Following Jesus and caring for creation: A conversation with James Beck
James Beck is the Eco Church Project Manager for A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand, a Christian conservation organisation working globally in over 26 countries. He joined me for a kōrero ahead of the upcoming Nelson Whakatū Eco Church Gathering on 24 July to share about the Eco Church movement, why creation care matters, and how churches across the motu are putting faith into action.
What is Eco Church Aotearoa, and how did it begin?
Eco Church is part of the wider A Rocha movement, which began as a Christian response to environmental degradation. It’s rooted in the biblical invitation for humanity to be wise caretakers of God’s creation. While A Rocha has been around for decades, the Eco Church network exists to support local churches to integrate care of creation into their life, worship, and mission. We’re not just about recycling or tree planting—we want churches to explore a theology of creation care that touches every part of church life.
Why do you think creation care is something that churches in Aotearoa should engage deeply in?
Caring for creation invites us into a bigger understanding of the gospel—it’s not just about going to heaven when we die, but participating in the renewal of all things. That’s good news for people and for the planet. Engaging with creation care also creates opportunities for churches to connect meaningfully with their wider communities, especially those who may have written the church off. When people see Christians involved in things they care about, like the environment, it opens up a whole lot of missional conversations.
How have you seen churches practically engage with sustainability and environmental restoration?
There’s no single model. For one church it might be installing a bike rack or starting a recycling system. For another, it could mean rewilding local land, running a community op shop, or integrating environmental themes into liturgy and teaching.
At The River Ōpāwaho Church in Christchurch, this work is embodied in a long-term initiative called Te Ringatini. What started as a conviction during a riverside run turned into a full-scale community regeneration project along the Donkey Track reserve. Since 2020, the church has committed to restoring a section of the Ōpāwaho Heathcote River, planting over 5,000 native trees and working alongside the Christchurch City Council and other community groups. Once a month, instead of gathering to do church, the congregation scatters for hands-on environmental mission—clearing weeds, planting natives, and offering the restoration of creation as an act of worship. It’s a vivid example of eco-theology in action.
Other churches, like St Peters in Kaikoura and St David’s in Wellington, are also taking bold steps in ecological restoration and community engagement.
Some might see environmental work as separate from gospel ministry. How would you respond to that?
One of the amazing things about churches getting involved in care of creation is that it invites the church to have a robust conversation about the implications of the good news of Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension. For a long time we’ve told the good news as if the whole point is Jesus dealing with sin so we can go to heaven. But there’s a growing awareness that while that’s part of the story, it’s not the whole story.
When people engage with creation care, it invites them into discussions about new heavens and a renewed earth, and what it means to take part in God's kingdom here and now. These kinds of conversations are good for the church and open up new relationships in the wider community.
What does it mean to be part of the Eco Church Aotearoa network?
Eco Church isn’t about having it all figured out—it’s about committing to the journey. When a church signs up, we walk alongside them to help discern the next best step. For some churches, that’s installing recycling bins. For others, it might be starting a regeneration project.
We’ve created a short document called Why Become an Eco Church? that answers FAQs. There’s an optional small annual contribution, and then we offer support as churches take steps toward becoming more sustainable.
What can people expect at the Nelson Whakatū Eco Church Gathering on 24 July?
It’s a great way to get a sense of what Eco Church is about. We’ve got some amazing speakers lined up—David Price, who’s worked internationally in Christian conservation, and Nelson’s own Spanky Moore. There’ll be time to ask questions, meet others on the journey, and hear how creation care is becoming a vital expression of Christian life and witness.
Nelson Whakatū Eco Church Gathering
Thursday 24 July | 7–9pm
Whakatū Presbyterian Church, 34 Champion Road, Richmond
RSVP here: bit.ly/ecochurch-nelson-2025
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We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
Following Jesus and caring for creation: A conversation with James Beck
James Beck is the Eco Church Project Manager for A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand, a Christian conservation organisation working globally in over 26 countries. He joined me for a kōrero ahead of the upcoming Nelson Whakatū Eco Church Gathering on 24 July to share about the Eco Church movement, why creation care matters, and how churches across the motu are putting faith into action.
What is Eco Church Aotearoa, and how did it begin?
Eco Church is part of the wider A Rocha movement, which began as a Christian response to environmental degradation. It’s rooted in the biblical invitation for humanity to be wise caretakers of God’s creation. While A Rocha has been around for decades, the Eco Church network exists to support local churches to integrate care of creation into their life, worship, and mission. We’re not just about recycling or tree planting—we want churches to explore a theology of creation care that touches every part of church life.
Why do you think creation care is something that churches in Aotearoa should engage deeply in?
Caring for creation invites us into a bigger understanding of the gospel—it’s not just about going to heaven when we die, but participating in the renewal of all things. That’s good news for people and for the planet. Engaging with creation care also creates opportunities for churches to connect meaningfully with their wider communities, especially those who may have written the church off. When people see Christians involved in things they care about, like the environment, it opens up a whole lot of missional conversations.
How have you seen churches practically engage with sustainability and environmental restoration?
There’s no single model. For one church it might be installing a bike rack or starting a recycling system. For another, it could mean rewilding local land, running a community op shop, or integrating environmental themes into liturgy and teaching.
At The River Ōpāwaho Church in Christchurch, this work is embodied in a long-term initiative called Te Ringatini. What started as a conviction during a riverside run turned into a full-scale community regeneration project along the Donkey Track reserve. Since 2020, the church has committed to restoring a section of the Ōpāwaho Heathcote River, planting over 5,000 native trees and working alongside the Christchurch City Council and other community groups. Once a month, instead of gathering to do church, the congregation scatters for hands-on environmental mission—clearing weeds, planting natives, and offering the restoration of creation as an act of worship. It’s a vivid example of eco-theology in action.
Other churches, like St Peters in Kaikoura and St David’s in Wellington, are also taking bold steps in ecological restoration and community engagement.
Some might see environmental work as separate from gospel ministry. How would you respond to that?
One of the amazing things about churches getting involved in care of creation is that it invites the church to have a robust conversation about the implications of the good news of Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension. For a long time we’ve told the good news as if the whole point is Jesus dealing with sin so we can go to heaven. But there’s a growing awareness that while that’s part of the story, it’s not the whole story.
When people engage with creation care, it invites them into discussions about new heavens and a renewed earth, and what it means to take part in God's kingdom here and now. These kinds of conversations are good for the church and open up new relationships in the wider community.
What does it mean to be part of the Eco Church Aotearoa network?
Eco Church isn’t about having it all figured out—it’s about committing to the journey. When a church signs up, we walk alongside them to help discern the next best step. For some churches, that’s installing recycling bins. For others, it might be starting a regeneration project.
We’ve created a short document called Why Become an Eco Church? that answers FAQs. There’s an optional small annual contribution, and then we offer support as churches take steps toward becoming more sustainable.
What can people expect at the Nelson Whakatū Eco Church Gathering on 24 July?
It’s a great way to get a sense of what Eco Church is about. We’ve got some amazing speakers lined up—David Price, who’s worked internationally in Christian conservation, and Nelson’s own Spanky Moore. There’ll be time to ask questions, meet others on the journey, and hear how creation care is becoming a vital expression of Christian life and witness.
Nelson Whakatū Eco Church Gathering
Thursday 24 July | 7–9pm
Whakatū Presbyterian Church, 34 Champion Road, Richmond
RSVP here: bit.ly/ecochurch-nelson-2025
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
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