Saving God's Green Earth: Rediscovering the Church's Responsibility to Environmental Stewardship [Paperback]

Tri Robinson (Author), Jason Chatraw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 4, 2006

For hundreds of years, the church championed the beauty of God’s creation, demonstrating in many ways how it points to the Creator. However, over the last century, the evangelical church has let the value of caring for creation slip away. Author and pastor Tri Robinson makes a compelling case for the biblical mandate behind environmental stewardship and shows the church what it can do about this eroding value.

Through sharing both his own personal story and the story of his church in response to environmental concerns, Robinson clearly shows how important this value is and how effective it is in showing others the Creator. Not only does Robinson inspire the reader to care for the environment, he reveals a clear pathway to making the value of environmental stewardship real in both the life of the reader and the Christian community in which he or she is involved.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tri Robinson is the founding pastor of the Vineyard Boise Church in Boise, Idaho, a growing fellowship of over 3,000. He has served on the national board for the Association of Vineyard Churches USA and as a regional overseer for more than 100 churches. With a strong teaching background that includes a Masters degree in administrative education, he is a sought-after conference speaker and passionate about transferring his working insights and experience on church leadership to a wide spectrum of churches. Tri and his wife, Nancy, life in Sweet, Idaho, and have two grown children, Kate and Brook.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Ampelon Publishing (April 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974882585
• ISBN-13: 978-0974882581
• Product Dimensions: 0.4 x 5.7 x 8.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,002,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A good start December 26, 2010

By Linda Demaree VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Contrary to some of the other reviewers who felt this book was non-sensical drival, or too little, too late, etc., I thought this was a very good book. Instead of being so down on the content, I viewed it as good advice for starting out. This book offered practical advice for getting Christian churches involved in saving "God's green earth", and it gave practical advice for starting church programs that help save the environment. If every single living person in the world practiced what this book said, then our world and our environment would be a much better and safer place. You can't just dive off into radical environmentalism without having the funds and the knowledge. Besides, history has proven that anytime a person gets radical about any subject, it ends up doing more harm than good. The idea is to get Christians interested in being good stewards of God's precious creation rather than worrying about being politically correct or incorrect. For most people, you have to start small and grow. Most people don't have the "Big Bucks" that it takes to lobby, to run out and install solar energy in their homes, to go completely green over-night. It takes time and it takes money. I enjoyed this book and I believe it is a start and a change in the right direction. I wish more churches would take this attitude. Besides, if more people would get out and volunteer in established environmental programs, just think about all that could be accomplished. I really liked this book and I would rate in a strong 4.5.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Turning Over a New Leaf April 24, 2008

By Schuyler Peterson

Format:Paperback

I have never read a book quite like this one. I expected a quasi-Christian tree hugging manifesto, but instead got a balanced biblical view of environmental stewardship. In a time in which environmentalism is connected with a liberal political agenda, the author does a terrific job of calling the church back to an appreciation of God's world. Two of his personal stories (finding Jesus in the eyes of a deer and the Holy Spirit in a canyon wind) could have been omitted, but the premise of the book is still challenging. The environment is not a political issue, and Christian conservatives can be environmentalists, too.

The author correctly asserts that Christians can reach people with the Gospel by being involved in environmental causes. One recent example is Ted Turner's softening toward the Christian faith after realizing how the Lutheran and Methodist churches are fighting malaria in Africa; the man who once called Christianity "a religion for losers" regrets the remarks he has made in the past because of this practical demonstration of God's love.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Simple but informative July 9, 2009

By Kimberly

Format:Paperback

This is a very simple, readable approach to environmental issues in the world today and necessary response of the body of Christ in the church to such issues. If it is read as a good introduction to the issues and a book to create awareness, it will be seen as insightful and helpful. If you are looking for an in-depth analysis of environmental concerns, you will be disappointed, but i think the book does a good job of encouraging the Christian church to wake up and recognize the responsibility we have to look deeper and be a part of restoring the incredible gift of creation God has given. The practical tips in the back are a good way to begin small lifestyle changes at an individual and corporate level and hopefully inspire the reader to dig deeper into the issues. There has been far too little teaching in the church about the state of the environment and too much conflict with those outside the church, and it is nice to see a leader taking a stand and trying to help others along in the process.

5.0 out of 5 stars Saving God's Green Earth: Rediscovering the Church's Responsibility to Environmental Stewardship December 23, 2009

By C. Tininenko

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

A well written missive. Growing up in Christian/Farmer home and while spending nearly 40 years in the environmental industry, I've ALWAYS believed that it has always been mankind's responsibility to "walk lightly" through the earth...managing the environment responsibly has been a root instinct--because I'm a Christian, of Farmer roots deep in the soil of the Midwest, and lastly because of my chosen career path.

Pastor Robinson presents the case for "visible" leadership in the environmental arena by Christians--which is seen by many as a dance among strange bedfellows. This missive presents the case that environmental leadership by the Church should be a natural response and opens channels of communication within the community that have been closed due to mistrust and misunderstanding.

Good book.

2.0 out of 5 stars Kindle edition is awful June 16, 2009

By Paul Shew

Format:Kindle Edition

The Kindle version is a mess. It's obviously machine scanned with so many egregious errors that it's difficult to read. The Kindle version is not worth paying money for.

This book is a good for Christians who are unaware of the important Christian teaching about care for the environment and/or who think environmentalism is a leftist political agenda. Robinson teaches an important lesson about separating the political rhetoric from the message of Scripture regarding Christian environmental consciousness. So for some Christian readers this is an important contribution. But beyond that, it is weak in substance.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Savings God's Green Earth - A Religous Approach to Envorinental Proactivity July 21, 2007

By Ms. Terry A. Nagi

Format:Paperback

I am the committee executive for our church (Prysterian Church in DC). This book is an excellent source of ideas and methods to bring a strong enviromental approach to the church and is congregation. The book also assists in overcoming objevctions as to the logic of the church becoming involved in the eniromental movement.