Earthkeepers: A Circlewood Podcast on Creation Care and Spirituality · Forrest Inslee

Churches Loving Their Places: Brendan McClenahan of TEND | Ep. 147

·27 min·1 clip

Brendan argues humans are made in the image of God to “extend Eden,” not escape creation.

1. Earthkeepers: A Circlewood Podcast on creation care features Brendan McClenahan and the TEND initiative. 2. Forrest Inslee hosts Brendan McClenahan, who works with Plant With Purpose and helped launch TEND. 3. The episode asks how churches can love their places through free, local, communal creation care. 4. Brendan says he lives on the shores of Lake Michigan near the Grand River with his wife and three daughters. 5. He says he has lived there for 13 years and learned community through that place. 6. TEND is described as a free discipleship curriculum rooted in creation care for small groups. 7. Brendan says it is aimed at faith leaders who want congregations engaged in healing the environment and relationships. 8. He also says it serves people who are “hungering and thirsting” for care and connection. 9. Brendan links TEND to 10 years of mentoring, coaching, and training people in spiritual community. 10. He describes home gatherings around scripture, prayer, meals, and authentic relationships. 11. A composting practice with neighbors became a regular habit and “kind of a glue” for his community. 12. Brendan says Plant With Purpose has long worked to alleviate poverty through environmental restoration and community farming. 13. He says the organization asked him to help create a U.S. project that would renormalize creation care as a spiritual practice. 14. Brendan argues people are distanced from God, each other, and creation because they try to get “up off the dirt.” 15. He says the gospel points the other way: “dust you are and to dust you will return.” 16. He connects healing to Romans 8.19, saying oceans, forests, and animals are waiting for humans to take up their role. 17. Brendan says church architecture can reinforce distance through spires, stained glass, and “tomb-like” buildings. 18. He says getting people outside with others can reshape faith because “the trees clap their hands.” 19. People who care about spiritual formation and place-based church practice will likely find this useful. 20. Listeners wanting fast policy arguments or heavy technical environmental debate may skip it.

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