Entwined – Life with Jesus in a changing climate
The Holy Spirit is drawing people with a heart for climate justice towards Jesus, writes Dave Gregory, convenor of the Baptist Union Environment Network - which is why we're creating a new discipleship resource that weaves in a biblical vision of sharing in God's love of creation
We have been hearing lots of stories about people just turning up at church. They may have had little contact with the Christian way of life previously, but for whatever reason, they have a sense of wanting something more in life.
Maybe new folk have been turning up in your church recently out of the blue. I had the joy of meeting someone like that recently. I had been invited to speak on Climate Justice at one of the larger churches in our Baptist network. At the end of the service, a young adult approached me. Six months before, they had walked into the church on their own and gave themselves to the Lord.
It turned out that they – like many in their generation – were anxious about how climate change and the environmental crisis might erode their hope for the future. A few years before, they had been involved in the large climate demos in our towns and cities. What amazed them that day was that someone was speaking about how God shared their passion for its creatures.
In this time of growing expectation and excitement over what God is doing in people’s lives across the nation, I wonder how many people the Holy Spirit is drawing towards Jesus who, like the person I spoke with, has a heart for climate justice? Who, along with many anxieties people carry today, are fearful as to how climate change might affect their future?
Does our gospel speak about it? And how might we nurture discipleship that is fit to share in God’s mission in the changing climate of the 21st century?
Entwined: A Fresh Approach to Discipleship
Entwined, a collaboration between BUEN (the Baptist Union Environment Network) and YART (the Baptists Together Young Adult Round Table), looks to meet this challenge. It aims to widen the discipleship path we envision people towards as they follow Jesus. From one shaped by a personal relationship with God through Jesus and sharing in a local church’s life and mission, to one that, alongside these vital aspects of the gospel, weaves in a Biblical vision of sharing in God’s love of creation.
Funded by a Mission Forum grant, Entwined will be a fresh approach to inviting people to discover life shared with Jesus in the early 21st century. Among its fragmented relationships with self, others, and creation, it will nurture a following of Jesus that brings healing and wholeness to each of these.
In ten sessions, each with a short, visually attractive film produced by the Fuelcast, Entwined will take people on a journey through the story of the Bible, from creation to the incarnation and the events of Easter. Every third session will be set in an outdoor setting, resonating with many people finding that nature connection improves their sense of mental well-being, along with the opportunity to re-discover the value and wonder of creation, and through it, the wonder of the Creator.
There will be ‘So What’ moments too that invite and challenge people to express God’s love and life in practical ways, looking to bring healing and wholeness to self, others, and creation.
Launch and Pilot
The aim is to launch Entwined at the Baptist Assembly in May 2027. Ahead of the launch, we are seeking churches to pilot the material in autumn 2026, providing vital feedback on how the course helps participants follow Jesus. Our goal is to invite people of all generations to place their faith in Christ and embrace a ‘Whole Earth Discipleship’—one that reflects God’s purpose to ‘reconcile to himself all things... making peace by the blood of his cross’ (Col 1:20).
To find out more about Entwined, drop into the BUEN stand in the Network Zone of the Baptist Assembly in Harrogate, or contact BUEN at BUEnvNet@outlook.com
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