Youth In 2006: Hardship in Youth Ministry

The Gulf Spill:

Biblical Resources & Reflections by
the Evangelical Environmental Network

God declared all He has created good, including the oceans:

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ...and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place...' God called the... gathered waters ...Seas.' And God saw that it was good" (Gen. 1:9-10).

And God brought forth all of the creatures of the oceans and blessed them with life:

"And God said, 'Let the water teem with living creatures ...' So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds... And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas...'" (Gen. 1:20- 22).

God intended that all of the creatures of the sea live in harmony with humanity:

“There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number--living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there." (Ps. 104:25-26).

The New Testament helps us understand that the Triune God works through God the Son to create and sustain all of life:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made" (John 1:1-3)

Colossians adds that: "all things were created by him (Christ) and for him" (1:16).

Thus, Christ is the Creator, and our LORD is the true owner. Hebrews helps us understand something else about Christ's relationship to all of creation:

“The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word (1:3).

As these scriptures attest, our LORD is the Creator, the Sustainer of all living things, and the true Owner of everything.

Created in God's Image-Created to Love One Another

The spill in the Gulf is a vivid reminder that God has given humanity dominion over his creation, including the seals and waterfowl:

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" (Gen 1:26; all citations from NIV)

We were made in God's image to reflect how He would care for His creation. If the terrible impacts of the oily water on communities and wildlife have made one thing clear it is that we must do a much better job of being God's stewards, of protecting his creation and the livelihoods of those who depend upon it while we all benefit from its resources.

A steward is not the owner. It is clear from Scripture that God is the Creator and thus the true owner:

"The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it" (Ps 24:1).

We were also created to love God and others as summarized by Jesus in the Great Commandments.

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments"(Mt. 22:37-40; cf. Mk 12:28-34; Lk 10; Rom 13:9-10; Gal 5:13-14; James 2:8; Dt 6:4-5; Lev 19:18).

But the spill in the Gulf does not manifest our love for the Creator and Sustainer of all things. It is not loving our neighbors in the Gulf. It is not living in harmony with and properly caring for the rest of God's creation.

The current spill (as of June 1) is the equivalent of about an hour's worth of gasoline for the country. And yet for such a seemingly small benefit has come the country's largest environmental disaster in history.

Rather than simply being a stain on our stewardship, we must let the Gulf spill be the impetus that propels us along a new path both as individuals and as a nation. The spill, then, provides us as Christians with an opportunity to love Christ and others by using energy more efficiently (see below); and it provides us as a country with an opportunity to begin now to transform the way we fuel our economy as we create a clean energy future.

What You Can Do

I. Pray.

• Pray for our neighbors in the Gulf who have been impacted by the spill - economically, emotionally, spiritually. Pray for God's other creatures who are suffering.

• Pray for all those working to stop and contain the spill, that such efforts are successful as quickly as possible.

• Ask the LORD to guide each and every one of us and help all of us to become better stewards, especially of energy resources, and to forgive us where we have failed Him.

• Pray for the President and other government and business leaders that they find positive solutions to the spill and lead our country towards a clean energy future.

II. Public Transportation.

Consistently using public transportation is one of the biggest ways an individual can reduce our nation's oil dependence. It also reduces congestion (both annoying and inefficient) and can save over $6,000 a year for a household that goes from two cars to one.[1]

III.Purchase a Fuel-Efficient Vehicle.

When you purchase your next vehicle, choose the most fuel-efficient one that fits your needs.

IV. Practice Fuel-Efficient Driving.

Even if public transportation isn't currently available to you, or if you are not currently in a position to purchase a more fuel efficient vehicle, there are at least 10 choices you can make in three basic areas.

Vehicle Maintenance -

You can help to maximize the energy efficiency of your vehicle by:

1. Keeping your tires inflated (improves mileage by about 3%);

2. Regularly replacing your air filter (up to 10% improvement) and

3. Keeping your vehicle tuned up (from 4-40% improvement).

These vehicle maintenance efforts could reduce up to one metric ton of CO2 and save you up to $250 per year.

Reducing Your Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) -

You can reduce your VMT by:

4. Carpooling to work;

5. Combining errands to make fewer trips;

6. Walking,

7. Biking, and

8. Using public transportation when possible.

Driving Habits -

Finally, you can increase your fuel economy by:

9. Removing excessive weight from your vehicle, and;

10. Driving modestly - avoid aggressive acceleration and braking, and maintain a proper speed (saving 5% in town and 33% on the highway).[2]

V. Join With Us

Go to our website, www.creationcare.org and:

1. Become an individual contributor to EEN and help us to educate the Church and society about a biblical approach to creation-care.

2. Sign up for e-alerts to stay informed about energy policy and efforts to combat climate change.

3. Learn more about what is happening in the Gulf, including stories of those impacted, on our website's blog.

By Mitch Hescox, President & CEO Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN). For more information email me at mitch@creationcare.org

[1] American Public Transportation Association (APTA), "Public Transportation Reduces Greenhouse Gases and Conserves Energy," booklet (APTA, Feb 2008): p.3.
[2] For more information about increasing fuel economy, go to: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml. Another helpful site is http://www.greenercars.org/drivinggreen.html.


NEWSFRONT FEATURES REGIONAL EVENTS UPCOMING EVENTS TRI-STATE NEWS THE CLASSIFIEDS FOLLOW US ABOUT US EditRegion5	FEATURES The Gulf Spill: Biblical Resources & Reflections by the Evangelical Environmental Network God declared all He has created good, including the oceans: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ...and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place...' God called the... gathered waters ...Seas.' And God saw that it was good" (Gen. 1:9-10). And God brought forth all of the creatures of the oceans and blessed them with life: "And God said, 'Let the water teem with living creatures ...' So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds... And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas...'" (Gen. 1:20- 22). God intended that all of the creatures of the sea live in harmony with humanity: “There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number--living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there." (Ps. 104:25-26). The New Testament helps us understand that the Triune God works through God the Son to create and sustain all of life: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made" (John 1:1-3) Colossians adds that: "all things were created by him (Christ) and for him" (1:16). Thus, Christ is the Creator, and our LORD is the true owner. Hebrews helps us understand something else about Christ's relationship to all of creation: “The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word (1:3). As these scriptures attest, our LORD is the Creator, the Sustainer of all living things, and the true Owner of everything. Created in God's Image-Created to Love One Another The spill in the Gulf is a vivid reminder that God has given humanity dominion over his creation, including the seals and waterfowl: "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" (Gen 1:26; all citations from NIV) We were made in God's image to reflect how He would care for His creation. If the terrible impacts of the oily water on communities and wildlife have made one thing clear it is that we must do a much better job of being God's stewards, of protecting his creation and the livelihoods of those who depend upon it while we all benefit from its resources. A steward is not the owner. It is clear from Scripture that God is the Creator and thus the true owner: "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it" (Ps 24:1). We were also created to love God and others as summarized by Jesus in the Great Commandments. "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments"(Mt. 22:37-40; cf. Mk 12:28-34; Lk 10; Rom 13:9-10; Gal 5:13-14; James 2:8; Dt 6:4-5; Lev 19:18). But the spill in the Gulf does not manifest our love for the Creator and Sustainer of all things. It is not loving our neighbors in the Gulf. It is not living in harmony with and properly caring for the rest of God's creation. The current spill (as of June 1) is the equivalent of about an hour's worth of gasoline for the country. And yet for such a seemingly small benefit has come the country's largest environmental disaster in history. Rather than simply being a stain on our stewardship, we must let the Gulf spill be the impetus that propels us along a new path both as individuals and as a nation. The spill, then, provides us as Christians with an opportunity to love Christ and others by using energy more efficiently (see below); and it provides us as a country with an opportunity to begin now to transform the way we fuel our economy as we create a clean energy future. What You Can Do I. Pray. • Pray for our neighbors in the Gulf who have been impacted by the spill - economically, emotionally, spiritually. Pray for God's other creatures who are suffering. • Pray for all those working to stop and contain the spill, that such efforts are successful as quickly as possible. • Ask the LORD to guide each and every one of us and help all of us to become better stewards, especially of energy resources, and to forgive us where we have failed Him. • Pray for the President and other government and business leaders that they find positive solutions to the spill and lead our country towards a clean energy future. II. Public Transportation. Consistently using public transportation is one of the biggest ways an individual can reduce our nation's oil dependence. It also reduces congestion (both annoying and inefficient) and can save over $6,000 a year for a household that goes from two cars to one.[1] III.Purchase a Fuel-Efficient Vehicle. When you purchase your next vehicle, choose the most fuel-efficient one that fits your needs. IV. Practice Fuel-Efficient Driving. Even if public transportation isn't currently available to you, or if you are not currently in a position to purchase a more fuel efficient vehicle, there are at least 10 choices you can make in three basic areas. Vehicle Maintenance - You can help to maximize the energy efficiency of your vehicle by: 1. Keeping your tires inflated (improves mileage by about 3%); 2. Regularly replacing your air filter (up to 10% improvement) and 3. Keeping your vehicle tuned up (from 4-40% improvement). These vehicle maintenance efforts could reduce up to one metric ton of CO2 and save you up to $250 per year. Reducing Your Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) - You can reduce your VMT by: 4. Carpooling to work; 5. Combining errands to make fewer trips; 6. Walking, 7. Biking, and 8. Using public transportation when possible. Driving Habits - Finally, you can increase your fuel economy by: 9. Removing excessive weight from your vehicle, and; 10. Driving modestly - avoid aggressive acceleration and braking, and maintain a proper speed (saving 5% in town and 33% on the highway).[2] V. Join With Us Go to our website, www.creationcare.org and: 1. Become an individual contributor to EEN and help us to educate the Church and society about a biblical approach to creation-care. 2. Sign up for e-alerts to stay informed about energy policy and efforts to combat climate change. 3. Learn more about what is happening in the Gulf, including stories of those impacted, on our website's blog. By Mitch Hescox, President & CEO Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN). For more information email me at mitch@creationcare.org [1] American Public Transportation Association (APTA), "Public Transportation Reduces Greenhouse Gases and Conserves Energy," booklet (APTA, Feb 2008): p.3. [2] For more information about increasing fuel economy, go to: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml. Another helpful site is http://www.greenercars.org/drivinggreen.html. Home \| Regional Events \| Features \| The Classifieds \| About Us \| Commentary \| Community \| Links ©2007 The Love Express. All rights reserved. Serving the Christian Community for over 20 years.

The Gulf Spill:

Biblical Resources & Reflections by the Evangelical Environmental Network

Biblical Resources & Reflections by
the Evangelical Environmental Network