Greening a Congregation

As our resident blogger Dennis is on a well-deserved break, I again return as your guest blogger. So, if the writing is not as succent as his is, don't blame him.

I know that Dennis has written before about how in these last days false teachers will arise to 'tickle our ears' and persuade us that Jesus' Gospel is somehow not sufficent for His people.

Well, as anyone who has read the news or turned on the television knows, the environment has been on the forefront lately. Actor Danny Glover has spouted his opinion that the earthquake in Haiti is 'the response for the failure of the Copenhagen summit.' The Pope has also spoken out against the failures at the summit.

We have witnessed religious leaders promoting environmental causes with the Environmental Climate Initiative put forth three years ago. But now we are witnessing more churches getting on the bandwagon in an effort to keep their doors open. They are 'greening a congregation.'

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/16/us/16church.html?ref=global-home

"We actually encourage it (using environmental issues) as a way to get people into the churches." That was said by the executive direction of Earth Ministry. "That is what people are interested in, and I don't see anything Machiavellian in that."

She may not see it as deceitful, but is it? Here is a stanza from one of the Creation-Honoring Hymns the Earth Ministry people have written;

We own we have a part
in healing our torn earth.
All humankind awaits a sign
that justice have rebirth
Let us, God's agents now,
commit ourselves this hour
to heed God's word, and be assured
we can bring hope to flower!

On it's face, creation is, and should be, something that every Christian cares about. We should not be intentionally setting out to destroy it. But we should not be worshipping creation either.

The one to worship of course, is the Creator Himself. Jesus brings hope to flower. Could this be another diversion from the truth of the Gospel message? If you google 'green congregation,' you come up with Christian groups putting on secular Eco-Expos, changing the name of your congregation to something like, Eco-justice Center, creating a new logo and Green Sermons.

Jesus is the only answer in these last days, and nothing should be a distraction from Him. Why pull people into your church and continue to hide, or distort, the truth?

"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods." Psalm 40:4