Stewarding your power

With great power comes great responsibility.’ You probably saw that coming for an edition that centres around the theme of power — something as obvious as the scandals plastered across the front pages of your local newspaper, yet as subtle as the imperceptible tinge of coercion in cheerful persuasion, or a quick glare. That adage, popularised by Spider-Man’s Uncle Ben, reflects God’s upside-down kingdom of servant-leadership, [1] and that ‘everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required’. (Luke 12:48, ESV)

I’m Liz, your friendly neighbourhood student editor of Nucleus, CMF’s student publication. Pieces written by students like you are welcome all-year round. This journal is what it should be — by students, for students. We will give feedback and guidance during the editing process as well, so why not try your hand at writing for Nucleus sometime?

Power in the context of the church, healthcare, politics, and as a student are all considered through in this edition — with invaluable personal experiences from a vicar, a paediatrician, and a recently graduated medical student in considering those perspectives. Chris Green infuses case examples and helpful categorisations with analogies of power in considering power and the church. John Greenall takes a practical approach in defining both the potential of power and Jesus’ example in his use of power, with questions about how to better steward the power we have been gifted. Matthew Amer, the outgoing co-chair of the CMF’s National Student Committee (NSC) weaves personal, societal, and biblical examples shedding light on the problems with power dynamics in the CU and CMF in his reflective piece on power in student leadership.

Ben Goddard-Fletcher returns to the topic of evangelism, a core competency of a healthy mature Christian, and yet feared even among prominent evangelists. He considers the calling of Jeremiah, providing practical action points and three simple, encouraging reminders to take away. CMF is a member of the International Christian Medical and Dental Association (ICMDA), and Ella Metry from ICMDA Western Europe amalgamates some basics on the Christian view of work in the Bible with real-life stories of how that plays out in countries across Western Europe — and ways students like you can get involved in ICMDA.

Two book reviews tempted me to add to my ever-growing collection of books. Katy Roberts reviews The Air We Breathe by Glen Scrivener, which considers how Christianity shaped the ancient world, and still shapes even secular thinking today. Rachel Owusu-Ankomah reviews a book by politician Tim Farron looking at the Mucky Business that is politics and why Christians should get involved, beginning with the political context and experience of the author, and finishing with application points for healthcare students and biblical advice.

We round off with some news and reviews hot off the press (or journal), such as the promising new Galleri blood test for detecting 50 types of cancer and the ethics of allocating scarce resources in light of COVID-19 — snippets that would work well as bite-sized food for thought on your next commute.

Hopefully, you will emerge from these pages a bit more sensitive to the powers at play around you, as well as to your own power as a healthcare student in your various roles towards those around you. Carefully consider how you may steward and wield wisely this God-given privilege of power now and in the years to come, as you seek to emulate Christ, who ‘came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’. (Matthew 20:28, ESV) May the Lord bless you and keep you in the months ahead. Until the next edition.

Signing off,

Liz