Being fit as pastors: do we practice what we preach?
As one who is living this out, I think it is interesting when the media shines a light on the issue. Pastors are fat. We need to work on this issue just like any other sin. After losing over 50 pounds last year and struggling with my weight for years, I am not ready to give up. We need to be examples as Christians when it comes to health and fitness. After all, the body is a temple.
Here is what was written in the news at the Sacramento Bee: Weighty sermons: more pastors are preaching healthy lifestyles…and starting with themselves.
…The percentage of clergy who are overweight and therefore at risk
for serious health problems is higher than among the general U.S.
population, according to reports on clergy health."They’re
pretty stressed people who work long hours and often have unhealthy
eating habits — think of all those church potlucks," says Robin Swift,
director of the Clergy Health Initiative for the Duke Divinity School.
"A lot of them feel overwhelmed."
In 2004, a survey of 2,500
ministers by Pulpit and Pew, based at Duke, found that 76 percent of
Christian clergy were overweight, compared with 61 percent of the
general population.
Over at Vintage Faith a good discussion is going on about this topic. All I can say is that this thing is not that easy. It has been a hard part of my life’s journey to figure some of this out. Christian’s should lead in this area, right?
Manuel Luz on 
Guy on 
Rob Still on 
RK on 
