What is Environmental Missions?

…and is it really necessary?

Many churches are actively involved in missions work that connects improving quality of life with the Gospel message; after all, humans are both physical and spiritual.  We need clean water, access to medicine, and shelter in addition to needing Jesus.  In fact, addressing these basic human needs is a critical part of spreading the word of Christ.

Environmental issues negatively affect the quality of people’s lives–pollution makes air hazardous to breathe and water dangerous to drink; soil erosion from deforestation leaves farmers nowhere to plant their crops; eroded soil fills in rivers and lakes, killing fish people rely on as part of their diet.

Environmental missions accomplishes the goal of sharing the Good News through addressing environmental needs, just as medical missions bring the Gospel through providing medicine and treatments.

What does this look like, practically?  It means identifying your mission field (your next-door neighbors perhaps, or your city, or a city in South America) and finding out what the spiritual and environmental needs are.  Perhaps a prairie or forest needs restored; a lake might need shoreline cleaned up; maybe a farmer needs tools for a more earth-friendly farming practice.  Join in on these projects or start one up if there isn’t a pre-existing structure.

Individual action is good, but we want to see unity in the body of Christ–get your church community to join in!  We are prepared to help your church consider environmental missions as part of it’s  outreach. We do this through education, speaking engagements, organizing links with other mission agencies, and consultations.  Please Contact Us to get started!

…it is vital that we address environmental problems as we share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.