Lexington church defends “Kill the Devil” VBS skit after online backlash

A Vacation Bible School skit at a Lexington church has drawn national attention and prompted online backlash after a video of the segment circulated on social media, according to a report from LEX18 on June 30, 2026.

The report said the skit used the phrase “Kill the Devil” as part of the church’s presentation, igniting debate about how faith communities teach children about good and evil and whether the language is suitable for a youth program.

In the interview and responses described by LEX18, church leaders defended the effort as an attempt to communicate a moral message in a format they considered age-appropriate within their religious curriculum, framing the skit as a lesson about spiritual opposition to evil rather than literal violence.

The backlash, the LEX18 report said, centered on how the segment may be interpreted by viewers, particularly given that it was shown during a children’s program. Critics raised concerns that the phrasing could be misunderstood or could normalize aggressive language involving the devil for young audiences.

LEX18 reported that the church is responding publicly to criticism, emphasizing its intent and explaining the purpose behind the skit as part of its Vacation Bible School programming. The report also noted that the video’s spread outside the local community has amplified the controversy beyond Lexington.

The situation underscores the broader tension public churches sometimes face when faith-based instruction intersects with online circulation of youth-focused materials, where context can be lost and messages can be interpreted in different ways.

As the controversy continues to circulate, the next steps for the church are likely to focus on clarifying its teaching materials and addressing community concerns raised online, while critics continue to push for accountability and reassessment of how religious lessons are presented to children.