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Churches Address the Environment

In recent years, global warming and other environmental issues have become pressing cultural concerns; however, many evangelical churches remain unaware of or disengaged from the issues. According to David Gushee, University Fellow and Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy at Union University in Jackson TN, "Evangelical initiatives on the environment are growing in cultural impact, but they continue to garner stout resistance within the most conservative sector of our own community. Too often, politics and capitalism get in the way of a clear evangelical consensus."

A number of Fellowship churches in Missouri are bucking this trend, however. Led by concerned clergy and laity, these churches are devising activities and programs to raise environmental awareness in their congregations and communities and to make a positive impact on God’s creation.

Kirkwood, St. Louis
Kirkwood Baptist Church in St. Louis has a God’s Green Earth Service Team (GGEST) which leads its environmental initiatives. Last October, the group hosted a "Bright Idea Sunday" and lightbulb exchange where individuals could bring up to 4 incandescent lightbulbs to swap for new compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) free of charge. CFLs protect the environment by using less energy (up to 70% less) and less landfill space (lasting up to 11,000 hours longer) than regular incandescent bulbs. The church gave away 700 of the CFL lightbulbs.

This April, Kirkwood hosted a tree giveaway. Any family could get up to 5 saplings, purchased from the Missouri Department of Conservation. Four varieties of trees were available to members and non-members alike, and the church distributed 725 trees.

"I have a passion about this issue, but there are a number of key church members who have helped lead on this," said Dr. Scott Stearman, pastor of Kirkwood Baptist. "There is a growing awareness that this is not a partisan issue.  It is a human concern - hence a moral one."

First, Columbia
At First Baptist in Columbia an entire Sunday focused on global warming and other environmental concerns. "We had the congregation, in the pews, break down into small groups to brainstorm what FBC could do as a congregation in light of the global problems looming," notes John Baker, senior pastor. "Some responses were quite good!"

Englewood, Kansas City
In addition to a recycling program, Englewood Baptist in Kansas City has planned worship services in connection with Earth Day, emphasizing the importance of caring for the creation as a way to honor the Creator.  "We have people that are concerned about these issues and they find ways to express those concerns and help us as a church begin to engage environmental issues," said Micah Pritchett, coordinating pastor.

What Next?
When it comes to addressing environmental concerns, "CBF churches lag far behind other denominationally affiliated churches," said  Dr. Andrew Watts, Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics at Belmont University. "However, CBF churches are ahead of mainstream evangelical churches like the SBC, Church of Christ, Evangelical Methodists and Nazarenes in their environmental awareness."

How can a church begin to address environmental issues if it isn’t currently doing anything? Stearman’s advice is to connect the dots: "Caring for the earth is an integral part of our calling as God’s creatures and it is a part of our calling to love as Christ loved, because the poor are affected by climate change more than anyone," Stearman adds, "church leaders should show that the Bible has much to say about our call as ‘Earth’s gardeners’ and that caring for the poor and marginalized is in our DNA as followers of Christ."

  

 

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