@ Jonathan – Nice topic! And one that holds a place close to my heart. I had the privilege of being apart of the Lets Tend The Garden / Re:Form movement at the Vineyard Boise for several years. Ultimately, leading the local Lets Tend The Garden ministry for two years (2007 and 2008) under Tri Robinson.

As such, I would love to read your paper in its entirety and see how you approached the topic. Jason – would you mind giving Jonathan my email address? I don’t feel like opening myself up for spam bots by posting it here… Thanks. =)

By the way, have you read Ben Lowe’s book “Green Revolution”? He is one of the coordinators for RenewingCreation.org as well as the former Outreach Director for A Rocha USA. His book is one of the best books on the creation care movement that I have read. The focus on the book is on how the heart for environment stewardship is sweeping through Christianity in American and is bring to change the way we do church. If you have not read it, I would definitively recommend it. =)

By the way, how was this paper received at the SVS conference? Did people tend to agree or disagree with the notion of environmental stewardship?

I know in the past, the majority of Vineyard churches in the USA have ignored or downplayed the concept – despite encouragement by Tri, Ken Wilson and Bert Waggoner. I am just curious is this tend is changing or if folks within the Vineyard are still hesitant to embrace this (unfortunately) politically charged concept… =/

Joshua - I sent along your email address.

From my perspective I thought Jonathan’s paper was received quite well, but to be fair the majority of the discussion on that panel was overshadowed a bit by some tension surrounding Emily’s paper. Perhaps Jonathan would be willing to share some of the nature of the one-on-one feedback he received.

Also, I’m curious to hear you say that most Vineyard’s have resisted environmental concern. You’re in a better position than most to have a sense of that, but in my experience I haven’t encountered much resistance to the idea of Christian environmentalism (although, I spent the majority of my pastoral career in the Mountain West, where environment is a huge focus). Would you be willing to share some of your experiences along those lines?

Joshua -

Nice to hear your comments. I agree with Jason in my surprise that most Vineyard churches have been resistant. That being said, it may just be because I was so well received at the SVS conference – almost all of the feedback was positive. I’m inclined to think it was because most of the angst in the room was directed towards a paper on biology. Without that, it’s possibleI would’ve borne the brunt of it.

I received your email and I’ll send you a full copy very soon. I will also look in to the book you’ve mentioned – always on the lookout for good things like that!

It seems as though older leaders in the Vineyard might be less likely to embrace what could be seen as ‘liberal politics.’ We are a decidedly suburban, theologically conservative, (and so socially/politically conservative) Movement. I think, however, that the Vineyard has a culture that encourages cultural engagement. This has made people (who trend conservative) to allow for some genuine flexibility in culture.

Because of this flexibility you see some of the younger leaders in the Vineyard are decidedly less conservative. Specifically on an issue where liberal politics has it right (ie, aligning with Scripture), I think you will find people increasingly embracing the values of stewardship.

This is my personal experience. The Church we were sent out of did not give any significant resources to this issue, but was not opposed to it. I don’t think my sending pastor gave much thought to stewardship issues (I don’t recall it ever making it into any sermons), but he was definitely sympathetic to those who did.

Jon,

Angst is a good way of putting it. I’m glad you’re doing this it is really important that we think about the way in which the church responds to the latest science. I believe it is really important that the church decides what its stance is on creation care especially in the light of the controversy over climate change. By the way how would you suggest we respond to the current controversy over climate change, I have a lot of skeptics in my church!

Good to hear from you again.

naomi

The Vineyard Boise started their environmental stewardship ministry in 2005 as a response to the guidance of the Holy Spirit coupled with an intense study of Scripture. Not long afterwards, God gave Tri the desire to share this message with other pastors and churches – leading to an annual “Lets Tend The Garden” conference (now Re:Form).

My wife was hired by the Vineyard Boise in 2006 to help with this first conference as well as to help coordinate the spread of the environmental stewardship concept throughout the USA. Over the next several years she helped organization two additional environmental stewardship conferences (2007 and 2008), talked to tons of local pastors, and helped coordinate the national efforts of Tri and other environmental stewardship supporters.

I say all of this to help set the stage for my next comments…

Between 2006 and 2008, every Vineyard church in the USA received multiple letters, training materials, and conference invitations concerning environmental stewardship. Very few of them responded or took any action within their local church towards carrying for creation.

Steven Schenk hit the nail on the head when he mentioned that a lot of the older leaders within the Vineyard considered the topic too close to “liberal politics” – or as Naomi Forrester mentioned, too close to the whole climate change debate. As such, they tended not to do anything about it – focusing on the “bigger” issues of personal salvation, addiction groups, food pantries, and other ‘safe’ ministries.

The 2008 Re:Form conference was good example of this separation. The first part of the conference focused on environmental stewardship while the second half focused on human trafficking. The number of pastors and leaders (both within and without the Vineyard) who skipped the first half of the meeting in lieu of the second, safer, part was noteworthy…

I must mention, however, that things did begin to change over the years. Somewhere around 2007 or so, there was a huge environmental stewardship movement throughout evangelicalism – leading to more and more pastors becoming interested in the concept. So in a lot of ways, we were just a few years too early… =/

Again, to quote Steven, there is an increase of younger leaders within the Vineyard that are realizing that environmental stewardship is not a political issue – but a Biblical issue. It does not threaten ‘traditional’ ministries – nor does it mean that one is “liberal”. It is simply an act of love and compassion towards both God, who made everything, and our fellow man, who is impacted by our lack of stewardship.

The Vineyard movement has done a lot of good things and I do agree with much of Vineyard’s theology and am quite comfortable with it, not to mention am attending a church in the Vineyard. I however am rather bothered if climate changed is going to be embraced since that is something God has control over as much as we all woul like to be in control of this but God has control over this.

I believe that God gave us things to take of, including natural resources. I however am really bothered if Christians believe in this man made global warming. We all believe in God. God is in control of it all including the weather. The winter has been harsh this year with quite a few snowstorms and even blizzards. I could go on about that, but even places are rather warm by midwest/northeast standards got snow this year. To be honest I will be disappointed if more the Vineyard is beginning to embrace this idea of Climate Change/Global Warming since God is in control of this.

Marsha,

I am hoping you might explain how God is in control of the climate?

I am also wondering if you would share how you see God’s control over the climate in comparison with God’s control over other things: animal behavior, global economics, bacteria, individual human activity, etc.

And perhaps another question. What if there was evidence that we humans had some control over climate? Would you be willing to consider looking at it?

Steven,

God created the earth and the weather as well. The weather is beyond our control. Didn’t you see all the unusual amounts of snow that came to much of the country including places which do not have snow. I think it is interesting that there happened to be a blizzard in D.C, New York and Copenhagen following the Global Warming Conference. D.C. and New York have experienced at least 2 blizzards this year. A lot of areas in the Easter half of the U.S. have experienced colder and snowier than normal. We have no control over the weather. This is in God’s hands. All we can do is pray the weather cooperates with our plans, that is the only control we have. It is important to take care of what God gave for us to take care of but what we do does not determine the climate.

The way I see God’s control over the cllimate in comparison with other things is we live in a cursed world because the kingdom is not all here yet. This world is not perfect because of sin. God gave us freewill to choose right from wrong. God is in control of everything including the weather. Because of sin there is sickness and other things. A lot of the economic problems are due to man’s choice to do the wrong thing or perhaps things are beyond our control. The kingdom is not all here yet otherwise things would be perfect. Until the Lord comes and sets his kingdom up things will be perfect.

Just for the sake of arguement what kind of evidence is there that we have control over climate?

There is considerable scientific evidence that human activity has affected the climate, especially when we look at trends rather than just a few rare events (i.e; increasing average winter temps in N.A. over the past sixty years, an exponential increase in climate changing greenhouse gasses since the industrial revolution).

However, what I appreciate about how Jon approaches this topic (at least judging from the abstract, I’d love to see the full text!) is the humility with which the evidence is presented.

Science has often challenged the Church’s understanding of how the world works and how God is working in it. We usually don’t like having our long held assumptions challenged. Often the church gets very defensive when science asks hard questions of us, and defensiveness isn’t very conducive to productive dialogue.

Humility on the other hand can be. I think if we’re honest, most of us in the church don’t understand much of the science behind the evidence for or against climate change and its causes. One of the most distructive things we can do is to make up our own “science” to convince ourselves that our view is right and that our thinking and behavior doesn’t need to change. Instead could we humbly dive into trying to learn more about the scientific evidence for and against climate change?

I think it is necessary for many more pastors and followers of Jesus to do this if the Church is to become what Jon encourages us to become; “a culturally recognized guide in the area of environmental stewardship.”

God is in sovereign and he is control of it all including the weather.

[...] – Jared Boyd: Naming Injustice: “Doing Theology That Does Something” 3/18 – Jonathan Rutz: “The Case For Creation Care as a Defining Paradigm For the Vineyard Movement&#8… 3/19 – Naomi Forrester: “Science vs. Christianity: A Battle To Be Won or [...]

I love motorcycles. Fresh air and the freedom of the road! =)

One of the things I have noticed over the years of ridings is that the air temperature drops a few degrees when I drive out of the city at night and into the country side. Why? Concrete, asphalt, and other building materials retain heat longer then trees, grass, dirt and other native vegetations. As such, the air temperature in the city stays warmer longer then the air temperature in the country.

Along this same lines, the city of Boise, ID, (near where I live) constantly receives fewer inches of snow then the smaller communities around its edges. Why? Boise is build in a small valley next to some mountains which trap all the car exhausts, fireplace smoke, and the heat being retained by the acres of concrete, asphalt, houses and building – creating a small heat pocket in the desert which melts the snow as it falls to the ground.

In other words, human activity in and around Boise, Idaho, has changed the climate of the area. God is still in control – that has NEVER been questioned. The simple, everyday fact is that when you gather a bunch of people together in one place, they will effect the climate and environment of the area by cutting down trees, building houses, planting crops, etc.

Being a good steward of the environment does not mean stopping these activities – by no means! All it means that we need to think through our actions and be aware of the long term impact that we, as residences of planet earth, have.

For me personally, it means being aware that I live in a desert climate where clean, fresh water is sparse. As such, I turn the water off when I’m bushing my teeth – a simple act that has a huge impact on the environment because it means less waste, less cost, and more water for everyone else. The same is true for landscaping your yard with native, low water plants. You use less water then trying to keep a green lawn in the middle of a desert – it cost less and it is less work to maintain. Win, win, win.

I guess the gist of what I’m trying to say, is that environment stewardship does not threaten the sovereignty of God. It just means that we are living on planet with other people and other creations of the Almighty – and as such, we need to curb our greed and consumerism and be good stewards of what He has given us.