Martin Luther King Jr. and the Power of One

Hank Unplugged: Essential Christian Conversations

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, contemplates the power of one and the life of Martin Luther King Jr. He was stabbed, his home was bombed, and ultimately was murdered. Yet his legacy lives on because he was willing to contend for truth no matter the cost. Although Hank has significant theological differences with Dr. King, he greatly admires his life and legacy. Thinking of Dr. King’s last oration—the night of April 3, 1968—the night before his assassination. He fixed our eyes on an eternal prize and counseled his devotees to have tough minds, yet tender hearts. To speak truth boldly from a heart of love. He was a demonstration of the power of one—one smile, one word, one vote, one prayer, one journey, one life. The night before he died, he said, “I do not know what will happen now. We have some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me because I have been to the mountain top. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life—longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go to the mountain, and I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land. And so I’m happy tonight; I’m not worried about anything; I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”