Dr. John M. Perkins is one of the last living figures of the Civil Rights Movement.
Born into poverty as the son of a sharecropper, Dr. Perkins grew up on a Mississippi plantation under extreme racism. He lost his teenage brother to murder, was beat multiple times, and was imprisoned. He was harassed continually—not to mention experiencing the countless traumas of segregation and oppression in the American South. The death of his brother, Clyde, affected Perkins deeply, and at age 17 he moved to California to escape oppression.
In 1957, John became a Christian, and this was the catalyst that changed the course of his life. He moved with his family from California back to his hometown to share the gospel. Dr. Perkins grew to become one of the leading evangelical voices in the Civil Rights Movement. His message is centered on reconciliation and loving the impoverished at a grassroots level.
John and his family have ministered to the poor for over 40 years. He has written and coauthored more than a dozen books, including One Blood: Parting Words to the Church on Race (2018), A Quiet Revolution, Let Justice Roll Down, Beyond Charity, He’s My Brother, and A Time to Heal.1
In 2004, Perkins partnered with Seattle Pacific University to launch the campus-based John Perkins Center for Reconciliation, Leadership Training, and Community Development. The Center is a first-of-its-kind partnership, and what Perkins describes as “the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.”
In the following excerpt from his autobiography Let Justice Roll Down, Perkins recounts God moving deeply in his heart while recovering from injuries and ulcers that were sustained from injuries during civil rights movements.
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God was showing me something, telling me something. There were blacks who had accepted our message. Who had embraced the gospel. Who now knew dignity. Who now walked taller than before.
And there were whites who believed in justice. Who lived love. Who shared themselves. Who joined our community.
I began to see with horror how hate could destroy me—destroy me more devastatingly and suddenly than any destruction I could bring on those who had wronged me. I could try and fight back, as many of my brothers had done. But if I did, how would I be different from the whites who hate?
And where would hating get me? Anyone can hate. This whole business of hating and hating back. It’s what keeps the vicious circle of racism going.
The Spirit of God worked on me as I lay in that bed. An image formed in my mind. The image of the cross—Christ on the cross. It blotted out everything else in my mind.
This Jesus knew what I had suffered. He understood. And he cared. Because he had experienced it all himself.
This Jesus, this One who had brought good news directly from God in heaven, had lived what he preached. Yet he was arrested and falsely accused. Like me, he went through an unjust trial. He also faced a lynch mob and got beaten. But even more than that, he was nailed to rough wooden planks and killed. Killed like a common criminal.
At the crucial moment, it seemed to Jesus that even God himself had deserted him. The suffering was so great, he cried out in agony. He was dying.
But when he looked at that mob that had lynched him, he didn’t hate them. He loved them. He forgave them. And He prayed [to] God to forgive them. “Father, forgive these people, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
His enemies hated. But Jesus forgave. I couldn’t get away from that.
The Spirit of God kept working on me and in me until I could say with Jesus, “I forgive them, too.” I promised him that I would “return good for evil,” not evil for evil. And he gave me the love I knew I would need to fulfill his command to me of “love your enemy.”
Because of Christ, God himself met me and healed my heart and mind with his love. I knew then what Paul meant when he wrote:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37–39)
The Spirit of God helped me to really believe what I had so often professed, that only in the love of Christ is there any hope for me, or for those I had once worked so hard for. After that, God gave me the strength and motivation to rise up out of my bed and return to Mendenhall and spread a little more of his love around.
Oh, I know man is bad—depraved. There’s something built into him that makes him want to be superior. If the black man had the advantage, he’d be just as bad, just as bad. So I can’t hate the white man.
The problem is spiritual: black or white, we all need to be born again.
It’s a profound, mysterious truth—Jesus’ concept of love overpowering hate. I may not see its victory in my lifetime. But I know it’s true.
I know it’s true because it happened to me. On that bed, full of bruises and stitches—God made it true in me. He washed my hatred away and replaced it with a love for the white man in rural Mississippi.
I felt strong again. Stronger than ever. What doesn’t destroy me makes me stronger.
I know it’s true.
Because it happened to me.
Larry says
February 21, 2019 at 9:19 amThank you for sharing a piece of Black History. A good Gospel testimony!
Bhekithemba Tembe(RSA) says
February 16, 2020 at 3:34 amYou are really true Christian,it take a Godly person to forgive .A man alone can not make it.you are indeed a good example of how a Christian Life may be lived
Eugene W. Hill says
February 24, 2019 at 3:06 amDr. Perkins’ insight & message is awesome & impactfull that must be shared daily not just during Black History Month. We, the citizens of the Kingdom of God irregardless the color of our skin or upbringing must proclaim & live the message of Jesus Love, Forgiveness and Justice only then will have the impact to overcome hate , unforgiveness and injustice. We can’t start over but we must start today!
Dale Bonzo says
February 24, 2019 at 4:28 amAwesome! The power and hope that is in Jesus is alive and well demonstrated in this man. Love is what this world needs. God Bless
William Dunbar Sr says
March 3, 2019 at 9:16 pmYour experiences as I read them are a humbling reminder of what a” Born Again Christian” should keep in mind as he walks among those who haven’t yet experienced the wonderful infilling of the Holy Spirit from God the Father of Jesus Christ His Son
aftabyunis says
March 14, 2019 at 9:48 pmGreat testimony! The stories of blacks and whites are from the centuries, but the important thing he mentioned is, The problem is Spiritual, all of us need to be born again. Thanks for sharing your beautiful story.
Mennie says
February 13, 2020 at 8:42 pmThe love of Jesus sweet and wonderful; it knows no boundaries.
Robert Luqui says
February 13, 2020 at 8:44 pmDr. Perkins script is so insightful. We must dwell in good instead evil and that one day, the victory of good over evil is certain in Jesus. His forgiveness and Justice is what all people need.
Kudakwashe says
February 13, 2020 at 9:04 pmIn a world full of different opinions it is indeed difficult this article is indeed worth reading to the end may God help both black and white people to fight racial differences and love each other
Ronald Nsubuga says
February 13, 2020 at 9:11 pmVery helpful. Stay Blessed.
Bill Stitzer (brother-in-law of John Appell from LABC) says
February 13, 2020 at 9:39 pmEnjoyed this article. Glad to see that God has preserved you thus far. Keep sharing His love.
Claressa Esterhuizen says
February 13, 2020 at 11:48 pmAs our country South Africa changed from white authority to black, I was able to look at the black as “they are beautiful and have an innerts with the same qualities as we have. Even have a deeper feeling for us whites. I started to compliment them at our stores and got aquanted with them and fownd that I love them sincerely. I speak the gospel to them where I found they are more willing to listen than what when I speak to my white brothers and sisters that they reject and do not want to be preached to.
In my eyes I do not separate black from white as God has made all of us according to skin and language. God made them all and sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die for all the world. Love Claressa
Louie Foster says
February 14, 2020 at 2:16 amWhat a beautiful way the message of love and forgiveness is communicated letting us see how much Jesus loved his oppressors. How much he loved mankind. As christians there is no black and white, we are all born again into God’s family and are His children. Perkins message blesses me because it hits home. Thank you Jesus!
Cassandra E. Garrett says
February 14, 2020 at 7:49 amI’m at a loss for words as I read your testimony. Your summation of it all is so very true, “The problem is spiritual: black or white, we all need to be born again.”
Thank you for sharing this powerful, your powerful testimony.
Joel Swenson says
February 14, 2020 at 8:06 amWhat a humble reminder of the depth of love that Christ demonstrates for us that we might follow. In a world that says love is our answer Dr. Perkins reminds us that it is only the love that is rooted in Christ is able to overcome hate, all other love is mere sentimentality. His is a story that doesn’t belong merely to Black history month, but a story to be drawn from regularly of how Christ makes dead people alive and gives the strength to love those who hate and despise us for any reason, but especially for trusting in and proclaiming the Gospel.
Rubin B Williams says
February 14, 2020 at 8:52 amA wonderful story if more people had Christ in their life it would be a wonderful world
Veralee Deloris Milton says
February 14, 2020 at 11:23 amDr. Perkins has shown that whatever we endure it is mild compared to what Jesus has done for us in the forgiveness of our sins! Jesus wants us to forgive because we have been forgiven! John 3:16 Speaks to what God wants to happen in each of us. You so loved the world, Father that You gave Your only begotten Son. That whosoever believes on Him shall not perish, but will have everlasting life! This love will heal every racist heart! God bless!
Rodney Epp says
February 14, 2020 at 8:41 pmAmen
Emil Kachchap says
February 16, 2020 at 8:05 pmThe wonderful story of love and forgiveness was focused on blacks and whites. However if our minds travel around the world we see more than just blacks and whites, there are brown and yellow too. There are the oppressors and the oppressed, the poor and the rich, the gifted and the ungifted, the fortunate and the unfortunate, the list can go on. Only the Love of God can help us understand that each one of us is a child of God. If God is our father than we are all brothers and sisters, citizens of God’s kingdom. Let the world see that in our lives as people saw and see it in the life of John Perkins.
Stephen says
February 18, 2020 at 7:16 amDr.Perkins, I want to thank you for the sharing.I have learned to forgive.I have been harbouring a grudge with one of my workmates who turnished my name.We have not been greeting each other for quite some time now.From today on wards I forgive her and tomorrow I will tell her the truth that I forgive her and request her to do the same to me.
Barj Dhahan says
June 16, 2020 at 11:38 pmDear Dr. Perkins
Your life and your teachings have been inspirational to me! I have fond memory of participating in a workshop on community development at Regent College, Vancouver, B.C., around 1985/6. Your book, Let Justice Roll Down, is profoundly instructive in how we deal with hate and racism and bring hope, healing and restorative justice for all. I often think about your three R’s–relocation, redistribution and reconciliation as the way to build caring, inclusive and safe communities. I would love to come down and see you!