By Matthew Sleeth M.D. - Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action

by Matthew Sleeth

Not long ago, J. Matthew Sleeth had a fantastic life and a great job as chief of the medical staff at a large hospital. He was living the American dreamuntil he saw an increasing number of his patients suffering from cancer, asthma, and other chronic diseases. He began to suspect that the Earth and its inhabitants were in deep trouble.Turning to Jesus for guidance, Sleeth discovered how the scriptural lessons of personal responsibility, simplicity, and stewardship could be applied to modern life. The Sleeths have since sold their big home and given away more than half of what they once owned. In Serve God, Save the Planet, Sleeth shares the joy of adopting a less materialistic, healthier lifestyle, stronger relationships, and richer spiritual lives. With the storytelling ease of James Herriot and the logical clarity of C. S. Lewis, Sleeth lays out the rationale for environmentally responsible life changes and a how-to guide for making those changes.Creation is groaning. And Matthew Sleeth has responded. Serve God, Save the Planet is not an alarmist call of despair, but a hopeful invitation to re-imagine the way we live. Sleeths words have the urgency of an ER crisis coupled with the deep faith that the Church is ready to join God in healing the wounded world.--Shane Claiborne, activist and author of The Irresistible Revolution.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Religion, Theology, Environment, Christianity, Faith

Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

A former emergency room physician, Dr. Matthew Sleeth felt like he was straightening deck chairs on the Titanic, saving one patient at a time while the whole ship (Earth) was going down. Together with his wife and two teenaged children, he began to bring his lifestyle in line with his values, cutting back on their fossil fuel by two thirds and electricity use by nine tenths.


Following a new calling, Dr. Sleeth resigned from his position as chief of the medical staff and director of the ER to teach, preach, and write about faith and the environment throughout the country. Dr. Sleeth is a graduate of George Washington University School of Medicine and has two post doctoral fellowships. He is the author of Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action (Zondervan), the introduction to the Green Bible (HarperOne), and will release a second book, The Gospel According to the Earth: Why the Good Book Is a Green Book (HarperOne), in fall of 2009. He is currently the executive director of Blessed Earth.

Reviews

[Donovan Mattole · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fifteen year old daughter attends an online Christian highschool and she regularly is the "odd student out" on their online forum, disagreeing with the majority of her fellow high schoolers on everything from politics to capital punishment. We are proud that she is so passionate about her beliefs and we regularly have deep conversations with her about the world and our place in it as Christians.

One topic that comes up regularly is environmentalism. We are pretty passionate about being "green" and have always taught her that caring for the environment was a Biblical mandate and should be an integral part of every Christian's life. So, she started a forum topic about stopping global warming and got pounced upon by other Christian high schoolers stating things like, "global warming is a myth", "God wants us to take dominion of the earth", "Jesus is coming back again soon, so what is the difference - the earth will be destroyed." She was in shock that they held these beliefs and after talking through it and the reasons they said these things, as misguided and wrong as they were, I decided to go looking for some books for her that spoke about environmentalism from a Christian perspective. I ended up buying a few from Amazon and "Serve God Save the Planet" was the first one we read.

It is not what I was expecting. I was expected an indepth review of "saving the planet" and why it is critical for Christians. Instead, it gives an introductury, high level view of a number of subjects. The author's passion comes through and it is a window into his journey of faith and this includes saving the planet. The book is subtitled, "A Christian Call to Action" and that is exactly what the book is and what it did for me. While he does include a great chapter making a case for Christian's to care for the earth, most of the book is his sharing his own story and calling us to action.

It is easy to read and very impactful. Each chapter resonated with me and I felt myself nodding and getting pumped up, as it is exactly what I have always felt, but in many areas have lost touch. Besides caring for the earth, he writes about taking action and doing things, he writes about having too much stuff, taking a true day of rest each week, getting rid of television and replacing it with books, serving the poor and making a difference in the lives of others around the word and raising our kids to be help the poor and care for the world.

Since reading this, I've purchased a copy for my sister and my parents and my wife is now reading it and my daughter is almost finished. I'd recommend it to everyone. It is light reading and he doesn't go into depth on each subject, instead, he shares his story and get's you pumped up to take action.

I highly recommend it!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: He really had me for the first half of the book, but after a while his tone really started to get to me.

Pros: His passion for the environment is clear, and I admire most of the philosophy behind it. Also, while not new, his ideas on how distracting "stuff", busy-ness and television can be were good reading for me. He struck a chord with the part of me that desires not to be wasteful of the resources entrusted to me, and to be more peaceful and reflective. His call to put convictions into action (to "shift from worrying about the problems to becoming an active part of the solution") was also encouraging.

Cons: He judges people for what he perceives to be their excesses, and this moral flaw tainted many of his illustrative stories. We are each individually responsible to God for what we do with our resources and convictions; a more humble and gracious tone would have better suited his message.

[Jenny Preston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book, I read it fairly quickly. While I agree with his basic premise (we should care for creation out of love for the Creator) I think a lot of his practical application is coming from a place of being privileged enough to take those actions. Solar power is beyond the reach of many; gardening and hanging laundry in the sun requires a place to do so. Many of the suggestions require a trade off in time that those trying to put food on the table would greatly struggle to fit in. But I do think he makes a strong case for creation care and much of the application is universal: buy less stuff. Watch less TV. Be aware of the choices you make.

Is it a must read? No. But I think it was thought provoking enough to be worth my time.

[Maeve Bolin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been years since I read this, so it may be outdated in terms of policy and activism, yet it was foundational to calling me back to action in caring for the God’s Earth and creation. If you’ve wondered you can still make a difference for God and the environment, please take time to read this book.

[Tara Ravi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much of it had excellent points, but the last couple of chapters had me reeling, particularly the discussion on population control through what appears to be an argument in favour of natural selection. I also thought that the chapter on food, which advocates for a plant-based diet, would at least mention how killing animals in general might relate to the Bible (It does mention that we should not eat animals that have faced suffering and ill treatment). I was hoping this would be the first book in my church's non-fiction library that I could fully stand behind, but I will keep trying.

[Lucy :) Inman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think everyone should read this book. For those of us who identify as Christian, stewarding our resources for God and with others in mind is non-negotiable for us. Regardless of religious beliefs or affiliations, these ideas and practices are relevant to everyone. Serve God, Save the Planet has won me over with it's practicality, convictions, and compelling challenges. It is a thoroughly researched book based on a lifestyle that has been tested and molded over time. Wherever you are in your relationship to our material world, this book offers guidelines and invitations into a holy, more authentic and just way of living. I am pleased with the breadth and depth of topics and areas of lifestyle covered in these pages. Though I am not new to the ideas of creation care and pursuing climate justice, I am grateful for the ways I have been challenged by this book and the refreshing, honest perspective Dr. Sleeth offers.

My only qualm - if I have one - is found with some of the redundancy and perceived "holier than thou" moments, particularly toward the middle of the book. The beginning and ending sections, though, make up for these in my mind because they emplore practical, holistic invitations to begin where you are and keep growing toward where you want to be and where we are all called to be.

Don't miss the appendices at the end! They were some of my favorite sections in the whole book. :)

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely worth a read! I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but this book exceeded my expectations in great ways. Dr. Matthew Sleeth, a trauma surgeon who does international medical missions, sets up a clear case from a Christian life of sustainability and creation care. His personal stories, arguments, and practical advice were invaluable. He draws deep connections between creation care and the spiritual life, focusing on developing a holistic and self-sacrificial Christian life rather than one too focused on the acquisition of things. Perhaps his most convicting point was about American environmental abuses and their direct connection to poverty, illness, and death in poorer countries. Convicting but helpful. A great introduction to anyone curious about ecology.

[Madelyn VK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thought provoking. I was most convicted by the author’s point that our overuse/abuse of energy and resources actually affects people living in third world counties. If we say, as Christians, that we want to help people living in these context, we need to take an honest look at our energy usage and waste.

[Derek]

The title of this book had me hoping for something it wasn't. I mean, Sleeth worked hard to bridge the gap between Christian evangelism and environmental stewardship, but the writing didn't have the eloquence and the ideas didn't have the substance I was hoping for. There were a few philosophical nuggets I dug, but not enough.

A few of my favorite passages:

P. 84 - "I love music, but until my current system dies or can no longer be repaired, I'm set."

I tend to agree with this. A different example: I have a VHS player, and I own a lot of movies on VHS too. I don't plan on buying them anew on DVD. I'll just keep watching them on VHS until the machine breaks. (Then what? I'm still working on that...)

Sometimes I feel like things become obsolete before I even have time to use or enjoy them. Soon by the time we unwrap a new laptop a skinnier and faster one will be available, and we will want it, and we will discard the old one; our desires will be anticipated, packaged, and sold before we even realize we're having them.

I don't want to update my entire CD collection to mp3 files. I like my CDs. I spent a long time in my teenage years cultivating this collection and alphabetizing it, and I'm not about to abandon it. Would I take a free iPod? Sure. Do I still listen to mix-tapes made on actual tapes? Sure.

I don't have a cell phone, and I'm very happy. I don't like the idea that people can access me at any time. I know that for some people access is important for their jobs and/or their parenting, but I like my landline, and I like checking my messages once a day - when I get home - and not several times throughout the day. It helps me stay focused. It also enables me to keep my private conversations private.

P. 70 - "Christ teaches us about a continuum of conduct..." (then he goes on to talk about the Good Samaritan).

This was really enlightening for me because I always thought a person acted in God's word, or did not. I didn't see it as a spectrum where some people do nothing about a problem, some people notice it, some people kind of act on it, some people act on it more than others, etc. I think this spectrum of gradations is a more healthy way to view our stewardship of the planet than our typical, Western, either/or thinking...

... which often makes me overwhelmed by the daunting task of doing it all. To know I'm making progress along a continuum of action encourages further action whereas just saying, "I'll never be the steward I want to be" is less healthy and somewhat intellectually paralyzing.

[Shelly♥ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but I failed to make the connection between the Bible and the author's mandate to save the planet. It seemed to me to be a collection of pet peeves for Christians, with environmental topics at the top of the list.

Of the things that he declared a waste of Christian time, I found 3 that irritated me the most:

1) Sports - especially kids playing sports. There are a lot of great learning elements in playing sports, including motor skill developments.

2) Pets - he declared pet ownership a waste of time and money.

3) Fitness - another waste of time, according to the author. We can get plenty of fitness from eating right and working hard in our gardens and other elements of life - like mowing the grass with the push mower.

Also, Sleeth gives his perspective on how to do things based on being an affluent doctor with resources, resources, resources. Not all of us are able to follow the same course for that reason alone.

I guess the biggest thing that bothered me is that there is no Biblical foundation for any of his pet peeves. Yes, we should try and recycle and compost and make wise choices where we can, but there is no mandate to do things as prescribed in this book, and Christians should not feel condemned because they are not doing things his way or don't want to do things his way.

I will admit that I am writing this review almost 2 years after reading this book, so my review is based on what I took away from reading this.

[Suzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a Christian who happened to be born in a log cabin with no running water, electricity, TV, phone etc...So, I grew up with an understanding of the importance of nature and the role that Christians should have in the stewardship of creation. I picked up this book hoping for a book that would really analyze the idea of humanity being the stewards of God's creation. That is not what I got. This book seemed like an introduction to the idea that caring for the environment and Christianity could go hand in hand. It was not what I was looking for but if you are exploring this idea, this might be a good book.

The most interesting part of the book is where the author talks about how his commitment to less consumption and more environmentally friendly practices affected his family. When you remove TV and the computer and replace it with family time, chores, and other pastimes, the affect that the author found was a closer family.

I should say that at the end of the book, the author provides a somewhat practical checklist for ways to live a life that is more environmentally aware. I appreciated this addition.

[Mikejencostanzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of being a good steward of the blessings God gives. I also love finding ways to save money. That's why I skimmed Serve God, Save the Planet. I didn't take time for a leisurely read (since I found it on my Aunt's bookshelf when we were there for an overnight), but took time to glean what I could in a 45 minute skim.

Here are some "take-away" notes that I jotted down while perusing this book -- Things that I intend to try and apply (to the best of my ability, without being completely anal):

-Turn off faucets between uses
-Combine errands
-Choose reusable over disposable
-Cut out junk mail (opt out)
-Use cloth rags rather than paper towels
-Wait a month before buying "needs"
-"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"

The book of course was chock full of other ideas for living frugally and without waste. These were just the main ideas that struck me as ones that I could realistically apply, putting good stewardship into practice, without totally jeopardizing my sanity and my free-time -- because, let's face it, "green" living does take extra time and energy!

--Jen

[Joshua Hedlund · Rating 3 out of 5]

The environmental arguments that the Earth is dying and the theological arguments that we should steward it better were both weaker than I wanted them to be, with many questionable anecdotes and factoids (including a terrible chapter on overpopulation that should have been left out) mixed with the more interesting personal experiences. However, the book still contained many revealing, thought-provoking critiques of the culture we take for granted, from the schoolchildren who think they aren't "rich" even though their families own houses, cars, and TVs, to the analogous suggestion that even "dominion" stewardship of a nice car would not include returning it "dented, dirty, and with an empty tank." Ultimately, the case for the merits of consuming and polluting less was still strong enough to warrant a longer and more challenging glance than we usually give it.

[Kyle Inman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew Sleeth has to be one of the most persuasive people on the planet. This book doesn’t pull a single punch, yet integrates grace in the process. It’s full of challenge and integrity with fierce commitment to God and neighbor. While this book doesn’t have the possibility to reach as broad an audience as many of its contemporaries, it should be found worthwhile to anyone who chooses to read and sit with it. I had high expectations and they were exceeded. Highly recommend!

[Carrie Doan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who wants to become aware of how each decision of our daily routine can impact our earth and our future needs to read this. His perspective as a previous ER doctor gives the viewpoint much credibility.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would love to see an updated version of this book to take into account the new technologies that have arisen, specifically energy efficient technologies, since the writing of the book. That said, this by itself is very challenging and still stands true almost a decade later.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenging read - Sleeth really drives home the need for Christians to take drastic steps now to save the planet. Highly recommend.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book illustrates the connection between being environmentally conscious and loving your neighbor. Highly recommended!!

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

It may not be a charitable tendency of mine, but I tend to feel a great deal more comfortable when I understand where a writer is coming from.  There is a great deal about Sleeth's writing that I can appreciate, and I find that I appreciate his writing and approach a lot more when I think of him as a paleoconservative, of an agrarian sort even, with a strong interest in protecting creation from the exploitation of soulless consumerism than when I place him among adherents of the social gospel.  Sleeth's writing is a good example how some contemporary dualities of politics break down in the face of an understanding of where the author is coming from, and that is definitely for the best in this case.  The author is attempting to encourage a high degree of concern for God's creation among those who may not think very highly of left-wing social gospels, but who would think higher of a more old-fashioned conservatism that was tied to a concern for God's creation, in which the author's interest in the Sabbath fits in beautifully and where his career as a doctor makes perfect sense.

Overall the book is about 200 pages and is divided rather straightforwardly into chapters.  After a foreword, the book begins with a discussion about Genesis (1) and the importance of prevention in helping to preserve the world (2).  After that the author makes a Christian case for caring about the state of the earth (3) and comments on the fact that God is ultimately the owner of earth while we are only its stewards (4).  The author discusses the importance of moving from faith to works (5) and comments on the cluttered nature of our lives (6).  This leads to a discussion of the Sabbath (7), the failures of television (8), and the need for steward parents to raise servant children (9) as well as the importance of good food (10).  The author then looks at the question of housing (11), the wonders of life (12) from his career as a doctor, the importance of power and light (13), and the need to do no harm (14) to God's creation.  The author makes some unwise speculations on population control, at least not supporting abortion (15), before closing the main part of the book with a discussion about God's love (16).  The book also contains five appendices, including an energy audit (i), stewardship one appliance at a time (ii), an earth care to-do list (iii), some quotes from notable Christians on caring for creation (iv), and some excerpts from an Evangelical climate initiative (v).

It is easy to see in this book where the author is sound and where he is unsound.  He is sound when pointing back to the Bible and critiquing the restless and cluttered and over-stuffed nature of our contemporary lives.  However, the author errs in his adoption of leftist climate change and population control rhetoric, since he evidently does not understand the way that the Earth itself is able to counteract the sort of changes in ocean temperature and air temperature that most concern environmentalists and that would make it a good thing for mankind to reheat the earth by cooking with coal.  Likewise, the author seems to lack faith that God can and will provide for a world that was devoted to raising godly offspring and fulfilling the dominion mandate.  Despite these notable shortcomings, though, for the most part the concern the author has for the earth springs from older roots in the Bible and in the conservation methods of earlier generations who viewed God's creation with gratitude and wonder rather than a ruthless desire to ruin and exploit such as we see at present.

[Robert Irish · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book suffers from "rookie author" syndrome. It seems that Matthew Sleeth didn't ever expect to write anything else, so he threw everything into the book. This leads to some really annoying parts like his moralizing about TV and his pat-answer parenting pieces that really aren't relevant to a book on addressing climate change.
At the same time, there is valuable information (even though the book is 15 years old) and some good principles for action against climate change. I'm not sure I would recommend it for people now, as I think it has been superseded (perhaps even by Sleeth's own The Gospel According to the Earth: Why the Good Book Is a Green Book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the author's clarity and urgency in calling Christians to be a part of the solution to climate change. He is the Shane Claiborne of environmentalism - extremely passionate and well-meaning, although sometimes a bit too extreme in what he prescribes. We all have a role to play in saving the planet, but that role may look different depending on where and how we live. I especially appreciated his chapter at the end addressing myths/excuses for inaction. I wish more Christians would read this book!

[Katie Beckett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this a while ago, but Dr Sleeth lays out a look at sustainability and modern practices of generating waste through our everyday practices and methods of transportation and how they have an impact on our earth. He lays out the creation mandate to steward the earth and to fill it, while giving practical tips for how you can incorporate it into your life. Some of the views are a little extreme for someone first stepping into the world of sustainability but I found it helpful to reframe the way I think about the items I use from a faith perspective.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected it to be at all. In some ways, this was good because it definitely made the book challenging. It also provided some interesting takes on different issues (like the section about population. Did not see the book going where it went and it was definitely an interesting idea to consider). At the same time, though, I wanted a little bit more...something. I'm not sure what it was, but it felt like there was something missing in this book.
I did really like the little section in the back where it talks about things to pray. I thought that was a really interesting list of actions to take to work on loving creation better. All told, glad I took the time to read this.

[Emy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book. I really appreciate Dr. Sleeth to have taken the initiative to write such an awakening book. I thank God for using this book to instill certain important values to humans concerning the lives of all the inhabitants of this world. I have also decided a few things which I hope to follow in the coming days. A must read for every living human who knows to read!

[Hayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent beginning for those who want to follow Christ and learn about environmental stewardship. One star removed for taking a passage in Acts out of context, but on the whole, the book isn’t bad.
I do wish it was a bit more in depth but I’m very familiar with environmental issues.

[Cara Hathaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world needs more people to share their experiences of doing more with less. Thank you for documenting your journey and helping to align biblical principles to caring for the planet. Introspective read. One that I will read again.

[Aubrey Eshelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great message. But I sometimes struggled with his tone. There's a fine line between establishing credibility and promoting oneself. Dr. Sleeth unfortunately sometimes fell on the wrong side of that line. But still, a great book.

[Donna Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very balanced and accurate summation of believers’ responsibility to care for creation.

[Nathan Perkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading. Christians who care about the planet are more the real kind.

[Ally Nielander · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really did not like this book, I think the principles are good, but I couldn’t get past the air of superiority that the author was writing in. I felt pretty deemed the whole book, and found myself physically getting angry while reading.