Summary by Rick Bergen.
May 15, 2025
Power shapes our world. It can be used to build up or to tear down, to serve or to control. In Reckoning with Power, David E. Fitch challenges how the church has understood power, often experienced as something other than reflecting the servant leadership of Christ. He calls believers—whether pastors, lay leaders, or everyday Christians—to reconsider the way power functions in their lives, churches, and communities by thinking in terms of power over, power with, and under power.
Power Over
Many leadership structures, including those in the church, operate under a system of “power over”—a top-down, approach.
- When the church blurs the line between godly and worldly power, it may become complicit in the very injustices it should resist.
- Even when women or new leaders are placed in high positions, they often get absorbed into the same patterns of control.
- Throughout biblical history, from Genesis to Jesus and Paul, we see that oppressive power structures are a distortion of God’s design.
Power With
Instead of “power over,” Fitch proposes “power with”—a way of leading that is relational, cooperative, and grounded in love and mutuality.
- True Christian leadership empowers their people.
- Jesus’s ministry embodied “power with” through healing, reconciliation, and personal presence rather than coercion.
- Servant leadership, as taught by Robert Greenleaf, calls for listening, empathy, and collaboration.
Under Power
Beyond “power with,” Fitch presents a third way: “under power.” This is all about submitting to God’s power and allowing His Spirit to work.
- Leaders often start with a dependence on God, but as their influence grows, they are tempted to take control.
- Philippians 2 describes Jesus emptying Himself, refusing to grasp power but instead cooperating with or submitting to God’s Spirit.
- Christian leaders may choose humility over dominance, allowing God’s presence to lead.
Can Christian Leaders Be Servant Leaders?
- The rich young ruler (Mark 10:21) was not asked to use his privilege for good—he was asked to give it up entirely.
- Paul, in contrast to Roman leadership models, worked with his hands, called others co-laborers, and refused to dominate.
- True evangelism is built on presence, relationships, and making space for the Spirit’s work—not coercion.
- Jesus lived fully under God’s power, refusing to wield worldly power—from resisting Satan’s temptations to washing His disciples’ feet to refusing to call for the angels to deliver him before His crucifixion.
Who Should Read This Book?
This book is for anyone seeking to understand leadership, power, and the church’s role in the world:
- Housewives & Parents – How do power structures affect family and community life?
- Students & Young Leaders – What does true leadership look like in a world obsessed with influence and control?
- Academics & Pastors – How can the church break free from unhealthy models of power?
- Blue-Collar Workers & Everyday Christians – How does this apply to my life, workplace, and relationships?
Reckoning with Power is a powerful book that challenges us to rethink leadership and embrace a Spirit-led way of living and leading. Whether you’re leading a church, working a 9-to-5 job, or raising a family, Fitch’s insights will transform the way you see power and help you live more faithfully under God’s authority.
References
Fitch, D. E. (2024). Reckoning with power: Why the church fails when it’s on the wrong side of power. Brazos Press.
