I have sought to promote “Powerless” Missions. While this sounds strange to some people, it is not far from mainstream missions. Vulnerable Missions is a movement that is popularized and missiologists and missional theologians commonly promote an avoidance of missionaries utilizing money or authority to control and manipulate.

But I also get the problem. The term “vulnerable,” although an awkward term certainly, probably has a better feel to it than powerless. “Powerless” doesn’t only start with the same letter as “Pathetic” or “Pitiful” but they can seem (emotionally) synonymous. Power is, for engineers, energy or work per unit of time. Thus, to have no power means a lack of ability to get things done— to effect change.

Reading the Bible, power has a certain ambiguity. Calling it a neutral concept doesn’t quite fit. There are times when power is described in positive ways. For example, Acts 1:8 specifically and positively of the apostles receiving power. However, so much in the Bible idealizes the setting aside of power. If Jesus could do nothing without the Father, that does not necessarily imply powerlessness, but it certainly implies interdependence and restraint. We are supposed to be empowered by the Spirit but also guided by the Spirit.

Paul Tillich said that the term Spirit (“Pneuma”) described the overlap of power and purpose. One could consider power and purpose as two circles. The overlap then would be spirit (or spirited or spiritual). One might link this idea also to meekness or gentleness— two ideas that often are underappreciated by Christians, but are probably best understood as control of power rather than powerlessness.

But I don’t think this takes it far enough. There is certainly a moral aspect … or moral aspects, and that moral activity goes beyond a simplistic understanding of purpose. Consider, for example, the three temptations of Christ (Matthew 4). The first was to turn stones into bread. Jesus had the power to do this, and the purpose seems noble enough— food after weeks of starvation. Jesus refuses the temptation of Satan, but presumably not simply to say “No” because of who suggested it. And there is no suggestion that doing this feat was beyond His capacity. The response was that He was to be guided by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Elsewhere Jesus states (Luke 22:42 and John 5:19 among others) that His actions, and possibly power, are limited to God the Father in terms of purpose. This suggests, I think, that the use of His power for His own personal needs is not the will of the Father.

The second temptation, throw Yourself from the heights of the temple—for certainly the angels will protect You from harm (and certainly demonstrate Your Messiahship to a large crowd in so doing)— points to a different problem, but not unrelated. Instead of using the power of God directly (turning stones into bread), Jesus was being asked to “twist God’s arm” to use power to save Himself from untimely death. Jesus makes it clear that this is something we are not supposed to do— tempt God. One might surmise a second point. The fact that the location to do this was to be the temple of Jerusalem, and not some remote cliff, is a ramp-up of using power for selfish motives. And we see that even more so in the third temptation. The first temptation was to have food for personal sustenance, the second temptation was to have spectacle for (professional) acclaim, the third temptation was for power in its more direct form. The first temptation was to use power for personal need. The second temptation was to manipulate God to demonstrate power for public recognition. The third temptation was to worship Satan to have the power of control over the world.

The first two temptations were the use of power for personal gain. The third was to gain power. The response of Jesus seems more blunt then the rest, perhaps because the temptation is more blunt. Jesus says worship is to be directed to God alone and then tells Satan to go.

In ministry, the use of God’s power, or the accumulation of worldly power is extremely tempting. However, with the Temptations of Christ we receive caution. Power from God in mission work is for His work, not for our own personal benefit. We are not to manipulate God to use His power for our own fame. The fact that our own fame may increase our impact in ministry is not really the point here. We are to be led by God, not trying to pressure God to follow our lead. Finally, wordly power is not something that a missionary should ever seek to accumulate.

While I think this is simple enough, I must admit that in practice, it may not be simple. Jesus did do signs that point to His own relationship with the Father and to add credence to His message. There has to be some nuance here. I think Simon Magus gives a good caution. He was a Samaritan who (probably sincerely) becomes a Christian, but then seeks to have the power to manipulate divine power. Peter gives him a serious rebuke and warning. Simon Magus appears to have sought power for its own sake— or benefit to himself. It is worth noting that Peter’s response is much more restrained here than one might have expected. Shortly before this we have the story of Ananias and Sapphira where Peter curses them, with death, for seeking unearned praise (public power) regarding sale of property for the church. It is interesting to note that immediately after this occurrence is when Luke first starts speaking of fear spreading through the church. I can’t help but wonder if Peter learned the hard way the danger of using God’s power based on meeting a personal desire rather than the will of the Holy Spirit. We might also point back to Elisha, who wanting a ‘double portion’ of the spirit that Elijah had, first used that power to repeat a miracle that Elijah did (testing God perhaps) and then did a miracle that led to the mauling and death a numerous young men as a vindictive act. It does seem like Elisha was forced to learn quickly the danger of having divine power without spiritual maturity.

I know I am jumping around, but let me sum up. Missions has often utilized power in questionable ways. I think the story of Jesuit missionary to Goa, Peter Berno, is a good example of intense devotion to God and ministry linked to a dangerous use of power. You are welcome to look him up yourself. I think I might do a post on him later. For now, I do believe that missionaries never accumulate power, seek worldly power, and use even divine power (however one wants to define it) with great restraint.