By Jeff Huett
March 4, 2024
DECATUR, Ga. – The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has announced a partnership with a four decade-old organization that will help people and churches across the Fellowship protect and restore God’s creation through resources and networking.
Creation Justice Ministries started in 1983 under the umbrella of The National Council of the Churches USA and operated as the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program until 2013. It represents the creation care and environmental justice policies of major Christian denominations throughout the U.S. It works in cooperation with 38 national faith bodies, including Protestant denominations and Orthodox communions as well as regional faith groups and congregants to protect and restore God’s creation.
Brian Foreman, CBF’s coordinator of congregational ministries, said the partnership was borne out of a need for resources and collaboration on environmental stewardship.
“We have heard from Cooperative Baptist Fellowship members and congregations about their concerns for environmental stewardship and how they might be involved in this work,” Foreman said. “I am excited that we can partner with an organization like Creation Justice Ministries that not only provides access to a wealth of resources for congregations but also a network of partnering faith organizations with whom we can partner for a greater collective impact.
“I hope as CBF members explore the resources available, they see opportunities for education, advocacy and practical opportunities to engage and make a difference.”
Avery David Lamb, the co-executive director of Creation Justice Ministries, said CJM is delighted to welcome the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to its membership.
“CBF’s dedication to spreading the hope of Christ aligns perfectly with our vision of equipping Christian communities to protect, restore, and rightly share God’s creation. This partnership will help to educate and mobilize folks across CBF to seek justice for God’s planet and people.”
Current member communions and denominations include American Baptist Churches USA; Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); National Baptist Convention, USA; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); The Episcopal Church, Progressive National Baptist Convention and The United Methodist Church.
As a first step together, CBF and CJM are co-launching an Earth Day 2024 resource, titled “Plastic Jesus: Real Faith in a Synthetic World,” which includes information on the plastics crisis, sermon starters, liturgies, songs and many other resources for use in congregations.
Plastic Jesus: Real Faith in a Synthetic World
Everywhere we look in our culture you will find plastic. One place where you will not find plastic, however, is in the Bible.
The resource is designed to help congregations think more deeply about the ways that plastics impact our lives and God’s creation. It is also intended to equip people of faith to take actions to address this epidemic in faithful and practical ways.
Download the resource directly below or visit the CJM site here for more information and to find stories of individuals and communities making a positive impact, sermon starters to spark meaningful discussions in your church, worship resources to unite in prayer and reflection, and actionable steps to address the plastic crisis in your life, community, and our world.
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CBF is a Christian network that helps people put their faith to practice through ministry efforts, global missions and a broad community of support. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.