Psalm 24:1-2 says "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters." This truth is repeated throughout scripture and reminds us that everything we have belongs to God. Understanding God's ownership of all creation provides a foundation for the way we live and act in this world. We chose to name this curriculum "The Earth is the Lord's" as a reminder of whom we ultimately serve in doing agriculture development.
“The Earth is the Lord’s” curriculum is designed primarily for use by Christian groups involved in agriculture development and/or evangelism. It is intended to help churches and development organizations in their agricultural work. It does not seek to take the place of church, but rather should support and encourage local Christians. The curriculum is made up of inductive Bible studies on passages related to caring for God’s creation, and guides farmers to consider how to apply what they learn to agriculture and livestock practices. A few key themes addressed are:
- The value of God’s creation
- Practicing agriculture and keeping livestock as Christian stewardship
- God’s plan to reconcile all of creation to himself
- Farming as a worthy Christian occupation
In Matthew 9:35 we find a summary statement of Jesus’ ministry. Matthew writes, “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.”
A nearly identical statement is offered in Matthew 4:23. Jesus announced the good news of the kingdom using words and demonstrated the very same good news through ministry and service. When Jesus sent out the 12 (Luke 9:1-2) and the 72 (Luke 10:9) for evangelism, he instructed them to follow this same pattern. The good news is meant to be heard, seen, and experienced. Jesus’ own ministry was holistic, dealing with every aspect of human life. The kingdom of God is a redemptive power which addresses all human needs.
Christians should follow Jesus’ model of ministry. Followers of Christ proclaim with words the good news of the kingdom’s presence on earth and of its future fullness. At the same time, service to others demonstrates the kingdom’s transformative power, which will be fully realized at Jesus’ return. This is evangelism. Holistic ministry seeks to address all human needs, and requires both word and deed.
We must remember life is not only about bigger harvests, food security, and clean drinking water. These things are important, but if we improve people's' lives in this way while ignoring their relationship with God, we have neglected the very foundation of the lives we have improved. As Christians, every aspect of life and work should be informed by our identity in Christ -- and inseparable from it. Therefore, our work with farmers should not only address both agriculture and spirituality, but acknowledge and model a complete integration of the two. This is holistic ministry.
Faith in Christ and a desire to obey God's word serve as motivation to further improve our lives and the lives of those around us. We expect Christian farmers who study scripture together to develop a strong desire to care for creation, resulting in them becoming better stewards of the land, livestock, and resources God has given them. Obedience to Christ and the word of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, brings lasting improvements and enduring transformation to the lives of farmers. It is crucial, then, that our agriculture development work be grounded in the Christian faith.
This curriculum is available for free download here: The Earth is the Lord's
Kwa Kiswahili: Nchi ni ya Bwana
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