Care for Creation
The Bible was written in a pre-industrial time prior to the use of fossil fuels, so it does not talk about greenhouse gases, global warming, or renewable energy sources. Though we know today that the earth is in very real danger of becoming uninhabitable, our faith ancestors knew this truth in a different way. As agricultural people who had an intimate relationship with the earth, they understood deeply the meaning conveyed in the creation stories in Genesis 1 and 2, which lift up how good the created order is, and saw the human role as that of taking care of God’s gift.
How, then, do we share a gospel of hope when we watch growing numbers of species become extinct and the continued use of fossil fuels threaten everyone’s ability to live abundant lives? In this unit, participants will see that creation care is not just a political issue, it is a faith issue. Caring for creation offers us a way of following Jesus—the one who taught us that God’s love is more powerful even than death—and we will receive a word of hope as we live out our calling as disciples. The four dimensions of this practice that are discussed include: appreciate God’s creation, till, share the planet, and restore creation.
Congregational Guide
The Congregational Guide provides materials for the pastor, educator, and church leaders to connect the practice with congregational worship and life.
Included in this guide:
Foundational Essay—written by a biblical scholar, these essays explore what each practice means and where it is found in the Bible
Worship Helps—ways of incorporating this practice in worship through liturgy, song, and other suggestions
Café Discussion Guide—self-guided, brief study for each practice
Intergenerational Session—option for your church to have an event or explore the practice as a whole congregation together
Curriculum Connections—information about what each age level is doing weekly
Practicing the Practice at Home—a two-sided page for families about how to practice the practice at home
Children’s Worship Leaflets—weekly two-sided page with practice ideas, games, an adapted Bible story, and a coloring picture
Series Description
Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living is a twenty-seven-unit curriculum based on practices Jesus did and taught us to do as faithful followers. Written for people of all ages who wish to live out their faith, this new curriculum examines where these practices are found in the Bible and how they have been used in Christian faith then and now.
