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Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Fat pastors (and their fat wives)

[ADDED 9/5 - NOTE: Please read the comments along with this post, as I think they offer good insight and criticism - along with further clarification - of this post.]

My wife made the observation recently that it seems many evangelical Christian pastors and/or their wives are overweight. I don't know if it's a greater percentage than the rest of the population or if we've just happened to notice an irregularly high number of them.

Either way, it begged the question from her: Why isn't obesity dealt with in the church?

I think it's a question that's worth asking simply because the Bible instructs us to take care of our bodies (I Corinthians 6:19) and to eat in moderation (Proverbs 23:20). While obesity is not the only sign of neglecting to do either of these things, it is often a more obvious sign.

As Americans neglect the commandment to take care of our bodies at a rapidly increasing rate, churches are mum on the issue. Instead, we indulge in potlucks where unlimited food is available. Nearly every small group/Bible study you go to offers food. We are constantly indulging, yet we don't seem to consider this to be a spiritual problem.

We fail to recognize that many of us are addicted to food.

We are failing to put Christ first. Hunger Desire-for-food pangs consume our thoughts throughout the day. Food has, in many ways, become a god that consumes us more than Christ consumes us.

Obesity is not in itself the problem. While it is often the expression of the problem, some people struggle medically with obesity, and food consumption alone isn't their issue. Some of these people have come to recognize that they need to take care of their bodies and they are, but they still struggle with an inability to actually shed pounds. On the flip side, many people have a fairly high metabolism that allows them to consume more food than is healthy without doing heavy damage on their wastelines.

However, the fact is that the vast majority of humans who are overweight are big because of a combination of physical inactivity and over-consumption of food. Our culture has told us that it's okay to be whatever shape we want to be ("I'm in shape; round is a shape") and churches have bought into that.

Whether pastors aren't dealing with the issue because they themselves are overweight or because they agree with the worldview on the issue, I don't know, but it strikes me as odd that more pastors don't see a problem with misappropriation of our priorities. Churches have no problem lashing out at abuses of alcohol and drugs, but abuse of food is an untouchable subject.

This isn't about running marathons or modeling swimwear. It's about simply taking care of our bodies. I think Christians have a moral obligation to take care of our bodies. We only have one, and unless we see it as a gift from God, we are prone to abusing it.

I'm sure something I've written will be misinterpreted, and I'm sorry if it is. This isn't directed at anyone but is more of an overall observation and reflections on those observations. Any comments on possible misinterpretations on my part are more than welcome.

posted by Joey at 9/04/2007 01:55:00 PM

12 Comments:

Blogger Timotheos declared,

Because I am a fat pastor, who is seeking to be responsible with nutrition and exercise, you may not hear this from me, but this line which you wrote is way off the mark. Here is the line "Our culture has told us that it's okay to be whatever shape we want to be ("I'm in shape; round is a shape") and churches have bought into that." Are you in the US? Really? There isn't a week that doesn't go by without some news program or TV show talking about obesity, the big fat looser, etc. There isn't a food store in the US that doesn't have at least a few magazines regarding Shape, M&F, Men's Health, etc. The culture is obsessed with thin and muscular.

Is it possible that you have bought into the surrounding worldview? Your post betrays that you have bought into the surrounding world view because you speak of being in shape. Yes, the Bible speaks against gluttony, but there is no ideal shape that is mentioned in the Bible. I know plenty of thin people who are consumed by food, yet their shape does not betray it. On the exterior they look self-controlled. I also know portly men, who consume few calories throughout the day, and because of their service to the Church, they do not get much exercise, because their vocation requires them to sit long hours in front of books. Yet, gluttony is the least of their problems. Also, what determines 'in shape'? BMI? Thinness?

Also, at FCC, we offer a class on Healthy Living, which is geared toward stewardship of the body by nutrition, exercise, etc.

Look, I am not writing this because I am offended. I am learning better to feed my body for the sake of mission, and in the past I have abused it. What does concern me is the cursory and simplistic assessment you made, and then started passing judgment based on it.

9/05/2007 11:02 PM  
Blogger Joey declared,

Thanks for the thoughts Tim. First, I'm not thin. My BMI is around 26 (considered "overweight" by BMI standards) and I don't consider myself to be "muscular."

Second, you wrote, "I know plenty of thin people who are consumed by food, yet their shape does not betray it. On the exterior they look self-controlled. I also know portly men, who consume few calories throughout the day, and because of their service to the Church, they do not get much exercise, because their vocation requires them to sit long hours in front of books."

I thought this sentence that I wrote already reflected what you said: "some people struggle medically with obesity, and food consumption alone isn't their issue. Some of these people have come to recognize that they need to take care of their bodies and they are, but they still struggle with an inability to actually shed pounds. On the flip side, many people have a fairly high metabolism that allows them to consume more food than is healthy without doing heavy damage on their wastelines." I thought what I said here addressed both instances where people eat a healthy diet but are overweight as well as instances where thin people over-indulge in food but don't gain weight. Obviously it didn't come across that way, and I apologize for that.

Also, my own vocation requires me to sit long hours in front of a computer without any exercise as well, so I don't think I have a much different struggle than those who you referenced in the church do in that aspect. I actually gained a good 20 pounds after I started this job, which is part of what made me recognize my need to stay healthy. I wasn't being proactive enough about eating healthy and being at least mildly active and I needed to.

I agree that weight alone is not the issue, and I suppose that could have been more clearly stated in my post. I think being healthy is the issue, and I agree that thin people are often just as unhealthy as - even more unhealthy than - fat people.

Sorry if that point wasn't well-written. I knew it was dangerous to post this, and my wife cringed when I told her I had. But, one reason I say what I'm thinking in this blog is to get feedback to see if I'm way off the mark. While I don't entirely back down from what I wrote, I don't think I was clear enough about the fact that being healthy is about more than just weight. I also could have more specifically addressed self-control, but I realize that the one short sentence I wrote on that wasn't sufficient to fully explain the issue.

I also don't think I've bought into the worldview, as you imply. Yes, there's a worldview that makes an idol out of being thin, muscular, and attractive. But there's also the Oprah worldview that says that you're okay just the way you are, no matter what that is, and I think that's just as dangerous.

I'm not talking about making an idol out of our shape. I'm talking about being good stewards of our bodies. Just as alcoholism, smoking, and other things are destructive to our bodies, obesity leads to a number of health problems. Not being overweight isn't about maintaining an image. That's what our culture says. That's the worldview. If I bought into the worldview, I'd be pumping iron, not just trying to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. On the contrary, I can count on one hand the number of times I've even touched a weight bench.

Not being overweight is about treating our bodies as vessels of the Lord. That's my position and does not reflect the worldview.

9/05/2007 11:52 PM  
Blogger Joey declared,

I just read through my original post yet again and thought these quotes had emphasized my intended point as well:

"We fail to recognize that many of us are addicted to food."

"Food has, in many ways, become a god that consumes us more than Christ consumes us."

"This isn't about running marathons or modeling swimwear. It's about simply taking care of our bodies."

Yes, obesity, not over-indulgence, was the catalyst that led to these thoughts, as it's the outward, noticeable sign of a potential problem. But I thought I had made it clear that over-indulgence and a lack of self-control was the issue at the heart of it and that obesity is only a sign - thought not always a sign - of it. If I hadn't originally made that clear, hopefully I have now.

9/06/2007 12:13 AM  
Blogger Carla declared,

Thought provoking post, Joey. I do not perceive myself as fat, but I HAVE fat. My Body Fat % is over 20. Ideally I would like it to be less than that. A woman who weighs 140 with a BF% of 38 will look totally different than a woman who weighs 150 with BF% of 15. More muscle, less fat. Am I addicted to food as the world says? Yes. I sin. My first thought when I am struggling with something, or feeling sad, mad or glad is FOOD! Not Jesus. For this I must repent and pray that God give me strength for today. That He meet me in my struggle.

9/06/2007 7:10 AM  
Blogger Keithslady declared,

Lots of controversy here, but I get why Joey posted this. His initial observation was of overweight pastors and their wives. I doubt his intent was to just single out this group but I admit it can sort of jump out at you.

In our community the pastor from a particular denomination and his wife are both grossly obese. They overflow ample restaurant chairs and visibly waddle to walk. A few years ago we entertained a pastor and his family from out of town. They were of the same small denomination and this pastor and his wife were even more overweight than the local pastor. I was concerned that our old, rickety couches would not hold up and would embarrass them. They could not pull their chairs up to the table and had to reach far over their midlines to get to their plates.

I try not to make generalizations but whenever I hear reference to that denomination my minds thinks of the weight issue. While I know that there can be metabolism issues, they are rare and it would be quite a coincidence if four unrelated people in such a case all suffered from the same thing.

So, Joey, I think the point you're making is that, like it or not, the leaders in our church DO live in glass houses to some extent and this is just one area where testimony is painfully evident.

9/06/2007 8:23 AM  
Blogger Brandy Dopkins declared,

I am remaining self-controlled here. Most of what I would like to say has been already said. However, while I understand that a great rule of blogging is to have a catchy title, this one is just plain mean. I can just hear the disdain as I read it aloud.

Joey, you and I are skinny people. We may say we understand the struggling with hunger, or that we too are sometimes a little overweight, but face it. We have no idea. It's easy to ask why people can't just have more self control in an area that is not difficult for us to control.

And none of us have freedom to use venomous words, even if we are speaking an evident truth. Because I have never witnessed any such unkindness from you firsthand and I know you to be a man of character and quality, I’m betting you didn’t mean it how it came across.

9/06/2007 6:58 PM  
Blogger Joey declared,

I would agree that I wasn't going for classiness when I wrote the title, but I wasn't going for mean. The blog post was the result of some observations on overweight pastors and overweight pastors' wives and questions that resulted from those observations. Therefore, the title was intended to reflect that.

I suppose if I'd used the word "overweight" rather than "fat" it would have gone over a little better, but I doubt it. I've never thought of the word "fat" as a venomous word - certainly not when it's not directed personally at an individual.

Either way, thanks for the recognition of my intention versus your reaction.

As far as us not understanding the struggle with weight, you're right, I don't relate in the way that those who are severely overweight do. But then, weight was only the thought that got me going on the greater issue of being healthy in general.

Anyway, I have a lot of other thoughts that I could jot down, but they would likely only result in greater consternation in someone and that was never the intent to begin with. I don't understand why self-control with food and healthiness in general is an untouchable issue, but self-control with other things (video games, sports, alcohol, etc.) are dealt with every day with no qualms from anyone. But, I'm done trying to understand; I think I've probably irked enough people to make it worth opening up more questions on this or any related topic.

9/06/2007 7:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous declared,

Joey,

Interesting post - the comments it generated seemed to lend weight to your premise that obesity is a taboo topic not to be discussed. Timotheos apparently didn't read your initial post very closely as his knee-jerk reaction had already been addressed. Sure its tough to repent of gluttony, I suspect a heroine addict might say the same, but I somehow think we'd be less sympathetic to this line of reasoning from a drug addict. Apparently not all see the evident hypocrisy here.

Further, Timotheos' point, "Yes, the Bible speaks against gluttony, but there is no ideal shape that is mentioned in the Bible." is akin to the alcoholic demanding a passage that mentions an appropriate blood alcohol content.

blessings...

9/10/2007 10:53 AM  
Blogger Timotheos declared,

Joey,
My apologies for the delay in responding! Thank you for your clarifications. Please forgive me for the use of the phrase 'I am a fat pastor' to begin the post. It placed my comments in the wrong light, and with that phrase I was being reactionary.

Also, as I first read your post, I saw your exception clauses, not so much as clarifications, but rather akin to how liberals tend to say they support the troops, but not the war. Your further clarifications show me that this is not the case, and that I had misread you on this. Your clarifications show me that we have similar views on these things, which is why I would like to replug that FCC offers classes on Healthy Living.
Again, thank you! If I may, since the initial post and my post and your clarifications, I have pondered this post, while waiting for a time when I may comment, and I would like to submit to you a recommendation. The use of the parenthetical remark 'and their fat wives', was a piece that is unduly harsh. My wife is not fat, so this did not personally land on me at all. But to bring up pastor's wives, is akin to picking on someone's mother. Pastors wives hold no official position in the church, and are not to be treated as if they hold an official position in the church, and the inclusion of pastor's wives, made the post less able to be swallowed than if you would have gone a different route by not including this. I understand from your comment to Brandy that no malice was intended by the inclusion of the phrase, I am speaking primarily here about placing a responsibility on pastor's wives, as a default leadership position in the church when the Scriptures don't speak that way.
Thanks, Joey, and blessings!

9/18/2007 10:56 PM  
Blogger Michael Seiler declared,

I am a young Christian who has been struggling with the church since becoming born again.

I have heard the defenses. ‘We are all sinners, and all hypocrites etc.’

I still am left with a huge sense of disappointment and insecurity with the church (mainly leadership). The Lord has truly been my rock in this stage!

BUT LISTEN UP

The Bible calls for us to submit to the elders 1 Peter 5:5

Are we supposed to submit to anyone who calls themselves Pastor?

This is an obvious NO! We need to discern and challenge according to the Bible! The Bible has a lot to say about overcoming sin. I believe that when one becomes a pastor he should be a mature, blameless Christian who has overcome ALL the major sins!

The truth is GOD HAS RULES for elder ship. 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1:5-6...

I DO NOT see these rules being followed!

I would like to be a pastor… I am a dad to 2 girls (2 and 4) and possibly a third on the way. I am young in my faith and lack certain requirements. Namely the 'children' are not yet believers. WHAT? You mean to say GOD, that I may not become a pastor until my girls are older and confess faith in Your Son? Well that's what the Bible says! (Titus 1:6) So I prayed to God that he would prepare me in the next 10 to 20 years while I wait for my children to become believers! Besides, I have a tonne to learn!

Titus also calls for Self-Control. So I question overweight pastors.

Are we supposed to fast? Yes! So tell me how easy it is going to be for a gluttonous Christian to fast, when you can't go a few hours without nausea from lack of food! So I believe it is absolutely essential for all Christians and especially pastors and elders to have control over their bodies.

There is this huge sense of urgency in the church (almost like the ‘new movement’ – after charismatics) Young pastors, women pastors (men are just not doing the job, they say!) Well, I don’t see in the Bible where it says that in the last days God’s word can be altered and changed. People are ignoring parts of scripture! WOW, that seems Very Dangerous!


This last point is the most important as it has completely changed my perspective on mainstream Christianity and its pastors.

As Christians the great command is LOVE. AGAPE!

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”


2 Peter 1:

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love (agape).

-------

I think the question is weather or not one precedes the next.

I think quite plainly that it does.

When you become a Christian, your first and initial prompting from the Holy Spirit is to take on the roll of 'goodness'. Secondly before we can even muster the latter part of the verses, things like self control, perseverance and godliness, we need knowledge of God's Word! Really how am I to know to consider trials, pure joy! Well, with self control, we then become able to persevere. I think this is another self explanatory!

Well godliness, I think sums up a lot of the previous verses. After looking at several NT verses, I think that godliness has a lot to do with humility, humbleness, mercy and grace etc. I guess the overall Character of a person.

Brotherly Kindness. This one is hard for me to answer. When I think of this phrase. I look at myself. 'My Brotherly kindness towards other Christians.' I see some serious flaws. I may not like this person, or have negative feeling about another. This inevitably causes us to treat others differently. We can try or pretend to be kind, this I am not sure is genuine. I think when we reach this phase (brotherly kindness), and when this 'burden' is lifted, we start to see the souls of the people rather than the flesh. Thus we are able to be kind and caring towards them with no discrimination. (James:2)

Agape. Well this is what it all comes down to!


If the above is right, which I do believe it is (minus some of my explanations possibly! ha) But if the preceding factor is correct.

Well then, this sums up a humongous problem with so so many Christians, and pastors and leaders.

Until I move up this ranking how am I to 'love' my wife and the body too, according to 1 Corinthians 13:4. Furthermore, how can I be a Sheppard to a flock? Without Agape, in troubles I will just flee! John 10:13

How many people (AND PASTORS) out there are claiming 'love' without knowledge, self control, godliness etc. I would say most!

I have this great hope that I will someday be able to give a Godly Love to others which will make me most beneficial to the Master (2 Timothy 2:20)

This however takes time, and patience (perseverance)

Further more I can start to seek pastors and elder ship that meet Godly credentials to be my leaders!.

God is great! Alleluia!

P.S. I do realize that we start off with a basis of these attributes (goodness to Agape). However they are mere seeds, and need to be watered in proper sequence to obtain full grown fruitful trees!

10/02/2007 10:17 PM  
Blogger Joey declared,

Tim,

Thanks for the reply. I really do appreciate it. The one thought I wanted to respond to was this:

"The use of the parenthetical remark 'and their fat wives', was a piece that is unduly harsh. My wife is not fat, so this did not personally land on me at all. But to bring up pastor's wives, is akin to picking on someone's mother."

I see your point and I won't argue with it, but did want to clarify the reason I included it. The primary reason was that it was part of the discussion my wife and I were having, and therefore made it into the post (we were discussing overweight pastors along with their overweight wives).

But I think there's a clear distinction between a pastor's mother and a pastor's wife. A pastor is called to be responsible for his household, and his wife is part of his household. That's what spawned the thoughts I had on including pastors' wives in the discussion.

Having said that, I have seen pastors whose wives have strayed in far more serious areas than obesity and I don't think it means they should step down from the pulpit. It still could be argued that it reflects somewhat on the pastor as well, but there are so many contributing factors to each possible scenario that it's not exactly fair to pin the blame on the pastor.

Anyway, thanks for your follow-up comment and the input you've had to the conversation. It's definitely helped me with my perspective.

10/18/2007 11:49 PM  
Blogger The Registered Undersigned declared,

Wow, great post.

I found this post when I Google searched "food addiction." I have been struggling with food addiction on and off since my middle school years.

I am thin, athletic, and fairly active, so I have found I can get away with publicly gorging and no one cares. No one dares to brand me as a food addict because I am so far from fat.

...yet food CONSUMES me. I work next to a Dairy Queen and when I am stressed out, all I can think about is my next Blizzard. I sometimes get ice cream three times in a day from three different places.

You are right, churches DO tend to overlook food addiction and gluttony. I am a youth minister and go to a ton of church functions. Food is EVERYWHERE and we are all ENCOURAGED to eat as much as we want. I also live in the south, so the culture of the area tends to be "food is love!" No no. GOD is love. FOOD is supposed to be fuel, but is SO easy to abuse and get addicted to because it is essential to our bodies.

Since Lent is coming up, I have decided to give up sweets, junk food, and alcohol in hopes to put an end to my food addiction (I do it in spurts; sometimes I forget I once even HAD a food addiction and sometimes it bites with a vengence) and remind myself of what really matters in this world: God.

2/24/2009 9:31 AM  

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