The Ripple Effect of Environmentalism

By E. Brown

Where does environmentalism start? Does it start with current initiatives around the world, in North America, in Alaska? No. It starts in each of us — one person at a time.

Tri Robinson, in his book, Saving God’s Green Earth, discusses how change has historically happened as a ripple effect. It typically starts in one individual and then ripples outward. Tri notes there are seven ripples of environmental transformation that impact our lives:

The first ripple impacts our hearts – What is the environmental condition of your heart? Our inner motivations affect our actions. Are we motivated by a cause bigger than ourselves or by anger? If by anger, it is doomed to fail for the consequences are only short term.

The second ripple impacts our minds – What is polluting your mind? The heart impacts the mind as the ripple spreads outward. Are you controlled by anger, jealousy, resentment, or bitterness? Don’t let your mind be polluted.

The third ripple impacts our bodies – What is polluting your body? If you want to be a steward of the earth, you first need to be a steward of your body. The ripple spreads out and your mind controls your actions. How can you steward the world when you cannot begin with yourself?

The fourth ripple impacts our homes – What is polluting my home, my family, my children, and my marriage? There are very practical and moral applications here.

The fifth ripple impacts the church – What is the condition of the church? The spiritual institutions of our time have veered off course. They used to impact communities and culture, taking the lead in societal issues. The ripple continues to spread.

The sixth ripple impacts our communities and neighborhoods – What is the environmental condition of your community? Again, there are practical and societal applications here. Practical = clean litter off the streets or plant a flower garden . Societal = Host community social events or visit neighbors.

The seventh ripple impacts our planet – Now we begin to see the bigger picture, one that includes making a difference throughout the entire world.

Related
- Environmental Stewardship

The Reciprocity Principle

By E. Brown

Did you know you cannot out-give? If you give to someone, they will almost always want to give more back. This is the Principle of Reciprocity.

When you look out for your friends and co-workers, they will want to return the favor. Giving is infectious.

The only drawback is the motivation for giving. If you give out of selfish ambition, then guess what? You may get something back, but it will never be what you hoped or as much as you hoped for.  And, when you do not get anything back, you only done harm to yourself because you are the one left feeling hacked-off.

Don’t give to get.

When you give, not expecting a return, the  reciprocal giving is that much sweeter. And, when you give, not expecting a return, your feelings will not have been hurt if you receive nothing in return.

Take a look around your “world”, your social network, your clients, your friends and family — who can you give to?

Have fun!

Leading or Competing?

By E. Brown

“Having influence” is a broad definition of leadership. Within 360 Visioneering we often talk about Christian media and ministries taking a leadership role on the World Wide Web. Is it possible to be a leader, considering such popular sites as Microsoft, Time Warner, Yahoo!, eBay, Amazon, and Google?

I say yes. Before you write me off as an idealist, think about a few things. While it is true that many ministries have neither the budgets nor the staffs that the companies noted above have, big budgets and big staffs do not automatically secure the popularity or success of a web-based initiative. You and I serve a big Creator who owns all the resources necessary to influence lives on a global scale. What can we do to get in on His agenda?

We first must ask the question: With the Internet as part of God’s plan to reach the world, are we committed to using this medium to make an eternal impact? The following are checkpoints to gauge where you are as an organization in your commitment to use the Internet.

1) Have clear direction. Ask God to define the purpose of your Web-based initiatives, then make sure your team has clear direction about the tasks at hand.

2) Build for success. Ensure that the structure of your team has the components for success. First, create the right motivating tasks that generate results. Second, compose a good mix of diversely skilled and talented team members. Third, set the expectations for how your team should work together within the boundaries of your organization.

3) Give full support. Give your staff access to training and consultation. Share appropriate information with your staff and include them in planning. Provide your team with the resources they need to get the job done – tools, space, or whatever the job requires.

This may be revolutionary in your organizational thinking. But, isn’t God’s way revolutionary? Jesus was revolutionary in the way He dealt with people and priorities. He was on His Father’s agenda and had clear direction. He gathered a diverse, talented group and set expectations. Finally, He trained and provided the resources to get the job done. As a result Christ not only influenced 12 men, but also generations to come. Our calling is not to compete with the popular sites on the Web. We never will be able to compete with them. Our calling is to lead people to Christ and influence their lives.

Community & Team Work

By E. Brown

I like these pieces from Rory Noland’s book, The Heart of the Artist. They speak to the things I am interested in: creativity, teams and team work, community, and learning. These particular points are from the chapter, The Artist in Community.

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