Green

Over the past year or so, the elders at McKinney Church have been thinking a bit more intentionally from an environmentally friendly standpoint about some of the products we use throughout the week. About a year ago we began switching out a majority of the lights to a lower wattage bulb. Somewhere around 90 percent of the cleaning chemicals we use are currently "green." Last month we switched to a line of restroom soap that is certified "green." And at their last meeting our elders decided to begin purchasing compostable table goods which will mean doing away with our Styrofoam coffee cups for Sundays.

I've done some reading about the "Global Warming" crisis and personally think it's a bunch of malarkey. But I still think it's a really important decision for our church to make for two reasons:

First, many people, especially those in my age demographic are absolutely convinced that our poor habits are affecting the climate of the earth. Those people come into our church, see us as a part of the problem and walk back out the door. We've put a potential stumbling block between them and Christ, and Styrofoam cups are not worth that. Read Romans 14:20 and substitute the words "Styrofoam cups" for "meat," and you get the picture.

Second, the fact that I believe man-made climate change is a myth does not give us the prerogative to be irresponsible. We are stewards of Creation. If we know (and we do) that certain chemicals and products are pollutants, and we have the ability to make more environmentally friendly choices while staying financially responsible, why would we not? Going "green" doesn't mean buying the whole environmental agenda lock, stock, and barrel. Sometimes it just means being responsible.