Battling Racism: Lessons from Martin Luther King - Word Document [Download]

The truth of what he lived and preached.

Overview


During the 1960s, Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed, beaten, and eventually killed for his leadership in the civil-rights movement. His nonviolent approach to change, his perseverance in the face of defeat, and his ability to inspire people with a dream of equality are still widely discussed and remembered today. In today s lesson, Philip Yancey examines the deadly roots of racism and the legacy of King.

Table of Contents


SCRIPTURE: Genesis 26:1 6; 1 Samuel 3:1 14; Isaiah 6:1 13, 41:8 16; Haggai 1:13 15; Luke 4:16 21, 10:25 37, 22:39 44; John 4:4 41; Acts 8:25 39, 9:1 16; Romans 12:1 2; 1 Corinthians 6:19 20; 2 Corinthians 6:3 10; Philippians 4:4 9; Ephesians 1:11 18; Colossians 3:11 14



LEADER'S GUIDE


    The Issue

Sample questions:


How does your own experience of racial and civil-rights issues of the 1960s compare with Yancey s?


Why do you think racism is still a problem in our country today?


In what ways does racial hatred seem to epitomize Satan s strategy in the world?

Sample Scriptures:


Luke 10:25-37: Why is racism inconsistent with the example and teachings of Jesus Christ?


Romans 12:1 2: In what ways are we as Christians called to a personal, bodily sacrifice today?

Sample application questions:


How does recalling the zeal and sacrifices of civil-rights advocates in the 1960s challenge you as a Christian today?


What do you think brings a person to the point of being willing to suffer and die for what he or she believes?


Looking at Dr. King s life, what important personal lessons have you gained from his successes and his failures?

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