Transforming Power: Biblical Strategies for Making a Difference in Your Community [Paperback]

Robert Linthicum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 2003

"Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just"--Blaise Pascal. Problems plague the world around us. Many in our churches and communities face injustice, crime, poverty, racism and other daunting evils. But often Christians have not known how to respond effectively. The issues seem bigger than anything the church can handle, and so we are paralyzed into inaction and offer halfhearted prayers at best. Yet throughout history God has empowered his people to stand up to injustice. When the situation calls for confrontation or structural change, our response must be more than personal piety, pastoral care or individualistic evangelism. Christians must become proficient in the practice and exercise of power. Christians have often been wary of power, thinking of it as something inherently evil or oppressive. But God calls his people to wield power responsibly and to use it to promote his kingdom ideals of justice and peace. Robert Linthicum offers an integrative, biblical study of the proper use of power. Based on a thorough exploration of Scripture and decades of real-world experience in community organizing and urban ministry, Linthicum's model of relational power provides sound, practical strategies for changing individuals, communities, structures and systems. With insights from biblical mentors like Nehemiah and Paul as well as contemporary examples of Christians in action, this book offers hope for all who want to move toward the vision of the shalom community--God's intended best for communities and the world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book presents a solid, profound, and inspiring case for why the church should take action in our communities. Any church or small group that wants to know how we, as Christians, can change our world would greatly benefit by reading this book." (Prism Magazine, May/June 2005 )

"Transforming Power is spectacular. It is the finest biblical work on relational power I have ever seen. It also provides a wonderful connection between the biblical and the contemporary, particularly in community organization and resources available for urban ministry. We'll be using it heavily in our work here." (Ray Bakke, executive director, International Urban Associates )

About the Author

Robert Linthicum is president of Partners in Urban Transformation, a ministry dedicated to empowering urban churches and communities. He previously served as the director of urban work for World Vision International. He has taught urban ministry at numerous seminaries and graduate schools in the United States and around the world, and is the author of several books, including Empowering the Poor and City of God, City of Satan: A Biblical Theology of the Urban Church.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (September 9, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830832289
• ISBN-13: 978-0830832286
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,470 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A useful theology of activism, August 25, 2006

By 

Paul Grant "historian-in-training, author, sp... (Madison, Wisconsin, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Transforming Power: Biblical Strategies for Making a Difference in Your Community (Paperback)

Transforming Power is Linthicum's challenge to the Evangelical World to be smart about power - not the smoke and mirrors power of politics, which he hardly mentions, but the real, daily life power of bringing positive change to neighborhoods and cities. Starting with a solid biblical theology of society, with its spiritual, cultural, economical and political strands, Linthicum then moves to a description of God's intentions for the world. His discussion of the shalom community will not be new to frequent urbana.org readers, but he manages to bring freshness to the topic.

Linthicum's core message is what he calls the "Iron Rule of Power": never do for others what they can do for themselves. This notion, honed over decades of community organizing, means simply: don't create dependencies. Linthicum's case study is Nehemiah, who managed to enlist the residents of a decimated Jerusalem in the rebuilding of its walls.

Moving to the New Testament, Linthicum discusses the difference between relational power, legislative power, and violent power. The former is the greatest, because it is the longest lasting, and the most effective. It is also the power wielded by Jesus to the tremendous frustration of the wielders of legislative power in his day. In the same way, Christians need to be great stewards of their relationships, in order to most effectively distribute God's empowerment among his church.

Transforming Power is both a theoretical book and a practical book and is well worth the read. While it could have used a bit more discussion of spiritual realities and strongholds, the book should provide a powerful biblical framework for our use of, rather than our flight from, power.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Putting in transforming action, September 6, 2007

By 

Mary Nelson (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Transforming Power: Biblical Strategies for Making a Difference in Your Community (Paperback)

The book is an inspiring, practical Biblically-based manual for moving from
charity to transformation of community. It is enriched by practical examples
from real life experiences in low income communities and working with people with sound
theological underpinnings. It is inspiring;one feels hopeful and not
dependent on experts, but that transformation, step by step, can happen
with committed people inspired by hope and small first successes. A must
book for people working in low income communities, especially with faith
connections.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for the church!, February 11, 2011

By 

ChiGirl - See all my reviews

This review is from: Transforming Power: Biblical Strategies for Making a Difference in Your Community (Paperback)

Transforming Power was a great help to me in my understanding of systems and of the necessity of utilizing power to make systemic change. The foundation for this book is that power, when used correctly, is strengthening and liberating. It is critical that Christians understand power and use it in such a way that gives people a purpose, direction, and joy which sets them free.

After reading Linthicum's view that Christians are often afraid of power and see having power as a negative and "un-Christian-like" it occurred to me just how much this has affected the role the church is playing in today's society. A common belief is that Jesus was gentle and did not want or utilize power. While it is true that Jesus was gentle and loving, it is also true that He used power to fight injustice and saw it as a powerful tool. As Christ followers we need not to be afraid to utilize healthy power in order to bring about a shalom community.
There are two major sections of this book, "Theology of Power" and the "Practice of Power." Linthicum begins with "Theology of Power" which lays out a Biblical theology of power giving readers a Biblical framework to place power. He does this by first describing God's desire for a shalom community and then looking at human's destruction of this community.

Jesus' use of relational power to triumph over the corrupt and dominating power of the current systems is an example of the positive way in which power can be used. There are many Biblical examples of relational power being used in a positive way by the early church and by the apostles.
Linthicum gives practical principles and strategies for utilizing power that brings about transformation. It is the work of the church to learn the Biblical examples of using power and apply it to our world today.

I would give this book a rating of five starts. It introduces the reader to Biblical narrative that is often overlooked and incites the reader to action. This book is an easy read that is very powerful. The descriptions of systems by Linthicum were clear and easy to understand. I have already used a number of his Biblical references and power practices in my ministry since reading this book. I know that I will be able to use the theology of this book in many situations during my ministry.