What is the biblical basis for creation care? Do environmental issues have anything to do with sharing the good news of Jesus? How does this connect with cultures in East Asia? Your host for this series is Reuben Grace. He’s part of the Communications team in OMF (UK) and has been exploring some of the big questions on this topic for us.

Part 1 – Creation Care and Living Out the Gospel

In the first of our three-part series on creation care, we explore what the Bible says about the environment. At a time when so many appeals are made to good reasons to care for the environment, what does the Bible have to say? How does knowing Jesus compel us to get involved? We hear from guests, including Ruth Valerio at Tearfund, Caroline Pomeroy from Climate Stewards and Dr Tim Davy, a lecturer at All Nations Christian College, on these topics and more.

Part 2 – Are we the planet’s biggest problem today?

Are we the planet’s biggest problem today? Would it be better off without us? Increasingly we’re told that the answer to both those questions is ‘yes’.

But what does God have to say about our role in the world – as humanity in general and followers of Jesus in particular? And what on earth does the food you eat, the way you get around, and a host of other practical questions have to do with our discipleship and following Jesus Christ?

We dig into these challenging practical questions in episode 2 of Creation Care and Living Out the Gospel. Guests include Tearfund’s Ruth Valerio, Caroline Pomeroy, Director of Climate Stewards and OMF’s Jasmine Kwong, bringing a perspective from the Philippines. Plus, we hear from Bryan Martin, a self-confessed ‘unlikely environmentalist’ from California now serving as a missionary in the Philippines.

Part 3 – What happens when Christians care for creation and communities?

The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news for people and their relationship with God, for whole communities and for creation itself. But how do these different areas fit together in practice?

To help answer that question, in this episode we take a detailed look at two case studies of two environmental projects in East Asia. First, we hear from Bryan Martin, the founder of Reefs for Life, an innovative non-profit in the Philippines, about the difference caring for creation is making in local fishing communities. Then Peter Nitschke, the Global Director of Community Partnerships at the Plastic Bank, shares why reducing plastic pollution matters to God, blesses some of the world’s poorest communities and has the potential to aid our evangelism too.

Part 4 – How does the hope of ‘a new heaven and a new earth’ shape creation care today?

Hope is in short supply in discussions about environmental issues today. The last book of the Bible gives us a picture of ‘a new heaven and a new earth’ (Revelation 21:1). How does this hope help us engage with the pressing issues of our day?

Finishing off our series Creation Care and Living Out the Gospel, we hear from Ruth Valerio at Tearfund about some of the key passages in this area and the challenges of interpreting them. Plus, theologian Daniel Button introduces us to themes from his PhD exploring what the new creation might look like and how the themes of creation link together Genesis and Revelation. Our other guests explore themes, including the importance of thinking about the ‘now and not yet’ of God’s kingdom and how to ground our theology in our everyday lives.