Building a People of Power

Building a People of Power: Equipping Churches to Transform Their Communities by Robert Linthicum, 2005.

The book answers the question:  How do churches actually release the oppressed poor?  Building a People of Power reflects an extraordinary combination of a lifetime of biblical study plus community development and community organizing (alliance of numerous community organizations) in urban settings in the U.S. as well as Asia, Africa and Latin America:

"Linthicum has been rebuilding poor urban communities since 1955.  He has pastored churches in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit where he helped form nine community organizations, people-businesses, and housing efforts.  From 1985 to 1995, Dr. Linthicum headed the urban work of World Vision where he guided third-world organizers who coordinated slum dwellers to build multiple organizations and businesses, and over 6,000 homes."

For Robert Linthicum, veteran Presbyterian pastor and community organizer, the shalom community is an equivalent to the kingdom of God here on earth.  The shalom community, a rough equivalent to Martin Luther King's "beloved community", is characterized by preaching and practicing Jubilee justice so that "there will be no poor among you."  Justice and shalom combined.

The church, the people of God, is called to be and to enlarge the shalom community here on earth.  Here are some nuggets of truth from Linthicum's pen:

     * Shalom is found 250 times in the Hebrew Bible.
     * Shalom's NT equivalent eirene is found 89 times.
     * Shalom and eirene focus on public/social justice.
     * Shalom is a vision of society as God intended and wants it to be---just and equitable.
     * Jesus spoke in Aramaic so he would have used the word shalem [shalom, Jerusalem].  When
            the angels appeared to the shepherds and proclaimed "Peace on earth" or shalom on earth
            combined with "Glory to God."  These two powerful phrases go together, "Glory to God" and "shalom on earth."  The church needs to find a balanced rhythm between these two magnificent biblical concepts.
     * Romans 14:17:  The kingdom of God is essentially about compassionate and just behavior
          toward the poor in the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit; produces authentic joy.

In addition to this solid biblical theology, a theology of society, there are chapters devoted to the principles and the detailed practice of community organization.

Linthicum's approach to community organization organization is built around the Iron Rule:  "Never do for others what they can do for themselves."  And its corollary, "When the people lack access to political and economic power, the power they have is each other."  A third point could be added:  "Your expertise and resources are badly needed; humbly but aggressively share them.  Form lasting partnerships."

Iron Rule number one is true, but if not preceded by other Iron Rules, is CRUEL and MISLEADING.

My suggestion for other Iron Rules:

Iron Rule number two:  "Never put the enormous burden of ending systems of oppression upon the
                                        backs of the oppressed."
Iron Rule number three:  "Before you even try to assist the poor, repent and restitute regarding
                                         your part in their oppression."
Iron Rule number four:  "Oppression is the evil opposite of shalom and must be addressed before the
                                         church even mentions shalom."
Iron Rule number five: "Oppression smashes the body and crushes the spirit; therefore oppression
                                        theology must precede shalom theology."
Iron Rule number six:  "Long term partnerships that release the oppressed and then rebuild their
                                       damaged communities are required."
Iron Rule number seven:  "Read Lev. 25, Deut. 15, Neh. 5 for specifics on God's requirements to end
                                            oppression, execute justice, and create conditions for shalom."

Iron Rule  number one should really be number seven to avoid ignoring the prior role of oppression.

Here is one of Linthicum's most valuable insights; there are three responses of the church to the city:

The church IN the community; the church TO the community and the church WITH the community.  The church in the community means physically the church is in, but socially it is not of the community.  It is an island isolated from the needs of the community.  Most churches fall into this category, sometimes for theological reasons, sometimes because the community around them has changed and they don't know how to relate.

Next, the church to the community.  Much good can be done with this type of social outreach.  But "the Achilles of this approach is the perception that the church knows what is best for the neighborhood.  The church determines the needs and the best way to deliver those services.  I have discovered in more than 50 years of ministry that this concept is the single most difficult insight for Christians to grasp and apply to their ministry."  The paternalistic approach can do much damage as well as some good.

The third approach and the more excellent way is the church WITH the community; unfortunately this is quite rare.  In this approach, "the church allows the people of the community to instruct it as it identifies with the people."  The church assists the community in solving its problems.  The church moves from paternalism to partnership.  Partnership participates in the community's struggle to create justice and shalom.

Large partnerships and alliances are built.  United Power for Action which began in 1997 in Chicago has 330 institutional members.  ONE LA has 120 institutional members.  These institutions have enough power so they can negotiate decisions for justice.

The following are Noble's concluding observations:

It does take God's power to release the oppressed.  God acting through Moses used his power (the plagues) to force Pharaoh to free the Hebrew slaves.

In Luke 9:1-2, Jesus gave his disciples his power to heal the sick and to incarnate the kingdom of God which includes releasing the oppressed.  Soon, however, these same disciples came close to misusing God's power to kill Samaritans---destroy a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus.  Jewish ethnocentrism came perilously close to the tragic misuse of God's power.  So Jesus had to rebuke his own disciples (Luke 9:51-55).

It takes God's power to implement God's kingdom. (Acts 1:1-8)

But God's power, necessary as it is, can be misused and abused.  Derek Prince, a charismatic leader, said God warned him not to make the same mistake that Pentecostals often made: "squandering my power in spiritual self-indulgence."  Some Pentecostals pursue the gifts for the primary purpose of being super spiritual, not the edification of others.

Power must be motivated by love and directed toward justice.  Power, justice and love, these three are all absolutely necessary to do the hard work of the kingdom of God, but the greatest of these three is love, with justice a close second and power a close third.