Tag: power

  • Let’s talk about power

    Let’s talk about power

    Did you know, there are over 650 occurrences of the word “power” in the Bible? Dunamis, a Greek word for power, occurs 120 times in the New Testament and means “strength” or “ability.” It is used to describe, for example, the power of God (Matthew 22:29), the power of Elijah (Luke 1:17), and the power…

  • Revisiting a third way

    Revisiting a third way

    J. Lawrence Burkholder’s experiences as a relief worker in China in 1947 caused him to think about the nature of power. His dissertation, “The problem of social responsibility from the perspective of the Mennonite church,” was completed in 1958 but not published at the time because it challenged Mennonite teachings. Burkholder called for Mennonite social…

  • Finding worthiness in weakness

    Finding worthiness in weakness

    In II Corinthians 12:9, Paul shares a message he received from God in response to his personal struggles: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” It’s no small thing to trust that God’s grace is sufficient for us regardless of what we’re going through. To accept that God’s grace…

  • Gelassenheit and power

    Gelassenheit and power

    I got into an interesting discussion with a friend from my church recently. In adult ed., we were talking about liberation theology and its view of sin. (You can read about liberation theology and sin here.)  Basically, I was affirming the feminist, womanist, and liberation view that sin does not only mean pride or the…

  • Throwing Off the Cloak

    Every now and then a familiar story comes to new meaning. A recent re-reading of the story of Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52 pushes me into an area of discomfort that challenges my identity and my understanding of our identity as a faith community. It makes me question our responses to Jesus’ unexpected ways of transforming…

  • A “Merry Christmas” Story

    During our trip to Canada for the Christmas break, I was surprised how many times I heard the same story. It goes something like this: They are trying to get us not to say “Merry Christmas” and to say “Happy Holidays” instead because someone might get offended. If they are offended by Christmas, they can…

  • The alternative method of God

    The alternative method of God

    One thing that I find so inspiring in South Africa is the countless people who participate in miraculous activities as they strive to make their communities better. In working for the Anabaptist Network in South Africa, my wife and I have the honour of meeting different people all around the country and listening to the…