On the day we celebrate the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., I am reminded of a man whose words, actions, and lived example made an indelible impact on my life and the lives of all Americans.
This prophetic voice was born in Atlanta, Georgia, the son of a Baptist minister. From the moment he entered the world, faith was a part of his life. The words of God were in his blood and on his heart as he went to seminary and then went on to get his doctorate in theology in the city of Boston. In a time when society becomes increasingly more secular, I am baffled by the fact that King never separated his public life from his ministry. Faith was his motivator and his guide. Faith was what helped him make a way through the darkness of segregation. It could not be hidden because it was his compass. He was known as an activist, reverend, theologian, doctor, father, and more but of all the things he’s known for, the one that I resonate with most was a preacher.
He is a man who taught me the power of preaching. It was through his example that I witnessed that a simple sermon could be the catalyst for change. He showed me that words can touch hearts, change minds, and move people to action. Preaching was so much more than spoken words; preaching was a portal for change. His words were both an address and a prayer. Addressing the need for change and asking God to give people the courage to move toward it no matter the cost. The boldness of his words inspired action, challenged authority, and eventually led to his untimely death. He preached, despite the cost. He preached because it mattered.
In King’s life, preaching was not limited to the pulpit. There was NO place where his preaching could not go from Sunday sermons to conference centers to the steps of the Lincoln memorial, King preached the dynamic and challenging truth to all those willing to listen.. And frankly also to those not so willing…
King showed me that preaching had an impact…
When he preached, Dr. King showed me that words moved by the Spirit could inspire people to take steps they never thought possible.
When he preached, King showed me that preaching is not simply speaking truth to power but finding power in truth. That the God that created all of us equally wants to see in our laws and our policies that we are all truly united in Christ.
When he preached, King showed me that hope is not futile, it is just false if not paired with action.
When he preached, King showed me that you must first dream of a future before you can materialize it, and that dreams spoken aloud can become the realities we one day live.
When he preached, King showed me that even when we feel silenced, God can give us the courage to speak… and that our voice can truly move mountains… if only we persist.
When he preached, he showed me what preaching can do when church is not simply four walls that we step in on Sunday, but instead Church is a people living and moving and changing the world around us by being the hands and feet of God.
So, I think of King as not only a role model and a prophetic voice, but, honestly, a mentor as I follow his path of theological study and dedicate my life to a faith that has real impact in society.
Kings life begs an important question: Can our faith change the world?
I think it can. If I am honest, it is this question that brings me to pursue a doctorate in Theology and Education at Boston College. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. knew the value of education and the power of God. The two coming together have the power to produce miracles. I make the dynamic aspect of preaching my focus in education. For I believe that preaching allows us to make God known in all of the spaces and places of our lives. A good sermon is not bound to the pulpit – it lives within us as we live, work, breathe, and act in the world.
I want to give all the people of God the tools to preach with their words and with their lives, because that is what will make the Church truly come alive. I want to inspire those who preach up, out, and in for long-lasting change.
Preach Up. To “preach up” means preaching to those with power, access, or titles that you do not. When we do this, we live, like King, speaking truth to the powers and the systems that keep us from making the world a true reflection of the kingdom of God. In preaching, we face the perils of backlash, ridicule, maltreatment, loneliness, and loss implemented by those too unwilling or too ignorant to want change, but in the end, you hold a mirror to their faces. You continue to show them who is hurting in systems that refuse to adjust. You refuse to stay silent for the comfort of conformity, and you instead give voice to the unseen that is in need of a platform or protection.
Preach Out. Preaching out is how we share the message of hope to those around us. We share this to our peers, acquaintances, coworkers, and friends. When we speak the truth of God in our lives, it has the power to shape opinions, to change preconceived notions and counter misinformed practices, and to create bonds across an increasingly divided society. It has the power to engage those around us in new ways, and also allows them to show us new ways that God may be working right in front of our eyes.
Preach In. Preaching has the ability to hit the heart of the one speaking just as much as the receiver. Meditating on what you believe, as you prepare your thoughts, consider the right words, and confidently speak them aloud, allows you to become a dynamic vessel for God. You become a person of impact that is equally being impacted.This means, what we state we believe then becomes the reality we move into. Lest, we fail to practice what we preach.
Preaching can happen with our lives. It is not simply work but actions that evangelize God’s message and show the world a passage to a better way. We are building the kingdom of God, and perhaps, the ways in which we preach, are the building blocks that help us begin.
It was Dr. King who said, “Human progress never rolls on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless and persistent work of dedicated individuals who are willing to be coworkers with God.”
As a doctoral student focused in homiletics, Preaching is how I do that. As I preach, I become a co-worker of the divine. I use my voice and my witness to embody the change I want to see in the world around me. I become a living witness that Christ and Dr. King died for causes that I continue to take up with my daily life.
I hope to be yet another prophetic voice that shows what the Spirit at work can do in our church and world if we are willing to let it work within us. Perhaps then, we can bring about the new world that begins when we step into the future God had for us.
So today, as we celebrate the life of a great and powerful preacher, let us all remember our ability to PREACH! Let us preach from office spaces, court rooms, from church council meetings, and car windows. Let the way we live our lives PREACH and evangelize the God who created and sustains our lives. Let us PREACH in the way we live, act, vote, and work even in the most difficult times. Let us preach until we bring about a better tomorrow.
Because every time we PREACH, we, like King, allow our faith to shape and change our world.