28 March, 2024

Stop Running in Church!

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by | 9 July, 2006 | 0 comments

By Phil LeMaster

I heard it a number of times as an energetic little boy growing up in a small country congregation in eastern Kentucky. And I suppose I have said it a few times to children””my own included””through the years as they have playfully raced through the main auditorium of the church building.

“Stop running in church!” That stern imperative, as I best recall, was almost always followed by a short lecture about the church being God”s house and that it should be treated with proper respect.

The purpose of this article is not to argue that particular point. I understand that God is not confined to the physical dimensions of a church building, but I appreciate the attitude that stresses reverence toward the things we associate most intimately with him. I am thinking instead of another structure that is devoted to God and of the flagrant violations of its use.

The building I have in mind is the human body. Paul”s words in 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 express it well, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

Several years ago, a dear preacher friend was found dead in his bed one morning at a relatively young age. An autopsy was not performed, but the common supposition is that he had died of a heart attack due to his obesity. As I joined fellow ministers in bearing his casket, I couldn”t help but reflect on the tragedy of a talented servant whose life was probably abbreviated by the failure to take care of his body.

The truth is, genetics and accidents aside, our lack of attention to our physical health can reduce our effectiveness as Christian workers and even shorten the years of our service in the kingdom. In this regard, some of us are running in church and we need to stop!

Perhaps the place to begin in facing this important responsibility is to educate ourselves about proper “temple care.” A classic study was done by N.B. Belloc and L. Breslow in California more than 30 years ago involving almost 7,000 people, ages 20 to 70*. As part of a comprehensive health assessment, these individuals were asked questions concerning their lifestyles.

From this study, the researchers found the healthiest individuals, at all ages, followed the same or similar rules when it came to health practices. Belloc and Breslow dubbed these rules “The Seven Habits of Health.” These guidelines for taking care of the body are worth consideration by all Christians who desire to maximize their effectiveness.

Eat Breakfast. The researchers found the healthiest individuals in their study regularly ate a good breakfast. This practice is very sensible when we realize food is our energy source and, after a night of sleep, our reserves are at low ebb. Previous generations understood this principle well and made breakfast their primary meal of the day. They even developed an oft-repeated mantra: “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and supper like a pauper.”

How unlike our present culture! Many of us don”t sit down to eat a substantial meal until evening. By then, famished by lack of sustenance, we tend to overeat and go to bed with full stomachs. Interestingly enough, nutritionists suggest, it is this full stomach at bedtime that probably reduces our hunger for the morning meal.

Don’t Snack. A second ingestion-related habit from Belloc and Breslow”s study is that the healthiest individuals did not eat snacks between meals. What a difficult rule to follow in the 21st century when most families seldom sit down for meals together! And how unlike the homes in which most of us grew up! I don”t recall a single meal in my childhood not eaten with my family around the dinner table. No doubt, TV dinners, fast foods, and our activity-laden lives contribute to the problem. But again, nutritionists suggest we are affecting our metabolism in a negative way by our snacking habits. Our repeated forays to the kitchen cause the calorie count to soar.

Maintain Normal Body Weight. Belloc and Breslow found that maintaining normal body weight is an important factor in staying healthy throughout life. As we became more health-conscious in the second half of the 20th century, many Americans began making repeated attempts to lose weight. This yo-yo dieting, or weight cycling, carries some real physiological hazards including increasing the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Even more disheartening is the tendency for the amount of fat stored in the body to increase with each up-and-down cycle.

Avoid Alcohol. Belloc and Breslow”s study states this health rule, “Drink alcohol moderately or not at all.” Having counseled with scores of alcohol-dependent individuals through the years, I am convinced that abstinence is a much safer course for the man or woman who wants to live a long life pleasing to God. I am hopeful I am “preaching to the choir” on this particular issue, but just in case, the point needs to be made. Solomon”s admonition is worth heeding, “Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper” (Proverbs 23:31, 32).

Don’t Smoke. There is probably no health habit more critical to healthy longevity than abstaining from tobacco in all of its forms. A February 1998 article in the New England Journal of Medicine noted, “The difference in life expectancy from birth between smokers and nonsmokers is 7.3 years for men and 6.0 years for women.” Put another way, it is estimated that the average person who smokes loses 5 to 20 minutes of life with every cigarette consumed.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep. Perhaps one of the most surprising findings of Belloc and Breslow”s study related to sleep habits of the healthiest individuals they sampled. This discovery led the researchers to suggest the following health rule, “Sleep regularly 7-8 hours a night.”

Sleep studies in America indicate the average person today gets 2.1 hours less sleep per night than his ancestors of 100 years ago. Our great-grandparents were up at dawn, but they went to sleep with the chickens as well! Sleep scientists estimate one-fourth of our population suffers from sleep deprivation, a malady that reduces productivity, increases health problems, and leads to accidental deaths both in the workplace and on the highway.

Exercise. Finally, these researchers found that healthy people, regardless of their age, know the importance of physical exercise. Their seventh rule of health suggests, “Exercise moderately and regularly.”

A Harvard University study (1986) revealed that men who consistently exercised had mortality rates one-quarter to one-third lower than men who led more sedentary lives. How much exercise? The Harvard study suggested the equivalent of five hours of brisk walking or four hours of jogging per week. Women can expect similar positive results from a good, regular, weekly workout regime.

I believe these seven health recommendations are worth adopting for those of us who want to honor God with our bodies. We can”t change our genetics, but we can change our habits with God”s help. If we do so, it is very possible we will be able to extend our years of effective service for our Lord in this life.

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*N.B. Belloc and L. Breslow, “Relationship of physical health status and health practices,” Preventive Medicine, 1972, 409-21.


 

 

Phil LeMaster is senior minister with First Church of Christ in Grayson, Kentucky.

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