Introduction to Wellness (Part 1)

So before you think that I am going off into new age or eastern religious thought, that is not the direction that I am going with this section of the blog. I do, however, believe that there is a biblical basis for living well. Before, I get to that basis, I would like to share a definition of wellness, that I came across, to help start the discussion. It comes from the University of California, Davis Campus Website and it states:

Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth.

The National Wellness Institute further states, that it’s

“a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential.”

Those definitions may scare some into believing that I am about to teach a self-fulfillment message. I can assure you that if you stick with me you will see that, biblically speaking, there is a definite need for Christians to lead a purposeful and fulfilling life… in Jesus Christ. Jesus, himself, said in John 10:10 that “the thief cometh not, but to steal, kill and destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” Biblical wellness is a choice and it is rooted in our choice to serve and live for Jesus Christ.

STATISTICS

• Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975.
• In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 650 million were obese.
• 39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2016, and 13% were obese.
• Most of the world’s population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.
• 41 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2016.
• Over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight or obese in 2016.
  • World Health Organization, February 16, 2018

The incidence of obesity in the U.S. is truly frightening considering its high correlation to type 2 diabetes. Approximately 12.2% of adult Americans (30.2 million people) have diabetes (90-95% type 2) and approximately 33.9% of U.S. adults (84.1 million people) have prediabetes. That means over 114 million people (or approximately 47% of American adults) have diabetes or prediabetes.

–from an article entitled, Wrongly Feeding Jesus’ Sheep: Obesity in the Church, September 7, 2017 by John Bianchi

In the Church

• A 2006 Purdue study found that the fundamental Christians are by far the heaviest of all religious groups led by the Baptists with a 30% obesity rate compared with Jews at 1%, Buddhists and Hindus at 0.7%.
• A 2011 Northwestern University study tracking 3,433 men and women for 18 years found that young adults who attend church or a bible study once a week are 50% more likely to be obese.
• The Pawtucket Heart Health Program found that people who attended church were more likely than non-church members to be 20 percent overweight and have higher cholesterol and blood pressure numbers.
• A 2001 Pulpit and Pew study of 2,500 clergy found that 76% were overweight or obese compare to 61% of the general population at the time of the study.
  • Fox News Op-Ed entitled Fat in Church, Last updated January 13, 2015

Are you starting to see that there is a need to have the discussion on wellness in the church? However, physical wellness is not the only challenge that we face in the church. In fact, a subject that we do not like to talk about is mental wellness. It seems as if its almost taboo to address this issue in our assemblies. However, here are some facts:

• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
• 1 in 25 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
• 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34 
  • National Alliance on Mental Health Website

• 23 percent of pastors acknowledge they have personally struggled with a mental illness.
• 49 percent of pastors say they rarely or never speak to their congregation about mental illness.
• 27 percent of churches have a plan to assist families affected by mental illness.
• 65 percent of churchgoing family members of those with mental illness want their church to talk openly about mental illness.
• 59 percent of those actually suffering from mental illness say the same.
• 53 percent of churchgoers with mental illness say the church has been supportive.
• 76 percent of churchgoers say suicide is a problem that needs to be addressed in their community.
• 32 percent of churchgoers say a close acquaintance or family member has died by suicide.
• 80 percent of pastors say their church is equipped to assist someone who is threatening to take his or her own life.
• 92 percent of pastors say their church is equipped to care for the family that experiences the suicide of a loved one.
• 4 percent of churchgoers who lost a loved one to suicide say church leaders were aware of their loved one’s struggles.
• 68 percent of Americans feel they would be welcome in church if they were mentally ill.
• 35 percent of Americans say mental illness could be overcome with Bible study and prayer alone.
  • Lifeway Website article entitled 13 Stats on Mental Health and the Church, Aaron Earls, May 1, 2018

As a whole in society, we are experiencing a great deal of physical and mental illness (The numbers don’t lie). We can further state that these “illnesses” spreads into our emotional and spiritual wellbeing, too. Unfortunately, the numbers don’t lie about our assemblies. Part of my burden with this blog is to address these issues to help us as members of Jesus’ body to fulfill our callings. Let us not make the same mistake as the church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22). They thought that they were well (rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing). Jesus told them that they were, “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” They were NOT well.

In part 2 of this introduction, I will jump right into what I believe is the biblical foundation for wellness. Please stay tuned …