News Provides Christians Reasons to Consider Responsible Use of Power
The Wired Word for the Week of September 10, 2017

In the News

Kenneth L. Storey was an adjunct professor of sociology at the University of Tampa when, last week, on his private Twitter account, he fired off an ill-considered tweet that stated that Hurricane Harvey "kinda feels like karma" for Texas supporting Republicans.

Although the tweet was soon deleted, it was up long enough for critics to take screenshots and circulate them on Twitter. Soon #FireKenStorey started trending on Twitter and the UT Facebook page was filled with demands for his firing, which the school soon did, despite Storey issuing an apology tweet.

In another incident related to the Hurricane, Houston's Lakewood Church, where celebrity televangelist Joel Osteen is the pastor, was heavily criticized on social media for supposedly locking the church and not welcoming Harvey evacuees who were displaced by the extensive flooding. A spokesperson for the church, however, said the church was never closed, but had not been designated as a shelter. It was, however, being used as a distribution center for donated items and supplies.

In Storey's apology tweet, he said, "I deeply regret a statement I posted yesterday. I never meant to wish ill will upon any group. I hope all affected by Harvey recover quickly."

He also sent a longer apology to ABC Action News, where he explained that he was referring to Republicans who deny climate change science and are pushing to decrease funding to agencies like NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). He also said his original tweet was taken out of context.

Writing for The Washington Post, Kate Bowler, who is the author of Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel, says that some of the criticism of the Lakewood Church is because critics saw a disconnect between Osteen's preaching of the Prosperity Gospel (the teaching that God always blesses the righteous with health, wealth and happiness), and the reported (or misreported) inaction of the Houston church during the flooding.

More on this story can be found at these links:

UT Fires Teacher Whose Tweet Blamed Harvey on Texas GOP Vote. Tampa Bay Times
Kenneth L. Storey: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. Heavy
Joel Osteen's Megachurch Denies 'Crazy' Claims of Not Helping Hurricane Harvey Victims: 'We Were Never Closed.' People
Here's Why People Hate Joel Osteen. The Washington Post

Applying the News Story

Do you think of yourself as a powerful person?

We are not necessarily talking about having power on the scale of corporate CEOs, nor are we referring to anything related to athletic ability. Rather we are talking about any ability you have to influence someone else to do your will.

When defined like that, some of you will have no problem answering "yes." After all, if you are a parent of small children, although you may not consider yourself powerful in the larger scheme of things, you certainly have the ability to force your children to do at least most things your way.

If you are married, you have a certain amount of power over your spouse. Often in relationships, one partner with the more dominant personality may cause the less dominant partner to comply with his or her wishes without even consciously insisting on it. But in such cases, even the less dominant partner is not powerless. Often, that partner has little ways of getting his or her wishes fulfilled by the other as well.

But even outside of marriage and family situations, most of us have some power over somebody. For example, if your friend shares with you something personal about herself, something perhaps even embarrassing, and asks you not to repeat it, you suddenly have some power over that person, because you could always choose to reveal her secret and thus expose her to embarrassment.

And are you familiar with the term "passive-aggressive"? It refers to a form of behavior in which someone in a seemingly subordinate situation appears to comply with demands upon him or herself, but which the person actually resists by such means as procrastination, stubbornness, sullenness or inefficiency. Passive-aggression is a form of power wielded by the seemingly powerless.

Power plays are so much a part of human dynamics that they even happen among school children. Bullying is one nasty form they take, but there are also milder versions. For example, among children playing together, you'll sometimes hear one say something like, "If we don't play this way, I won't like you anymore." In a life stage where being liked and accepted is important, such a threat is often effective.

In fact, in any situation involving two or more people, a certain amount of power is present in the dynamics between them.

Now think about how power is magnified on social media.

Thus, for Christians, power is one area where we need to act responsibly.

The two news stories for this week illustrate this point.

The Big Questions

1. When have you been aware of having power over someone else? How did that realization affect how you behaved?

2. What tools of discernment should Christians use to determine what power they have and how they should use that power?

3. Storey's critics wanted him fired. But they could have instead called for the university to put him on probation or talk to him about why his statement was offensive, perhaps helping him to learn from his error. Why do you think they went right for getting him ousted from his job?

4. Regarding the Lakewood Church's response to the storm victims, who gets to judge how thoughtful, helpful and generous Christians are? When we give a little, and others think we should give much more, who is right? What about when we do not know the good deeds people do in secret? when we do good deeds in secret? Must we blare a trumpet, or hide our good deeds and let God have the glory?

5. Storey said his original tweet was taken out of context. How much context can we expect in statements limited to 140 characters?

Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

Matthew 7:1-5
Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye. (Full context given.)

In this passage from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus never uses the word "power," but in speaking about judging others, he is surely talking about how we use power.

Questions: Why is our vision supposedly clearer about the speck in the neighbor's eye than the log in our own? Is Jesus calling for no judgment, fair judgment, self-judgment, or is he saying we should rely only on divine judgment? Explain your answer. How can a snap judgement lead to disaster in our social media age?

Matthew 18:28-30
But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, "Pay what you owe." Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, "Have patience with me, and I will pay you." But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. (For context, read 18:21-35.)

This is from Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant. A servant owed a king 10,000 talents, which was a tremendous sum of money. When he could not pay, the king ordered him, along with all that he had, sold to pay the debt. But the servant pleaded for mercy and for an extension of time. The king took pity on him and forgave the debt outright. Then this servant went out and found a fellow servant who owed him 100 denarii, a very small sum. This fellow servant was unable to pay, so the first servant had him thrown in prison. When the king heard of this, he was so incensed that he reinstated the huge debt and had the ungrateful servant imprisoned.

We notice that despite all his power, the king had been graciously willing to forgive the huge debt owed to him, whereas the servant abused the slight power he had over his fellow servant.

When someone owes us something they actually hold a certain amount of power over us. Too often we wait for someone to pay us back (or apologize) and then therefore allow them to determine when that burden is relieved. When we forgive, we release that power that they hold.

Questions: Jesus told this parable in response to Peter's question about how many times he should forgive another person (vv.21-22). How does Peter's question relate to power? In what ways is the parable an appropriate response to that?

Deuteronomy 5:1-3
Moses convened all Israel, and said to them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I am addressing to you today; you shall learn them and observe them diligently. The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb [Sinai]. Not with our ancestors did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today. (For context, read 5:1-21.)

The Ten Commandments illustrate this matter of power. We usually say that four of the commandments refer to our responsibilities toward God and the other six to our responsibilities toward one another. So look at those six with power in mind:

Honor your father and your mother. This commandment is usually taken to refer to adult children treating their parents respectfully. In a stage of life when some seniors face diminishing personal abilities, their grown offspring sometimes have to step in and help their parents, and suddenly, those adult children have some power over their parents' lives, power that can be used respectfully of the parent, or uncaringly or even abusively.

You shall not murder. Obviously if you are in a position to take someone's life you have power over that person.

You shall not commit adultery. This implies that in breaking this commandment, you are abusing the power you have in being trusted by your partner.

You shall not steal. If you are in a position where you could steal what belongs to someone else, then you have the power to affect that person's life.

You shall not bear false witness. Imagine how you exert power over someone's life when you lie about that person.

You shall not covet ... anything that belongs to your neighbor. You may not have power to make everything you covet come your way, but insofar as you do, coveting is a doorway to the abuse of power.

Questions: Would you agree that almost every temptation that comes our way involves the opportunity to abuse power? Why or why not? Should being a Christian diminish our pursuit of power?

1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (For context, read 1:18-25.)

It should be instructive to us that the central symbol of Christianity, the cross, is a symbol both of powerlessness and of power. As an instrument of execution, the place where Jesus himself accepted death, it symbolizes his powerlessness. But as an empty cross, one that could not keep Christ dead, it also reminds us of his power.

TWW team member Malia Miller comments, "Many times, I have to be rendered 'powerless' before I turn to God who uses these opportunities for great transformation. When I feel powerful, I am less likely to remain close to Christ and deceive myself about my need for him which is a different 'abuse' of power."

Questions: Why is the cross the "foolishness to those who are perishing"? How is the power of the cross extended to us? When has a time of "powerlessness" enabled you to receive the transforming work of God in your life or the lives of others?

For Further Discussion

1. Respond to this: Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971), an American pastor and theologian, wrote extensively about human nature, responding to moral issues raised by World War II and the Cold War. One of his key conclusions is that there are times, both as a nation and as individuals, when we must exercise power -- times when it is the only right thing to do -- but we should do so being aware that the use of power is inevitably corrupting. In other words, every act of power, no matter how much good it may do, causes some injury to others and to the one exercising it. He said that people must act nonetheless, but should also seek forgiveness for the harm that they do in the service of good.

2. Discuss this: According to those who have studied the dynamics of power, there are six bases from which power can arise. You have power over someone when you:

  • have information needed by the other person (informational power)
  • can punish the other person if he or she does not respond positively (coercion)
  • can provide rewards when a person does respond as you want (reward)
  • have the right to demand a positive response (authority)
  • are able to move others by your personality force or by psychological manipulation (charisma)
  • can expose the other person to embarrassment or other social costs (blackmail)

3. Someone has said, "The keystroke is mightier than the sword." With that in mind, consider these questions: Do we wittingly or unwittingly use our power of communication to manipulate others? Do Christians have a responsibility to not just think, but also to check sources, before speaking? What place does mercy have in a world of instant broadcasting? If you share incorrect information are you irresponsible, naive or something else?

4. Do you use social media? Did you make a decision not to use social media? In either case, why? Have you ever thought, texted, said, wrote, emailed, or tweeted something you wish you could take back? What did you do in response? Did you ever think something, but not say something, or did you ever erase an email, text or tweet before sending it and were very glad you did? Do you know people who are addicted to social media? Are you? Why do some feel free on social media to speak in ways they would not in person?

5. Folk singer Carrie Newcomer wrote a song several years ago called "Don't Push Send" about the dangers of sending email without checking the address book first. It seems almost quaint in our age when texting or tweeting can seemingly ruin lives. Listen to the song and respond as a group.

Responding to the News

"How am I using power?" can be a useful lens through which to examine our actions and intentions with an eye on our commitment to Jesus Christ.

Prayer

O God, make us aware that within every temptation is the opportunity to misuse power. Let that alert us, O Lord, to the seduction of sin and when we are ignoring your command to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Other News This Week

New Creed Drafted by Conservative Church Leaders Receives Support and Criticism

In the News

Late last month, at a meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, in conjunction with The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, released a statement on human sexuality.

Dubbed The Nashville Statement: A Coalition for Biblical Sexuality, the document was initially signed by over 150 conservative "evangelical" leaders, including Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, denominational leaders, editors, publishers, authors, radio personalities, televangelists, college and seminary presidents and professors, and such heavyweights of conservative Christianity as Alistair Begg, J.I. Packer, John Piper, Ray Ortlund and R.C. Sproul.

The document has become a lightning rod for controversy, in part due to the timing of its release in a politically charged environment, following the Hurricane Harvey calamity and Charlottesville, Virginia, racial conflict. The statement was seen by many as unhelpful at best and harmful to Christian witness at worst.