Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action [Hardcover]

J. Matthew M.D. Sleeth (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2006

Five years ago Dr. J. Matthew Sleeth and his family lived in a big house, had two luxury cars, loads of money, and lots of stuff. As chief of the medical staff at a large hospital, Sleeth was living the American dream—until he realized that something was terribly wrong. As he saw patient after patient suffering from cancer, asthma, and other chronic diseases, he began to understand that the Earth and its inhabitants were in trouble. Feeling helpless, he turned to his faith for guidance. He discovered how the timeless lessons of personal responsibility, simplicity, and stewardship taught in the Bible could be applied to modern life.

The Sleeths have since sold their big home and given away more than half of what they once owned. In Serve God, Save the Planet, Sleeth shares the joy of adopting a less materialistic lifestyle, and reveals what was easy and what was hard about the changes his family has made.

Drawing on science and religion, Sleeth builds a bridge between environmentalists and mainstream Christians. He and his family are harbingers of the creation care movement, which calls on all those who love God to love our planet. Sleeth shares how material downscaling led his family to healthier lifestyles, stronger relationships, and richer spiritual lives. Serve God, Save the Planet is more than a book: it is a prescription for taking personal responsibility for global surviva

Editorial Reviews

Review

'...a great read on how individual Christians and their families can respond to God's call for environmental stewardship.' -- Acton Institute

(Acton Institute ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

J. Matthew Sleeth, MD, a former emergency room director and chief of medical staff, now writes, preaches, and teaches full-time about faith and the environment. Together with his wife, Nancy, and their two children, he helps lead the growing eco-evangelism movement. The Sleeths live in northern New Hampshire.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Chelsea Green (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933392010
• ISBN-13: 978-1933392011
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #873,131 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Five years ago, J. Matthew Sleeth M.D. and his family lived in a big house on the coast of Maine. They had two luxury cars, two incomes, and too much stuff. As chief of the medical staff and director of the emergency department at one of the nicest hospitals in America, Dr. Sleeth was living out the American dream. Then he realized that something was terribly wrong. He began to feel like he was straightening deck chairs on the Titanic while the whole ship was going down. That's when he turned to the Bible and discovered some eternal truths.

The Sleeths have since sold their big home and given away more than half of what they owned. They now live in a house that has the same footprint as their old garage. They drive a hybrid car and use one-quarter of the electricity and one-third of the fossil fuels that they used to. They don't own a clothes dryer, dishwasher, garbage disposal, or garage. They've gone from a manicured mono-culture lawn to an organic garden and half an acre of native wild flowers.

Dr. Sleeth lectures, writes, and preaches about Christianity and Creation Stewardship. He is a graduate of George Washington University School of Medicine and has two post doctoral fellowships. Dr. Sleeth has been a member of the American Academy of Family Practice, the College of Emergency Physicians, and the College of Executive Physicians. Serve God, Save the Planet is his first book.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Convicting while Instructing, June 6, 2006

By 

Beth Spaulding (St Johnsbury, VT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action (Hardcover)

I found this book to be an easy read although it does contain a wealth of information. Many of the topics confirm scripture and many are confirmed by life around me but all of the points are very motivational for change. Some of Dr. Sleeth's personal stories brought a chuckle and others moved me with deep compassion. I purchased four copies of the book to give to friends and family, including my son and daughter-in-law who live in Washington state. They both are marine biologists and are very interested in environmental issues. They struggle when it comes to convincing their church friends that we are all responsible to God to take care of this planet. This book is such a great tool because it makes it so clear...if we love God and we say we love what He loves, we must act like it. Taking care of the earth is one of our responsibilities before God and it is not optional. My husband is an oral surgeon and we attend a conservative, independent Baptist church. Our pastor read the book and now is planning to organize a workshop on stewardship for area churches using this book. I give this book five stars for convicting and instructing me to change. I thank Dr. Sleeth for helping to bridge the gap between environmentalist and Christians...a gap that clearly should not exist.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Christian Stewardship One Lightbulb At a Time, June 5, 2006

By 

C. L. Shoemaker (Frederick, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action (Hardcover)

'Serve God, Save the Planet', is a groundbreaking environmental book that presents the caretaking of earth as a biblically supported Christian mandate. Although Dr. Sleeth delivers his environmental message from a Christian point of view, this is a book which will serve all readers, regardless as to their religious affiliation or personal causes.

The former Emergency Room doctor and Chief of Staff of his hospital informs us that although the earth is indeed facing a critical time in terms of global warming and man's rampant and continual contribution to that warming, there are measures we can take to lessen and slow that impact---we need not feel helpless, there is something we each can do.

He tells the story of his realization that saving humanity ER style was not enough. As a result of both a practical and spiritual assessment of his life, Dr. Sleeth ultimately embraces Christianity, quits his affluent lifestyle and his practice of medicine and begins to work full time on solving the problem that brings so many to the Emergency Room to begin with, that of our ever warming and ailing earth.

Dr. Sleeth makes his case through sad and humorous emergency room and life stories. Through his experiences he connects us to the real human cost of continuing to use energy as we do. He shows us that the daily choices we make can significantly alter our impact on the production of greenhouse gases, further supporting his message of the need for a proactive stewardship of earth with scriptural wisdom.

You will finish this unusual `environmental' book impressed by the integrity of the author and infused with a real hope that as a human family we can use our numbers to give our children a world more like the one our grandparents knew; one with clean water and clean air and a future filled with hope and not despair. And don't be surprised if you find yourself turning things off and changing light bulbs soon after reading the last page.

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspired to change, June 8, 2006

By 

Former VT reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action (Hardcover)

After reading Dr.Sleeth's book I was inspired to change to flourescent light bulbs, stop using our dryer. get a clothesline and bike to work. Dr.Sleeth makes his appeal in a way that helps one understand how one person or family can reduce their impact on the environment. He appeals from a Christian perspective and connects in a way that strict environmentalists often cannot. I'd recommend his book to anyone trying to understand how their daily actions and lifestle impact the environment and what they can do to minimize that.