“We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always right to do right.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

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Today we honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man whose legacy stands the test of time and inspires us as leaders and believers. Dr. King carried himself with a deep conviction of truth and love. He saw a world where equality and justice were not just words but actions. He believed in the supreme goodness of man, the idea that we’re better together, and the notion that peace is possible. 

As church leaders, we can learn a lot from Dr. King’s life of leadership.

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1. LOVE PEOPLE

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“Love is the greatest force in the universe. It is the heartbeat of the moral cosmos. He who loves is a participant in the being of God.” 

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Love is one of the most powerful forces for change. Without love, even the best-laid strategy fails to accomplish what love can. We’re in the people business. Our lives are laid down in order that others would come to know Jesus. From beginning to end we have one goal in mind — people.

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2. SEEK UNITY

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“Here is the true meaning and value of compassion and nonviolence, when it helps us to see the enemy’s point of view, to hear his questions, to know his assessment of ourselves. For from his view, we may indeed see the basic weaknesses of our own condition, and if we are mature, we may learn and grow and profit from the wisdom of the brothers who are called the opposition.”

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Unity isn’t about thinking the same, it’s about choosing to think differently together. As leaders, we will continue to struggle toward progress if we do not get a revelation that sometimes the most integral people on our team are those we don’t agree with. Harnessing the capabilities of our team starts when we prioritize unity.

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3. BELIEVE FOR MORE

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“Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”

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Dr. King saw a world beyond his present. He spoke with confident assurance that what he hoped for would come to pass. He didn’t operate out of fear, instead, he chose faith. Faith that the future would be better than the past. He saw a world few people could and held onto this vision to lead with confidence and conviction. 

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The vision of a leader is important in the good times and integral in the tough ones.

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Dr. King’s legacy lives on as we celebrate him. Each year, we take time as a community to honor his contribution. This year, our team put together a special presentation consisting of a spoken word and worship song — Soul’s Anthem, interwoven. We hope these resources help you plan your programs in the future.

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Spoken Word — Our team compiled the words of Dr. King in a spoken word format that was presented in the middle of our worship set. Declaring these words in community was a powerful moment to remember what Dr. King stood for. 

Multi Tracks — Our worship team composed a special arrangement to flow in and out of song and spoken word. 

‍Stage Plot — A unique placement of vocalists on stage helps differentiate special moments from a typical worship set.