Going Green at First Baptist

Why Go Green At First Baptist?

• God charged us with caring for creation.

In the Genesis story, God commissions us to care for creation. Genesis 1:28 says, “God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." But subduing (or having dominion) over the earth should be understood in terms of care-giving, even nurturing, not exploiting.

It is like when a mom drops her son off at kindergarten, the mom gives “dominion” over to the teacher. It is a partial transfer of responsibility. But at the end of the school day, when the mom picks up her son, she expects to find him in the same or better condition as when he arrived. Similarly, dominion over nature does not translate to neglect, or destruction. God has charged us with caring for creation. But we should remember as Psalm 24:1 says, “The Earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.”

• The beauty of nature often points people toward God

At one time or another, most people have been stopped in their tracks by the beauty of a sunset or the majesty of seeing a deer standing on a hillside.  In Romans, the apostle Paul says people can see the truth about God by looking at what God has made- the earth and the sky (Romans 1:19-20). By reducing trash and energy consumption, we do our part to preserve the beauty of God's creation for future generations.

The hymn “How Great Thou Art” expresses the sentiment of how God's creation speaks...

How Great Thou Art

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art! 

• Destruction of the earth impacts the worship of God

Nature is not to be worshiped. It is not God. But Psalm 148 reminds us that all of nature was created to glorify God.

Psalm 148

3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars. 

4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies. 

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created. 

“The humpback whales sing songs… flying fish leap from the sea…eagles soar in circles above giant, sequoias…flowers and butterflies splash color across the landscape…”1 God made each one for His glory. When a species goes extinct, surely God takes note that their praise no longer rises to the heavens. 

This truth was known to Maltbie D. Babcock when he wrote the beautiful hymn “This is my Father’s World” in 1901. Babcock liked to hike in an area where he had beautiful views of farms, orchards and Lake Ontario. His walks inspired these words: 

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas-
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.

This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

For these reasons, Christians should be leading the way in creation care, knowing that this is one way of showing love for the God, who created the world, and the people who occupy it.