Saving the World at Church

Last week I was at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, which was a really really good conference, since I had some plane time to and from Atlanta I've been able to read some new books as well. I hope to record my notes from the books and the conference over the next few days so I don’t lose some of that valuable information. One of the books that I am almost done with Tim Sanders’ Saving the World at Work, a pretty interesting read on how the world has fundamentally changed to business and corporations focusing on doing better for their environments- everything from becoming more green, to using fair trade products, to promoting and allowing employees to volunteer time and talents to community groups and non profits that they are excited about. The argument rests on the fact that the new generation of worker, Sanders calls it the ThemGen, is very interested not in just making a paycheck but also in making an impact. He tells of how companies like a Starbucks can often attract better talented people for less money because of the strength of their community and societal involvement and initiatives. He writes of how behemoths like Wal Mart have had to become more eco-friendly in their business practices to remain competitive and profitable. He shares of how employees from companies such as Timerland, the boot maker, are further enhancing their already generous corporate cultures from profound acts such as 200 employees donating their Timerland boots to a community organizer in post-Katrina New Orleans. It shouldn’t be surprising that some of the same movements we see happening in church- a desire to get involved, to help people, to contribute positively to our communities- are also taking root in the business world. If all truth is God’s truth, then the truths the church is experiencing ought to be showing up outside of the church as well. Fortunately, churches are a little closer to the learning curve on this one.

One of the more interesting aspects of the book for me personally is the emphasis on being more cognizant of one’s impact on the planet. While Hillcrest has a ways to go in this regard, we’ve taken one simple step at being friendlier to our planet. Each Wednesday during the school year we serve a meal before the night’s festivities begin as a convenience for people and families. We’ve typically used to Styrofoam plates and plasticware for this meal, throwing out 3-4 bags of trash each meal (I hate to wonder what damage we’ve done in the last couple of years). A couple of Hillcresters didn’t think this was right and got working on a solution. They reasoned that since we have a commercial dishwasher and we have plates and silverware in our ktichen, why not wash dishes every night (I know, so simple, it's brilliant!). They recruited a team, committed to doing it, and now we have less than a bag of trash each week. A baby step, but a great step nonetheless. Now they are looking at how we can be better at recycling. Before reading the book, ideas such as this were good, but only from a volunteer perspective (they have a cause, want to do something, etc). After reading the book, I understand even more the strategic importance these and other ideas like them can have.