​Our 2025 Resource, The Power of God: From Extractive Theology to Transformative Faith, is here!

Download here

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​Odds are, when you hear the phrase “The Power of God,” some clear images come into your mind: images of a God who is almighty, great, the alpha and omega, judge of the earth, and mighty king. But Scripture is faithful to also inform us that our God’s power is one marked by self-giving love, incarnated within a place, humble, lowly, and a spirit of service. In fact, the scandal that shocked early Christians still surprises us thousands of years later: that the power of God is most known to us through Jesus. God doesn’t need mighty steeds, ominous thrones or displays of dominance. Instead, God chooses to exhibit power through Jesus — a different kind of King. The gospels reveal to us Jesus’ use of power, and that power is subversive, meek, peaceful, and kind. Jesus’ power is found in the cross. It is the kind of power that transforms dead things into fully alive creatures.

So, what does any of this have to do with ecological care as God’s people?
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The answer is: Everything. Everything, because what we believe about God’s power changes how we interact in the world! What we believe about the power of God changes how we adjust our thermostats, fuel up our cars, commute to work, carry out our jobs, engage in politics, advocate for legislation, shop for home goods, and plug or unplug our toaster.

Introduction & Overview

The Power of God: From Extractive Theology to Transformative Faith emerges at a critical moment in the story of creation and church. As Christians living through cascading ecological crises, this is a moment we might rediscover and reimagine how God’s power moves through all of creation — from the mighty cedars to the smallest fungi, from raging floods to gentle rains, from electrons moving through our power lines to the quiet energy that flows through every living cell.

Too often, our theology of God’s power has been shaped by images of dominion and control, mirroring human systems of exploitation and extraction. We have built energy systems that drain the earth’s lifeblood, mistaking dominion for destruction. But Scripture reveals a different kind of power — one that flows through relationships, nurtures life, and brings healing to both people and planet. This is the power that makes space for the flourishing of all creatures, the power that brings life from death, the power that sustains the intricate web of creation.

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​Theological Framing

God’s power is present throughout the biblical texts. It often shows up in ways that baffle, surprise and amaze us. We can, at times, make the mistake of imagining that God’s use of power is a mirror of our own uses. We imagine God as asking who conquers, a judge who punishes and a father who disciplines. And while these images of God are present in our texts, they often obscure the redefinition of power that happens in the long arc of the biblical witness. God’s power is most clearly seen in acts of relationship: creation, redemption, healing and renewal. God’s power is relational, not transactional. How can this redefinition inform the ways that we use our own power, which is considerable whether we recognize it or not? How might realigning our view of power with the ways that God’s power is displayed in Scripture be restorative for both us and creation?

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Sermon Starters

​These sermon starters are meant to be a resource to think about ways that our energy usage can begin to be addressed from the pulpit. They are intended to be prompts to guide preachers into greater reflection on the issue while drawing connections to themes woven throughout the biblical tradition.

Sermon starter excerpt on Revelation 1:4–8; 21:1–5: "As Christians, we are no strangers when it comes to the resurrecting power of God. Resurrection is God’s final great act that makes right all the things prior that have “gone wrong.” Through this Paschal mystery of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we are clued into a deeper rhythm as to how God exhibits power. What once had life and has died receives new life again. It is the circulatory nature of God’s power. Not only does this God create all things, but this God also has the power to rescue and redeem all things, even after it would seem all hope is lost (Colossians 1:20). What then does it mean to be a people marked by this renewing power today, in a world that has so overdrawn our ecological account? What does it mean for us in the way we go about our lives, consuming and expending energy?

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Stories

Learn about local communities coming together to take action to address energy use. In this resource, you can find stories of Christians coming together to resist mountaintop removal and the Apache community making steps to protect the Oak Flat.

Here is an excerpt from one featured story, Christians for the Mountains: Building Power to Resist Mountaintop Removal: "In the rugged hills of Appalachia, where communities have long felt the impact of coal mining, Christians For The Mountains (CFTM) is a faith-rooted movement that brings people together to resist the environmental and human harms of mountaintop removal mining. For CFTM, the fight against this destructive practice is not just about protecting the landscape; it’s about reclaiming a deeper understanding of power. As co-founder Allen Johnson explains, 'Power is a gift from God, and we must see it that way — as something entrusted to us for good.' This belief inspires their work to empower communities to resist corporate and political interests that exploit creation."

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​Action and Advocacy

There are many actions that you and your community to take to address your energy consumption. This resource has actions you can take in your personal life and in your community at the local, national, and international level to protect God's creation.

Work with your community to defend Bedrock Environmental Laws. Bedrock environmental laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and Antiquities Act are essential tools for resisting environmentally harmful extraction projects and protecting the health of communities and ecosystems. These foundational policies safeguard the integrity of air, water, wildlife, and culturally significant lands and waters, ensuring that all energy projects, whether extractive or renewable, are subjected to rigorous environmental reviews and public input.

Power of God Webinar

This webinar will introduce Creation Justice Ministries' 2025 annual resource,  Power of God: From Extractive Theology to Transformative Faith, which invites congregations to reflect on how power—both divine and human—shapes our world. Designed to equip people of faith with theological grounding and practical action steps, this resource helps churches engage in faithful conversations about power, justice, and renewal. You'll hear from denominational leaders about how they have used past Creation Justice Ministries resources and their plans for equipping congregations this year.

​Join us on March 11 at 6:00pm ET!

Register and Learn More

Songs and Worship Resources

This section was created for use across Christian traditions. We recognize that different traditions mean different things by “worship.” In the spirit of ecumenism, we encourage you to use these resources in a way that befits your community. 

In this section, we share traditional and specially commissioned songs for usage in a church service. We also have additional resources liturgical resources for you to have a unique service focused on the power of God. These original song was written by eight songwriters who participated in a retreat at Sister Grove Farm in Van Alstyne, Texas. “The Sister Grove Collective” consists of Ken Medema, John and Alyssa Creasy, Thomas Graham, Julian Reid, Lindy Thompson, Darrell Adams and Mark Miller.

You can find original music recordings on our YouTube channel here, lyric sheets for the songs here, and sheet music here.

• "We are the Problem" 
• "Come Sing the Plenteous Power of God"
• "Praise" 
• "Creation's Song" 
• "The Web of All Life" 
• "Join the Trees in Praise" 
• "The Family of God"

Our Christian education resources are made possible by grassroots contributions.
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