I’ve been thinking about power (its uses and abuses) in church leadership recently, in the wake of the Mike Pilavachi debacle. While wrestling & massages will capture the headlines, the safeguarding team that did the initial investigation said, “The vast majority of the safeguarding concerns raised related to Mike Pilavachi and his abuse of power in ministry.”

As I usually do when I need to think about something I scan my book shelves to see what resources I already have that deal with the topic at hand. It’s fairly slim pickings to be honest which might say that in our thinking about church leadership far too few authors have given thought to the nature of handling authority well. As a result in this current moment there is a significant sensitivity to power where this may or may not have existed in previous years.

One book however has the word power in the title, Richard Foster’s Money, Sex & Power. Here are some quotes worth pondering and it’s worth noting that the edition I have was published in 1985, this is not a new problem!

On Power

Power touches us all. We cannot get away from it even if we wanted to. All human relationships involve the use of power. Therefore, rather than seek to run from it or to deny that we use it, we would do well to discover the Christian meaning of power and learn how to use it for the good of others. All who follow Christ are called to the ‘ministry of power’.

p.213

Power is a genuine paradox to believers. We love it and we hate it. We despise its evil and appreciate its good. We would like to do without it, but we know it is part and parcel of human life.

p.228

On Destructive Power

Power can be an extremely destructive thing in any context, but in the service of religion it is downright diabolical. Religious power can destroy in a way that no other power can. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely; and this is especially true in religion. Those who are a law unto themselves and at the same time take on a mantle of piety are particularly corruptible. When we are convinced that what we are doing is identical with the kingdom of God, anyone who opposes us must be wrong. When we are convinced that we always use our power to good ends, we believe we can never do wrong…Those who are accountable to no one are especially susceptible to the corrupting influence of power.

p.178

On Humility

Humility is power under control. Nothing is more dangerous than power in the service of arrogance. Power under the discipline of humility is teachable…Believe me this is no small matter. Many have been destroyed in their walk with God simply because their exercise of power was not controlled by humility. Power without humility is anything but a blessing.

p.202

On Vulnerability

The power that comes from above is not filled with bravado and bombast. It lacks the symbols of human authority; indeed its symbols are a manger and a cross…The power from above leads from weakness. It is in contradiction to the society of the strong and the capable.

p.204

On Submission

Submission is power because it places us in a position in which we can receive from others. We are impoverished people indeed if our world is narrowed down to ourselves. But when, with humility of heart, we submit to others, vast new resources are opened to us. When we submit to others, we have access to their wisdom, their counsel, their rebuke, their encouragement.

p.206

Maxims on power

1. “In the individual, power is to be used to promote self-control, not self-indulgence
2. “In the home, power is to be used to nurture confidence, not subservience.”
3. “In the marriage, power is to be used to enhance communication, not isolation.”
4. “In the Church, power is to be used to inspire faith, not conformity.”
5. “In the school, power is to be used to cultivate growth, not inferiority.”
6. “On the job, power is to be used to facilitate competence not promote feelings of inadequacy.”