Christian Environmentalism

When I got into the office this morning (after perfectly horrendous traffic, I might add) there were two plumbers waiting for me. They are here to install new super-lo-flo toilets at the church. It is yet another step in the “greening” of our church. So far we have installed new lighting, which uses about 30-40% less electricity, new toilets which use about half the water of the ones they are replacing, and, of course, our 153 panel solar generating system. From a purely financial consideration, there are pluses and minuses. There is no question that, over the long haul, we will save money. Over the short haul, that is not quite so obvious – and as one person once said, we all eat over the short haul, not the long haul! But the more important reason we have done this is that, as Christians, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of this world God has given us. This whole issue of environmentalism has been mixed up with politics for so long that many can’t seem to separate it from their own political parties. I know that there are still some who question whether global warming is real. But honestly, can we really object to trying to return this world to the state in which God gave it to us before we started burning fossil fuels and dumping our waste in the water and air? I do not see how. So, for me, environmentalism is a part of my Christian lifestyle. Yes, I want to see the rest of the world enjoy the benefits of development. But I refuse to accept the false choice of either development or environment. God loves us all, and I firmly believe that He has given us both the materials and the intelligence to accomplish both. Here at WVCC, we are trying to do our part.

Pastor Ken