America”, states a brochure for the couple’s Unity Movement charity.

Now, looking back on the episode, plus his family’s journey to reconcile with the killers of his own father, Dr. Karuku believes his own healing had come through his book publication on Forgiveness. This, he thinks, was part of God’s plan to have him first overcome his own bitterness over his dad’s murder as a way to prepare him for what was ahead.

“I had no idea that after releasing that anger, bitterness, and resentment, that the LORD was setting me up for us to bring healing and reconciliation to a nation” he told a group of evangelists and pastors who had gathered Saturday for this year’s Spiritual Life Church’s CLMO Spring Conference held in Brooklyn Center, MN.

Protests over Floyd’s brutal killing in Minneapolis flared up in May 2020, and soon spread throughout America and the rest of the world, defying racial lines. The chaos led to weeks of standoff, causing deep divisions between protesters and police whom they blamed for the killing of a black man.  

At a critical point when neither the protesters or the police seemed willing to listen, Apostle Karuku and his wife Lindsey Karuku, stepped forward into the square Floyd took his last breath and started to plead with tens of thousands of marchers for calmness. 

Charles, a black man, originally hails from Kenya, East Africa, while Lindsey is a white woman. Both had been led by the Spirit of God to move to the spot George Floyd died and share the Word of God with protesters and everyone stopped and listened.

What followed thereafter was a great revival with hundreds of protesters giving their lives-some for the first time-to Christ Jesus and requesting Charles and Lindsey to have them baptized in the city’s square that Floyd got killed.

Like in the Book of Esther, it seems the two had been marked by God for the task for such a time.

What followed thereafter is the Unity Movement, a Christian charity organized by the couple to lead a campaign of healing and forgiveness so as to bring about transformation in America as well as encourage and equip especially youths to stay bold and step out into what Karuku referred to as God’s calling upon their lives in Christian ministry.

So far, Karuku and his team of Unity Movement evangelists have traveled to over 138 cities in the U.S. after the Floyd episode, conducting meetings and revivals in big and small cities, thereby changing lives. 

During his presentation Saturday, he described unforgiveness and resentment as toxic and warned Christian brothers and sisters against harboring any of the two, adding that unforgiveness can be a hindrance to healing many diseases including cancer and mental illnesses that have become so prevalent.

“For some, it was a hindrance to healing cancer; we’ve seen people healed of cancer after forgiving; people have been delivered and healed from so much mental illness after forgiving…people have been set free from even incurable disease like autoimmune diseases that are rooted in bitterness.”

On the topic: Audacity of Faith, Dr. Karuku, who often gave prophecies, told the audience of how the Lord wants to take people to a higher level in the things of His Kingdom as well as sees fulfillment of things He God has spoken concerning His people.

But in order for such to happen, he stated, it would take people who are willing to exercise an audacious faith, a faith he described as being “very bold” and “courageous”; beyond an ordinary faith. His text came from Romans 10:17.

Earlier, Lindsey Karuku admonished believers to strongly hold onto their “faith and stick to what the bible says under all circumstances” during what she referred to as “crazy times in our world.”

When it comes to one’s viewpoint, she advised Christians to go along with biblical views and stop questioning what God has said or that which He God has ordained.

This year’s (CLMO) Covenant Life Ministerial Organization Spring Conference was divided into several sections. Speakers included Rev. Applebee, on deliverance from demonic attacks while SLC/Bible College Dean Pastor Nancy Sky addressed preparation for the Traveling Ministry.

Pastor Sky, a teacher and Gospel Traveling Minister for many years spoke eloquently about this unique ministry, giving a general overview of what to expect and what not, in order to be a successful evangelist in Traveling Ministry. 

Under subtopic: “Truth about the Traveling Ministry”, she gave the following tips to attendees as a guide during their half-day conference:

a.     It takes 2-5 years to become full-time in the Traveling Ministry.

b.     If you can’t handle rejection, abuse, or misuse you won’t make it.

c.     You need to be a salesman of your preaching and teaching materials.

d.     Developing relationships is the key to the Traveling Ministry.

e.     Constantly packing and unpacking your bags-you need to be organized.

f.      You must be prompt at meeting schedules and deadlines.

g.     Working many hours a week is necessary.

h.     Your family has to have grace on them to let you do this ministry. 

ALL PICTURES BY JAMES KOKULO FASUEKOI