Does carbon foot printing really matter?

So it seems completely strange to me that my introductory blog post for this mentoring blog has drifted seemingly off course to talk about carbon footprinting! Has the long hot summer living in Reedley (the backside of a desert and not far from purgatory) done something to what I thought was a pretty decent brain?

Whatever has happened you are reading this interested in joining this blog for missional church leaders and the title demands that some how an introduction to this blog and carbon footprinting over lap. [It's a bit like my preaching sometimes - found a great illustration and now I need to find a text about God or Jesus to make it work ...ouch...and that's even after two degrees from two seminaries!]

I could start by saying - carbon footprinting is todays hot topic and all missional church leaders live amongst the hot topics because we value relevance and cultural architecture as propellants of our missional leadership. There's mileage in that one.

Or I could say - carbon footprinting is a pragmatic lifestyle for "live in the present leaders" to display their engagement and participation in the new cool 'green' theology (supported by eminent theologians from all branches of orthodoxy expect the Southern Baptist boys who love to live frequently in denial!). Its new and cool but somebody should tell people - if it hasn't been around since the time of Genesis then it most certainly has been around since the days of St Benedict, St. Francis and of course, for you more reformed followers - your very own St. Calvin.

But now let me try and make my point as we launch this mentor blog.

Leaders, especially missional leaders, define reality. This is what stands us out as leaders. Our leadership is fully present. Carbon footprinting is part of today's reality. We may know little about it. We may have only briefly heard the term. We may view it with apprehension, maybe even cynicism - but it is part of the language and thought around us and thereby part of our reality - and therefore it matters. Leaders define the reality that others just experience.

So, to all my Issachar's - get the title yet? The men of Issachar knew the times (1 Chronicles 12:32). David was a wise leader. He had with him folks who could define reality.
This blog hopes to become a community of missional leaders who are better defining reality helping each of us and all of us know what we should do.

Welcome my fellow clansmen and clanswomen - join me.