An MLK Day lesson is powerful for youth groups. Ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we’ll see plenty of “greatest hits” quotes from the civil rights icon. So much of what he said about social justice and racial equality is still relevant today.
But Dr. King said a lot of powerful stuff that will never make it onto a meme. Specifically, three of his lesser-known quotes work great in a youth ministry setting.
I’ve paired three MLK quotes with relevant Scripture passages and discussion questions. Each one can be a stand-alone teaching or small-group MLK Day lesson. Or you can use all three together for a full-scale program plan.
Celebrate the holiday by inviting Dr. King to be the “guest leader” of your ministry. (Don’t forget, February is Black History Month.)
MLK Day Lesson #1: Jesus Beyond Religion
Intro: We’ve all heard some of Dr. Martin Luther King’s legendary quotes. For example, “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” But Dr. King said things most people have never heard. For example, in a 1967 sermon he said, “I discovered…that religion had to become real to me, and I had to know God for myself.”
Dive Deep: Have kids form pairs or trios. Give them the following three Scripture passages to read. Then have them answer the discussion questions. Gather back together and ask pairs or trios to report on how they answered the questions.
- Deuteronomy 10:12 — “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.”
- James 1:27 — “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”
- Mark 12:33-34 — “‘And I know it is important to love [God] with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.’ Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, ‘You are not far from the Kingdom of God.’”
Questions: What causes a person’s faith to “become real”? When and how did your faith become real to you? What’s the difference between following a religion and following Jesus?
MLK Day Lesson #2: Love the Lord With All Your Mind
Intro: What’s the difference between learning and thinking? In our relationship with Jesus, we can ask the same question. What’s the difference between learning about Jesus and simply thinking about him? Dr. King said, “Rarely do we find [people] who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.”
Dive Deep: Have kids form pairs or trios. Give them the following three Scripture passages to read. Then have them answer the discussion questions. Gather back together and ask pairs or trios to report on how they answered the questions.
- Matthew 22:35-39 — “One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap [Jesus] with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?’ Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’”
- Romans 12:2 — “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
- Philippians 4:8 — “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Questions: We know we are to love Jesus with all our hearts. But what does it mean to love him with all our mind? How has your relationship with Jesus helped change the way you think? What does it mean to “fix our thoughts” on “things that are excellent”? How do you do this in your daily life?
