Barna poll reveals opportunities to share the Gospel
Americans—and especially younger Americans—are increasingly aware of and concerned about environmental stewardship. This is also true of Christians; a Barna poll last month found that, “among evangelicals, 90% would like Christians to take a more active role in caring for creation.”
But it’s not enough to slap a “Christian” label on worldly assumptions, or adopt popular causes as our own. Christians and non-Christians alike are thirsty for authentic answers to the world’s problems.
For example, take the biggest environmental buzz-phrase, global warming. The same Barna study showed that almost half of Americans (and two-thirds of evangelicals) show “some reluctance” on the issue for several reasons. Despite a steady media drum-beat, they intuit that
- the poor will be hardest-hit by costly solutions,
- climate change is largely natural,
- the media has hyped the story,
- the economy is not strong enough to handle additional costs, and/or
- other countries will gain an advantage if America leads by example.
At the WeGetIt.org campaign, we believe that environmental stewardship provides a unique platform for the Gospel:
- Evangelism – Environmental issues are increasingly important to young people today, and they’re looking for answers. We have the chance to tell them that a wise and loving Creator created a world in which people and nature can thrive, together.
- Discipleship – All truth is God’s truth, and part of keeping ourselves unstained from the world (part of the “pure and undefiled religion” described in James 1:27) is allowing our minds to be conformed to Christ’s. On an issue as relevant and urgent as global warming, Christians should seek to form their opinions based on sound science, economics, and theology.
- Service – Mere knowledge is not enough. Our love for our creator should drive us to worship God and serve our fellow man in tangible ways.
That’s why the WeGetIt.org campaign is compiling a growing list of practical suggestions for individuals and small groups or churches who want to put Biblical stewardship into practice, in the hopes that our actions–and our love–will invite opportunities to relate to others.
Tags: culture, evangelism, trends, youth
