Jonathan Merrit recently released his first book, Green Like God. He sent me an early copy of the book and I gladly volunteered to get the word out about it on my blog. If you don't know Jonathan, he is a gifted writer who addresses faith and culture issues in some pretty impressive outlets. He contributes to the Washington Post, USA Today, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and more. This book reveals his passion for both both God and the world that He created. See below a brief dialogue that we had about the book and these issues.
You've got a new book out called, Green Like God. However, most renderings seem to use white and gold colors to illustrate God instead. Am I missing something?When I say green like God, I am referring to God's love for the creation that he first called "good." Rather than go green because it is cool or because the environmental movement is pressuring us to do it, I think we should become green like God is. That kind of green is rooted in scripture and is different than the pop-environmentalism being promoted by many "environmentalists" today.
Oh ... got it. Then with this said, let me ask a more appropriate question. Do you believe that God has a divine plan for our planet? If so, what is it?
Yes. A few years ago, I began combing the scriptures asking that very question. I was surprised to find scriptures from Genesis to Revelation in which God shares his heart for the earth. We have to be careful that we keep the Creator--not the creation--as the center of our lives. But if you say you love the Creator, you must care for His creation.
How do we as Christians balance being biblically faithful and culturally aware of these issues?
We begin with the Bible period. In the book, I begin with several chapters that simply walk through the Bible's many passages that explain God's plan for our planet. Then, and only then, can we evaluate what's going on in the world and how we should respond. We first find out what God thinks and then we view the world's problems through that Biblical prism.
What would be 2-3 practical tips you'd offer to readers as they seek to navigate this challenge?
1. Read the Bible. Sounds a little Sunday School-ish, I know. But you must begin there. Go through the scriptures and discover the divine plan for yourself. The divine plan is nestled inside among many other forgotten passages.
2. Start small. It's hard to swallow the sustainability pill all at once. Plus, if you listen to all the environmentalists today, you'll go broke trying to keep up. Start small by reducing your consumption level or replacing your lightbulbs or carpooling once a week. Step by step you'll slowly move toward a more God-honoring, sustainable lifestyle.
3. Simplify. Try to clear out the "junk" in your life. Buy less. Waste less. Drive less. Spend more time outdoors with your family. Simplicity is an ancient Christian practice that needs to be recovered. It will improve the quality of your life, save you money, and help you fall in line with the divine plan.
And finally, what will be the impact if Christians don't value creation as God would desire? Is it physical? Spiritual? Both?
Physically, the earth will experience some devastating problems. Christians are 2 billion people on planet earth. We can radically improve or destroy God's creation by our sheer numbers. Spiritually, we miss out on so much of what God has for us. We know that God often meets us in nature (Ps 19; Rom 1), so we not only miss out on being faithful but we miss out on devotional knowledge. Also, the Christian movement suffers. When people see Christians promoting lives of wasteful wealth rather than selfless sacrifice, our witnesses suffer. I am convinced that if more Christians would discover God's plan for planet earth, the credibility of the gospel would greatly increase.
