Bernice King: Be 'kings' of change

No matter their race, denomination or political affiliation, Christians all are “citizens of the kingdom of heaven” who should unite, Bernice King told thousands of Liberty University students at the college’s Friday morning convocation service.

The youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, Bernice King told students that they each need to be “kings.”

“I have a peculiar assignment in life,” she said. “I represent two Kings.”

“… The Bible tells us that (God) is king of kings and lord of lords — who are the kings? He has made us the believers; he has made us to be kings and priests.”

As “kings in training,” she said, LU students should listen for what God intends for them in life.

“Kings have great authority. You have the power to really change the atmosphere with your words,” said King. This was her first time speaking at the college.

Similar to how her father spoke with conviction about nonviolence and told Christians to repent during the civil rights movement, King said, President Barack Obama also has spoken about “change” leading up to, and after his election.

But people “got caught up in party affiliations, and we did not allow ourselves to hear” the true message, she said.

“What we missed, I believe, is that the world that we live in has gotten so off track,” she said.

Instead of concentrating on what divides Christians, she said, they should walk away from “denomination wars.”

“He is looking for one voice,” she said. “The message will all be the same.”

“Obama just loosened some things up … but shame on us if we don’t begin to act on our divine assignment.”

In a phone interview Friday afternoon, Liberty Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said he invited King to speak and “focus on the things we have in common.”

“I just think after all the division we saw last semester during the election that it would be good,” he said. “After all that fighting and bickering last semester, I thought the kids needed someone who would pull them the other direction.”

“… She thought that Christians should take that word ‘change’ personally, and apply it to their own lives and not expect the government to do it for them.”

King also has a personal connection to LU. She has a second-niece and -nephew attending the college’s law school.

After King spoke, a group of about 75 students formed a line to meet her.

Freshman Patrice Camm, one of the first in line, said he was moved by King’s message “that it wasn’t about color and discrimination.”

“It was very powerful,” she said.

Nearby in line, sophomore Sharron Davis said she took heart of “the change that Christians need to take.”

Garet Becknell called the event “amazing.”

“We really need a lot of Christian influence in the world,” he said.

Falwell said he hoped students had gained perspective from the speech.

“She did a good job of helping heal some of the wounds from the divisive election,” Falwell said. “I’m glad she was able to come.”