Principles of Land Development for Christians
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by Dean Ohlman
1. Development. Most Christian Bible scholars understand the Genesis mandates to indicate that mankind is to work creatively to draw out the potentialities of the creation. A good word to describe this process is "development." It is probably safe to say that development is not only a privilege, but also a responsibility of those created in God’s image.
2. Creativity. The capacity of people to work and be creative is considered to be an aspect of our being made in God's image and a means to honor the Creator. Human creativity utilizes both the fruit of the land and the land itself to develop the potentialities of the creation. However, when this capacity is used in self- centered ways, it becomes more a weapon than a means of responsible stewardship.
3. Culture. We must always ask how our development of the creation will honor the name of God. Human culture requires all to be done for God's glory: the construction of buildings and roads, the extraction of minerals, the cultivation of land, the pasturing of livestock, the harvesting of trees. It is sobering to remember, however, that the very first city was built to the glory of Cain, and that the first two world cultures were judged by God for rebellion against His nature and mandates.
4. Stewardship. Our responsibility regarding the land and the wider creation is that of stewardship. We are stewards of the land and creation, not owners. It is for the purpose of human economic systems only that we consider ourselves owners. Jesus points us constantly to our higher calling and responsibility. Greater concern for property "responsibilities" would significantly reduce disputes over property "rights."
5. Life preservation. The land and all that lives on it are a part of the divinely created and sustained ecosystem that keeps our environment sound and health giving. Good stewardship must preserve the life-sustaining functions of the land. It is a serious matter to decide to prevent the land from fulfilling its ecological functions. Where the land is degraded and its functions disabled, restoration is required. Of course where the land is completely covered, made unproductive, or removed this is not possible.
6. Values. We must not jump to the conclusion that the best use of the land is to make money from it and then count the "tithe" from such profit to be the best stewardship. It may be significantly better stewardship to allow the land to fulfill its ecological functions. Many who develop land consider only what such development may return financially and never consider the other values of the land (ecological, spiritual, aesthetic, therapeutic, etc.).
7. Self-centeredness. There are strong warnings in the Old Testament regarding arrogant use of land and pridefully joining plots of land one to another. The biblical principle of justice requires that all people are to have access to the fruit of the land. Land development must not be used to deprive others of that right or to selfishly gain wealth at the expense of others.
8. Responsibility. New information often requires new responsibilities. Recent facts about the earth's ecosystems and how they are affected by human behavior now require land developers to examine more critically the uses they plan for the land. It is arrogant and foolish to resist sound laws and sensible regulations designed to protect us all from selfish and irresponsible use of the land.
9. Government. Responsible environmental regulation relating to land development is not to be written off as "intrusion" by the government since responsible government is ordained of God. Katharine Lee Bates, in writing "America the Beautiful" reminded us to "confirm your soul in self control, and [confirm] your liberty in law."
10. Change. Rules and practices that are suitable when land is plentiful and human impact limited will necessarily become obsolete when land is more scarce and human impact extreme. It is illogical to expect the same rules and practices to apply from generation to generation when there is significantly increasing human pressure.
11. Praise. The flora and fauna of the earth are pleasing to the Lord and are under His sustaining care. God delights in all that He has created and has, as the psalmists remind us, given the even the non-human elements of the Creation capacity to praise Him. Therefore, stewardship-based development requires a clear understanding of the impact of human actions on all living things. It is logical and biblical to assume that God provides for the needs of all the living things He created. While locally such needs may clash, people have the intelligence and capacity to ensure that regionally all the requirements for a healthy environment are met.
12. Compassion. The words of Jesus about loving God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves require us to always ask how our stewardship and development of the land will impact our neighbors.
13. Technology. Science and technology have made it possible for people today to multiply their impact on the land a thousand times more than those who lived in pre-industrial times. Merely because we can do something does not mean that we should. Technology has made it possible for people to accomplish great good and evil in a very short time. It is not necessary to develop land for human occupation or extensive use in rare and delicate biological communities or in areas prone to natural extremes like flooding, land subsidence, and frequent fires. What we often call "disasters" or "acts of God" would never have happened if we hadn't developed in such areas.
14. Economics. Biblical principles are prior to and authoritative over human economic principles. Christian developers as true stewards claim to answer to a higher Authority than do those who ignore biblical values. This Authority says that you cannot "serve God and mammon" and He tells the story of the rich young ruler whose development plans were thwarted by his arrogant disregard for the nature and mandates of God.
15. Materialism. The impact of the American way of life on the remainder of the world, biblical warnings about materialism and laying up treasure on earth, and the spiritual anemia created by affluence must temper every decision we make about the development of any land we are privileged to control as God's stewards. Standards of living that destroy the sources of life are not “high,” they are evil.
16. Abuse. Study of God's Word and World indicates that the earth has both great resilience and abundance. While it can tolerate some abuse and even waste, it works within natural and divine limits. Passing those limits has serious consequences.
17. Divine guidance. God's guidance must always be sought in decision-making, including land development decisions. Land use decisions often have far more significance spiritually than many of the other issues we pray over. For instance, if the truth were known, millions more hamburgers have likely been prayed over than square feet of land being considered for development.
18. Beauty. Human appreciation of beauty is an aspect of being created in God's image. Thus a land developer who ignores the aesthetic aspects of land alteration is a negative witness to the Creator.
19. Goodness. Good land development honors the name of God and does not violate His nature or His ordinances. However, this does not lead to easy decision making. Thus, while developing land for houses may appear to be God- honoring, such development in a flood plain would not be "good." Similarly, draining a wetland for the purpose of building a church may appear to be God-honoring, but if that wetland is vital for good water quality, for flood prevention, or for maintaining the fruitfulness of the land, it would not be "good."
20. The future. There are Scripture passages that speak of future destruction or refinement of the earth by fire. However, many more passages speak of a continuing earth. And there are several unanswered questions about the meaning of the "new" earth. Regardless of how a Christian interprets the end times, nowhere does Scripture condone careless use and abuse of God's creation gift because “it is all going to burn anyway.” In reference to "heavenly" thinking, T.S. Eliot makes a significant point in his poem "Choruses from 'The Rock'": "Our citizenship is in Heaven"; yes, but that is the model and type for your citizenship on earth."
21. Restoration. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ provided not only for the salvation of mankind, but also for the restoration (Rom. 8:21) and reconciliation of the whole creation (Col. 1:20). Our non- human co-worshipers -- the stars, the land, the animals, the plants -- will share our return to pre-Fall conditions which, as suggested by Wesley, may even exceed the glories of the original creation. What remarkable things might be accomplished if we lived on the fallen earth today like we will be expected to live on the restored earth tomorrow?
1. Development. Most Christian Bible scholars understand the Genesis mandates to indicate that mankind is to work creatively to draw out the potentialities of the creation. A good word to describe this process is "development." It is probably safe to say that development is not only a privilege, but also a responsibility of those created in God’s image.
2. Creativity. The capacity of people to work and be creative is considered to be an aspect of our being made in God's image and a means to honor the Creator. Human creativity utilizes both the fruit of the land and the land itself to develop the potentialities of the creation. However, when this capacity is used in self- centered ways, it becomes more a weapon than a means of responsible stewardship.
3. Culture. We must always ask how our development of the creation will honor the name of God. Human culture requires all to be done for God's glory: the construction of buildings and roads, the extraction of minerals, the cultivation of land, the pasturing of livestock, the harvesting of trees. It is sobering to remember, however, that the very first city was built to the glory of Cain, and that the first two world cultures were judged by God for rebellion against His nature and mandates.
4. Stewardship. Our responsibility regarding the land and the wider creation is that of stewardship. We are stewards of the land and creation, not owners. It is for the purpose of human economic systems only that we consider ourselves owners. Jesus points us constantly to our higher calling and responsibility. Greater concern for property "responsibilities" would significantly reduce disputes over property "rights."
5. Life preservation. The land and all that lives on it are a part of the divinely created and sustained ecosystem that keeps our environment sound and health giving. Good stewardship must preserve the life-sustaining functions of the land. It is a serious matter to decide to prevent the land from fulfilling its ecological functions. Where the land is degraded and its functions disabled, restoration is required. Of course where the land is completely covered, made unproductive, or removed this is not possible.
6. Values. We must not jump to the conclusion that the best use of the land is to make money from it and then count the "tithe" from such profit to be the best stewardship. It may be significantly better stewardship to allow the land to fulfill its ecological functions. Many who develop land consider only what such development may return financially and never consider the other values of the land (ecological, spiritual, aesthetic, therapeutic, etc.).
7. Self-centeredness. There are strong warnings in the Old Testament regarding arrogant use of land and pridefully joining plots of land one to another. The biblical principle of justice requires that all people are to have access to the fruit of the land. Land development must not be used to deprive others of that right or to selfishly gain wealth at the expense of others.
8. Responsibility. New information often requires new responsibilities. Recent facts about the earth's ecosystems and how they are affected by human behavior now require land developers to examine more critically the uses they plan for the land. It is arrogant and foolish to resist sound laws and sensible regulations designed to protect us all from selfish and irresponsible use of the land.
9. Government. Responsible environmental regulation relating to land development is not to be written off as "intrusion" by the government since responsible government is ordained of God. Katharine Lee Bates, in writing "America the Beautiful" reminded us to "confirm your soul in self control, and [confirm] your liberty in law."
10. Change. Rules and practices that are suitable when land is plentiful and human impact limited will necessarily become obsolete when land is more scarce and human impact extreme. It is illogical to expect the same rules and practices to apply from generation to generation when there is significantly increasing human pressure.
11. Praise. The flora and fauna of the earth are pleasing to the Lord and are under His sustaining care. God delights in all that He has created and has, as the psalmists remind us, given the even the non-human elements of the Creation capacity to praise Him. Therefore, stewardship-based development requires a clear understanding of the impact of human actions on all living things. It is logical and biblical to assume that God provides for the needs of all the living things He created. While locally such needs may clash, people have the intelligence and capacity to ensure that regionally all the requirements for a healthy environment are met.
12. Compassion. The words of Jesus about loving God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves require us to always ask how our stewardship and development of the land will impact our neighbors.
13. Technology. Science and technology have made it possible for people today to multiply their impact on the land a thousand times more than those who lived in pre-industrial times. Merely because we can do something does not mean that we should. Technology has made it possible for people to accomplish great good and evil in a very short time. It is not necessary to develop land for human occupation or extensive use in rare and delicate biological communities or in areas prone to natural extremes like flooding, land subsidence, and frequent fires. What we often call "disasters" or "acts of God" would never have happened if we hadn't developed in such areas.
14. Economics. Biblical principles are prior to and authoritative over human economic principles. Christian developers as true stewards claim to answer to a higher Authority than do those who ignore biblical values. This Authority says that you cannot "serve God and mammon" and He tells the story of the rich young ruler whose development plans were thwarted by his arrogant disregard for the nature and mandates of God.
15. Materialism. The impact of the American way of life on the remainder of the world, biblical warnings about materialism and laying up treasure on earth, and the spiritual anemia created by affluence must temper every decision we make about the development of any land we are privileged to control as God's stewards. Standards of living that destroy the sources of life are not “high,” they are evil.
16. Abuse. Study of God's Word and World indicates that the earth has both great resilience and abundance. While it can tolerate some abuse and even waste, it works within natural and divine limits. Passing those limits has serious consequences.
17. Divine guidance. God's guidance must always be sought in decision-making, including land development decisions. Land use decisions often have far more significance spiritually than many of the other issues we pray over. For instance, if the truth were known, millions more hamburgers have likely been prayed over than square feet of land being considered for development.
18. Beauty. Human appreciation of beauty is an aspect of being created in God's image. Thus a land developer who ignores the aesthetic aspects of land alteration is a negative witness to the Creator.
19. Goodness. Good land development honors the name of God and does not violate His nature or His ordinances. However, this does not lead to easy decision making. Thus, while developing land for houses may appear to be God- honoring, such development in a flood plain would not be "good." Similarly, draining a wetland for the purpose of building a church may appear to be God-honoring, but if that wetland is vital for good water quality, for flood prevention, or for maintaining the fruitfulness of the land, it would not be "good."
20. The future. There are Scripture passages that speak of future destruction or refinement of the earth by fire. However, many more passages speak of a continuing earth. And there are several unanswered questions about the meaning of the "new" earth. Regardless of how a Christian interprets the end times, nowhere does Scripture condone careless use and abuse of God's creation gift because “it is all going to burn anyway.” In reference to "heavenly" thinking, T.S. Eliot makes a significant point in his poem "Choruses from 'The Rock'": "Our citizenship is in Heaven"; yes, but that is the model and type for your citizenship on earth."
21. Restoration. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ provided not only for the salvation of mankind, but also for the restoration (Rom. 8:21) and reconciliation of the whole creation (Col. 1:20). Our non- human co-worshipers -- the stars, the land, the animals, the plants -- will share our return to pre-Fall conditions which, as suggested by Wesley, may even exceed the glories of the original creation. What remarkable things might be accomplished if we lived on the fallen earth today like we will be expected to live on the restored earth tomorrow?