The Green Church
Ministries are taking their call to stewardship one step further

EVER SINCE THE NATIONAL Association of Evangelicals released their Call to Civic Responsibility in 2004, environmental awareness has been one of the hottest topics on the Christian agenda. News outlets from CNN to the New York Times have touted the teaming up of greenies and church-goers as a groundbreaking political partnership which could bridge the gap between left and right when it comes to U.S. environmental policy. So what does this have to do with your ministry?

“We are commissioned by God the Almighty to be stewards of the earth,” explains Richard Cizik, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals in an interview with Grist magazine. “It was by and for Christ that this earth was made, which means it is sinfully wrong to destroy, degrade or despoil it.”

The Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN), formed in 1992, takes that directive one step further, saying that all Christians have a responsibility to repent for the environmental woes man has inflicted upon the earth. “Because we have sinned, we have failed in our stewardship of creation,” states the EEN’s Declaration on the Care of Creation. “Therefore we repent of the way we have polluted, distorted or destroyed so much of the Creator’s work. We must commit ourselves to work vigorously to protect and heal that creation.”

And so, as global temperatures rise and a growing number of followers dedicate themselves to eco-consciousness, more and more churches are jumping on the green bandwagon. A number of organizations are stepping up to assist them.

Leading church architecture firms Beck and RNL have both pledged a focus on sustainable design, and the Environmental Protection Agency recently released an 88-page Energy Star guide for congregations wishing to green up their act. “When we started the Energy Star program for small businesses, we suddenly had a large number of churches and synagogues sign up and it opened my eyes to the fact that we really needed to adapt our message to the faith-based community,” says Jerry Lawson of the EPA. “While ministries are not concerned about profit, they are concerned about saving money.”

Understanding that the bottom line is of great concern to many smaller congregations, Beck touts the savings a ministry can reap by utilizing sustainable design in its primer on green design. “By considering the efficiency of systems and careful use of materials from the start of a project, an architect can provide a higher-quality structure, with a significantly reduced life-cycle cost.” The guide stresses that early inclusion is key. “If sustainability is considered early and applied to every factor of design, many aspects of green construction that will improve the value of the building can be added at no cost.”

Ken Anderson, LEED-certified senior associate at RNL Design in Phoenix, stresses that even if the initial costs end up being a bit higher, churches need to consider the savings over time. “Over the life cycle of any building, the sustainable building is going to be the most cost-effective building. You may have a few decisions that are made at the beginning that cost more, but because you do it that way, it saves in operating costs over time.”

According to Energy Star award statistics, churches utilizing energy-efficient appliances and practices can save an average of $5,000 in operating costs every year.

Energy Star award-winner Solana Beach Presbyterian Church in Solana Beach, Calif., saw close to $7,000 in annual savings and cut its pollution output by 120,000 pounds per year by simply making adjustments to its lighting systems.

Cash savings aren’t the only benefit of sustainable design, Lawson maintains. “Operating more efficiently and having a more comfortable, better-lit facility is good for education, fellowship and worship. It’s not only about energy efficiency, but also about being more ethical in how we maintain houses of worship and the values we teach to our children.”

RNL’s philosophy is that all buildings should be designed with sustainability in mind. “We, as a company, believe that green design is just good design,” Anderson affirms. “A lot of the decisions that go into making a building sustainable are just good design decisions period.”

There are a number of online resources which can help make sense of the sustainable planning process.

• Find a design firm that is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified. These professionals will be well-versed in the myriad costs and benefits associated with green design. Information and company listings are available at www.usgbc.org/LEED 
• Contract with an Energy Service Company, which can help you identify further savings opportunities. The National Association of Energy Services Companies provides a directory at www.naesco.org. 
• Download Putting Energy into Stewardship, an EPA guide rich with analysis, information and resources, available at www.epa.org/congregations. 
• Consider renewable: From water to wind to solar, a host of renewable energy options are available across the nation. Whether contracting with a provider or installing your own system, any of these options will save your ministry big bucks in the long run. A variety of information is available at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Web site at www.eere.energy.gov. 
• Regardless of whether your congregation decides to go green or not, Anderson says it’s imperative the consideration be a part of the planning process. “As an organization decides what their needs are for the future, sustainable design has to be a part of the discussion from the very start.”