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« Why Barbie Needs Ken After All | Main | Michael Vick's Long Road to Recovery »

February 15, 2011

Why Your Church Needs a Dr. Oz

Fitness programs like the one launched at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church rightfully teach us that exercise and healthy eating are not spiritually 'neutral.'

Laura Leonard

Where do you exercise? Your basement? Your backyard? Your gym? Your church?

Browsing the list of weekly programs offered at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church, fitness classes and weight-loss support groups are now listed alongside baptism and leadership training classes.

Warren made headlines last month when he announced his New Year’s resolution: to lose a whopping 90 pounds in 2011. Warren is certainly not alone in his goal: Every January, millions of people pledge to lose weight, get in shape, and eat healthier, and evangelical Christians have long used Christ-based fitness programs, like Gwen Shamblin’s The Weigh Down Diet and Jordan Rubin’s The Maker’s Diet, in their personal routines.

What make Warren's announcement headline-worthy was the significant commitment of his church’s time and resources to pursuing health and fitness, in the form of what he calls “the Daniel Plan: God’s Prescription for Your Health.” Developed specifically for Saddleback by Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Mark Hyman, and Dr. Mehmet Oz (Oprah’s health guru), the Daniel Plan, Warren says, is a “healthy lifestyle program including a six-week small group study, an online profile you will create on this Website that will help you track your progress, monthly Webcasts with me interviewing leading health experts, an optional healthy choice menu, and new outdoor fitness equipment set-up on the Lake Forest campus.”

When Rick Warren decides to do something public, it becomes a big deal. Over 6,000 people attended the kick-off event, which featured speakers Amen, Hyman, and Oz (all of which are advisers to the program), and thousands more watched at the church’s satellite campuses and online. The church has evangelistic hopes in mind. “This is God's prescription for your health," Warren told The Orange County Register. "This is the greatest opportunity for you to introduce friends to Saddleback Church through a non-threatening event."

As Saddleback focuses its energies on physical fitness, I have as well — and have come to believe that a focused diet and fitness plan can drastically reshape our spiritual lives.

If you’re anything like me, you think about food a lot during the day: whether or not you’re hungry, what you’re going to eat for dinner, what you need to buy at the grocery store. My thoughts are dominated by food, but I had never really thought of this as a spiritual issue. Out of physical necessity, food is part of our daily routines. Because of this, to think of food as a “neutral” human activity, one that God doesn’t care about one way or another, is to create a dangerous divide that removes God from a significant portion of our lives. And his presence makes this part of our lives fuller and gives us purpose, connecting us to his purpose and creativity in coming to more fully understand the unique ways God created us to enjoy every kind of food.

Though not all of us may "feel God’s pleasure” when we run or spend time on the elliptical, the act of exercise can strengthen our understanding of our bodies as God’s creations. I’ve never been an exerciser — much less a runner — but when I feel my muscles burn, I am reminded that God has created me with the ability to do more than I can right now, and that to strive toward that goal is a way to more fully pursue all that God has intended for me. The same is true with food. For all the complex rules and plans marketed in the multibillion-dollar diet industry, weight loss can really be broken down to one rule: eat less calories. You could lose weight eating nothing but potato chips, as long as you consumed fewer calories than you burned.

But this is not what a Christian vision of health looks like. As I’ve begun learning more about health and nutrition (with the help of two recent Christianity Today cover stories) I do my best to fill my body with nutritious, natural foods that help my body function better. This is a new way of thinking for me. Before, food was all about pleasure. As long as it tasted good, I had little concern for how it might affect my body. This seems like such an obvious idea, but I have to believe I’m not the only one who has allowed myself to settle for this low view of food and my body. And this is not how God has called us to live! By eating foods that allow our bodies to best perform the functions for which God created them, we glorify him as best we can (1 Cor. 10:31). For me, this attitude spills over into every area of my spiritual life. Once I let go of the idea that life is about pursuing tangible pleasures, I learned to focus on the great intentions God has for my life rather than the realities I often settle for.

By bringing this whole process into the context of the local church, Saddleback has enriched these experiences by encouraging their community to expand the meaning of living life together. Too often the Christians who do decide to pursue healthy living and eating do so independently, either because they don’t want to admit their issues with food (and so many of us have them) or don’t want others to feel judged for their own choices. But as a result, it’s not getting talked about, and we’re closing off a large part of our lives that does, in fact, have spiritual implications from the people God has placed in our lives to offer support. Any effort to more fully live life together is one worth pursuing.

This doesn’t mean every Christian should embark on a rigorous diet or an ambitious exercise program. But to pursue more fully what it means to be God’s physical creations, to submit our daily choices to his will, and to share together in these pursuits — surely this is something closer to a healthy understanding of health and fitness as they could be and should be in the life of the church.

Comments

I reckon this is a tricky one. I'm an avid gym goer myself but there's something dangerous about gym culture, especially the obsession with looking good. I agree that health and fitness are not areas of our lives that should be separate from the Christian life but something still doesn't sit right with me about a church that runs an exercise program. Maybe I feel it could too easily become a form of prosperity doctrine - 'healthy' could quickly turn to 'glamorous'.

I hate to say it, but this feels like more "secularization" of the church, than the other way around. I'm afraid that we are really blurring the lines between church and culture and soon we won't be able to tell the difference.

I hope I am wrong and that this is really a good thing, but we should be very careful that we don't lose sight of our real goals as a church. Are these three "mentors" Christians themselves?

i'm so glad there are mega churches to control every area of our lives. why on earth would i ever want to cross paths with a lost person? thanks to churches like saddleback and others like it, no one ever has to leave the "church" (read: building) again!

A lot of Christians think that the laws of the Old Testament were done completely away with when Jesus died and was resurrected, and a lot of times they don't even bother reading those versus (I know until recently I had a hard time getting through all those laws) - and while we can all argue until we are blue in the face whether or not some or even all of them are valid anymore, if you pay any attention you realize that there are laws about food and living healthy. In hindsight we now know why God told the Jews not to eat pork. He made pigs to be the garbage disposals - if they aren't cooked right people can get very sick from eating pork and pigs are chock full of worms that can make us very sick. We've all heard about the story that it wasn't until doctors started washing their hands that the death rate for women giving birth plummeted. Did you know it was a Jewish doctor following hand washing rules?

God very much cares what we put into our bodies and I do believe that the church should put emphasis on it - however.... I believe there are something over 400 laws in the Torah and without doing any research at all, I'd be surprised if 75 of them have to do with food and health. In other words, it IS important, but there are other things that are more important.

I know that Saddlebrook has gotten a lot of flack since Dr. Oz is a Muslim and I know a lot of people are giving them flack about this in general. I think more churches should put some emphasis on people living healthy. We have an epidemic in America - our food stinks, most of us are way overweight (myself included), and let's face it - how many of us have little energy in our daily lives (I barely have enough to work 8 hours a day) - how much of this is a spiritual battle where Satan and his army are fighting to keep us paralyzed because we don't have the energy to do what we need to do?

We need to revamp the way we deal with food and exercise. I don't have all the answers because I believe its a personal journey that one must take with God - each of us is a different person, different reasons why we are fat, and its going to take different methods to help each of us. I don't know if what Saddlebrook is doing is right or not. I'm uncomfortable with using secular wisdom when there are a few good Christians out there with good answers. But I also know that I was talking with a Christian nutritionist - when someone comes to her she asks God what the best plan would be for that person - whether it be Atkins, South Beach, Diabetes diet, etc.... and He answers her. One of those answers surprised her one day and she asked Him about it because that plan's research all came from the idea that we had evolved. He told her that He had tried to impart this wisdom on His believers but they would not listen, so He gave it to an unrighteous man - while how the man got there (his research) was false, his results were correct. I confirmed this to her as well, because I felt the same answers when reading that book.

I don't know. I don't think condemning Saddlebrook is the answer. Having come from a Baptist background where food is a major part of fellowship (as it should be, go back and read what part of your tithe money is supposed to be used for ;0) ) I do know that there is a major problem. God grant us wisdom!

I honestly think this church is breaking biblical standards. The Bible bluntly tells us what kinds of people should be teachers and leaders, (see 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9) and none of those descriptors list medical training and heavens to betsy the guys they are letting teach ARENT EVEN CHRISTIANS. Giving a nonchristian a pulpit in your church is like..... I cant even understand that!

The church is a place of Christian fellowship, to encourage each other to seek Christ, to sharpen each other, to understand the hope that is within us, to share the gospel with ourselves and each other, to worship, to baptize, to pray, to sing. Should the church encourage people to be healthy? Of course. But making physical fitness an idol is not the way to go. The Bible even says that while men look at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart.

Not to mention that the whole idea of a fast is to keep it a secret from the droves. Not to go screaming about it. Isn't that what Jesus said? And its to seek God, not to seek fitness. At least call it a diet for goodness sake, not a fast.

Laura, thanks for this post! I completely agree. God definitely cares about what we put into our bodies and how we take care of ourselves. Having discipline with food spills over and influences how we discipline our spiritual lives. Eating healthfully and exercising is not just a "secular" notion, but a way for us to honor God and give thanks for what he has given us.

I agree that physical fitness and health are spiritual issues. Our bodies our temples, and we should take care of them. Not to mention, not exercising and eating healthy can make you feel down and miserable, and it's pretty hard to have a satisfying relationship with God (or anybody) when you're feeling that way. Not exercising makes you sluggish and tired. What kind of a life is that?

As a mediocre runner, I train for races just for fun and the exhileration that running brings you on a warm summer day when you are fit and healthy is indescribable. I believe vigorous physical exercise is good for the soul like prayer is.

HOwever, it's sad to see that people always need to be attracted by some "program" or "movement" within the church or anywhere to start doing these kinds of things, when really, it's common sense.

I suspect that the motivation from a celebrity to keep in shape, or do anything, is not the kind of motivation that lasts.

I agree that exercise and healthy eating habits are important, and certainly have spiritual applications and benefits. Saddleback's program I'm sure will also be a great opportunity for members to invite friends and non-believers to church.

Like many of the other commenters have mentioned, I also think we need to be cautious in the ways we connect food and exercise to the Christian walk, and God's voice in our lives. For people who struggle with unhealthy eating habits and disorders (which is likely, many), this can be shaky ground. The connection can make their struggle even more confusing, and good intentions can get twisted into "spiritual rules" that are more damaging to the person than beneficial.

There is a long tradition in Christianity (the monastic movements) and in other religions of combining spiritual practices like study, prayer, and meditation with physical practices like fasting, exercize, or work. There is of course always the danger of allowing the physical aspects to overshadow the spiritual aspects, but this danger is always present in our lives anyway. What this church is doing is not truly new, it is a new expression of traditional practices in modern context. Good program, and good article.

Another way of making Christianity "useful." How can diet and fitness be of equal value with baptism? Only when everything in the world, including God, is a tool that can be used to produce the outcomes we have chosen. Can't you hear how instrumental this sounds? Everything in life is subject to a program, a set of techniques, to our master and control. Another fad to chase until something more effective comes along. I would rather join the Y.

It seems to me the church needs to re-look at what the Bible says it is supposed to do: worship the Lord,preach the Word, make disciples and administer the sacrements rightly.

Peripheral activities should not be the big focus. Christians should go out from the church into the world to reach the lost. Those who are interested can then be brought to the church to hear the Word of God. All we can do is plant the seed. God brings the harvest. If we just camp at the church all the time and don't mix with the world, how do we reach the lost?

As for the comment of Joy regarding the Christian nutritionist, I would be very concerned if someone told me that God had "told them" most anything unless it came through reading scripture. How does the nutritionist know it was God speaking to her? What happens when one Christian nutritionist tells you God told them you should be on the South Beach Diet and another Christian nutritionist tells you God told them you should be on the Adkins Diet? How do you determine who (if eiether) actually heard from God? Personally, I would want a nutritionist, Christian or not, who had the proper training to determine what was likely to be the best diet for me--and not one who listened for voices. That seems completely unscriptural to me.

Mixed about this. Overemphasis on diet and exercise isn't healthy but just looking around (and down) shows me that things are out of whack. Our relationship to our bodies and to food is not healthy for most of us. If our lives aren't healthy then there is a role for the church in helping us fix it. So much of our church culture is focused around food and there is a healthy place for this kind of fellowship but for many of us we need to learn new habits.

Unscriptural to hear the voice of God? Um....

Genesis 22:1-12
I Samuel 3
Daniel
Ezekiel
Acts 5:3 (who do you think told Peter what Ananias and Sapphira were up to)
1 John 4:1-3 - why else would we be instructed to test the spirits. If God wasn't speaking to us then we would be told to ignore all spirits - not test them.
Revelation

And that's also how you know whether or not the nutritionist is hearing from God. You ask Him. If you have peace about it, then so be it. If not, then run.

I believe that God has created beautiful bodies for each of us and that maintaining the health of that body is a spiritual discipline for us all. However, creating a weight loss focus in the church IS tricky and could be dangerous. Some women who have participated in such programs in our town and have failed to lose weight or have gained weight have equated their weight loss success with their relationship to God. When they failed to lose weight, they failed God, etc.

I think the real solution is learning the issue behind weight gain, whatever it may be, addressing that through the church, whether it be a recovery program, counseling, or whatever and then creating a healthy wholistic lifestyle to go with a healthy mind and spirit.

Nadine - you hit it on the head as to why I was so ambivalent about this program - its the celebrity part of it. I think there would have been much less criticism if they had gone with local doctors, nutritionists, etc...

Jan - um...no.... Sometimes its hard here to tell if people are being argumentative or actually curious as to what someone meant. I'm going to assume you are being curious. There are a lot of Christians out there who reject that God still speaks to people. This is because there is the belief that because the Bible is written and finished that God has nothing more to say to us (to put it very succinctly). Which I find absurd and cannot find any Biblical evidence that supports this theory - and I've never once seen someone give Biblical evidence either - they just say it was the age of the apostles, etc.... If someone were to pick up a Bible, not knowing any Christians, any denominations, or theology, they would see God speaking to His children many, many times. I was raised in such a church, and as I've gotten older, I've gotten curious, "Does God still speak to us?". If we are supposed to pray about moving, a new job, etc... then why are we praying if we don't expect an answer? For those who reject that God will respond with a verbal answer they still acknowledge the idea of "peace in their hearts" and an "unsettled spirit" - since God is the Comforter and He grants peace this is not just a feeling but a state of being. Someone could prove me wrong but I don't think any of us can be peaceful without God's interference :) - There are some that totally reject that concept as well. At which point, I have no idea what they do for guidance from God.

My advice is to always just ask God. Ask God "If you still speak to people today, I want to hear your voice and only your voice." and see what He does. I've longed wondered if the reason why people say that God doesn't speak anymore is not because He doesn't but because they don't want Him to.

Anyway, this is so totally off the topic so I'll bring it back around. When I first heard about what Saddlebrook was doing - I felt unsettled in my spirit. I didn't know if it was because everyone around me was critical of what they were doing or if it was because of what they were doing. Nadine, like I've already stated, finally put a word to what was bothering, which is "celebrity" - I'm fine with Saddlebrook making this a public event, but they are using Hollywood to do it.

My husband directs The Gathering Place, a sports/fitness facility at Community Church of Greenwood, IN. 2 years ago The Totally Fit Life System (created by Coach Don Nava) was introduced. TFL incorporations exercise, nutrition, spiritual and emotional growth and personal goal setting. We have seen many introduced to Christ, believers grow through the discpline/accountability of the system and many have seen significant improvements in their health. The program is not about "weight" -- it's about health; spiritual and physical! While my husband is passionate about fitness and his idea of a fun is working out, I am on the other end of the spectrum. But, I have throughly enjoyed the TFL classes which meet 3xs a week -- the comradarie, encouragement and variety keep me coming back to each class. The great thing is that the classes can be conducted in almost any space --you don't have to have a gym or a big budget for equipment. Check out totallyfitlife.com and learn that Saddleback is not "1st" in this area of ministry!

Love it!
To the point, articulate and interesting.
What is the Best Fitness Program?
Thanks!!

One more thing to add to my to do list.

Has no one any discernment at all in the church? Is a "health plan" part of the Great Commission? Does anyone know that all of these so-called "experts" are proponents of Eastern/mystical meditation techniques? I challenge all Christians to really look into this and find out what is really going on. While you are at it, check out the UN's Agenda 21. "Sustainable living"? Give me a break! Mr. Warren is leading Christians to a place they should have no part in.

There are lots of questions left unanswered, such as what kind of teaching/leading are the fitness advisers doing? Are there believers with the training to fill these positions? What are the goals of Saddleback for the fitness programs? I think the Bible, especially the book of Proverbs, give a lot of godly advice on how to live life. Not always easy to discern and apply. I am uncomfortable with the idea of God speaking directly to people today because I see a lot of abuse and many of us have great difficulty discerning between the voice of God and the voice of wishful thinking.
All of us are into feeling good. Are we willing to give up quick pleasure for health and strength? Our purpose should be to glorify God, but it is hard for us humans to grasp what that means.

This is very much an issue of missional theology. In all aspects of our lives, our question must be: is this going to inhibit or increase the proclamation of the gospel? As the author nobly points out, malnutrition is hindering the spreading of the good news, with some not having enough food and others with too much of the wrong kind. There doesn't have to be a specific Bible verse about Mickey D's to prove the truth that proper care of our bodies is essential to properly caring for the mission God has bestowed on the church.

We actually just started a Get Fit program at our church plant in Quincy, MA: The River Church. It was born out of the fact that many of us feel as though we are living in an unhealthy way, but there are all sorts of life circumstances making it difficult for us to change.

So we created a space for people to feel supported in this area. We pray for each other, we tell each other "good job" when we've done what we set out to do, and we don't judge anyone for their choice of workout program or diet plan. If it works for you - hallelujah! I don't have to love it for it to work for you.

It's been great. I love the support. And I want to be a healthier person despite time and desire being against me sometimes.

Praise God that we can have fun together and that we can welcome others into that experience.

Thanks for all your comments! I agree that it's dangerous when a specific outcome, like weight loss or BMI, become too closely tied with spirituality. But I do think it's equally dangerous when we fail to submit a huge area of our lives to God and really and truly seek the best he has for us.

And I agree that the church should have a very strong missional focus, but the Great Commission asks us to go out and make disciples of all the nations--does not submitting our bodies to God fall under the umbrella of disciple-making? If we say things like, "well, individuals should go out and do it themselves," doesn't this undermine the value of the community? We offer Bible studies with the primary goal of strengthening the faith of believers in a communal context; I don't see this as hugely different from that in that it allows brothers and sisters in Christ to work out together something that could be personal and to incorporate its practice more deeply into one's faith.

As far as the doctors being leaders in the church--it is my understanding that they helped devise the physical aspects of the plan, i.e. diet and fitness, and not the spiritual aspects. Their role as advisers is purely to provide medical advice, as any safe diet and fitness plan should have.

while I do believe that taking good care of our physical bodies is important, this just seems like marketing/franchising/etc. (Just like the whole megachurch movement is about marketing/franchising/etc.)

It seems that folks are commenting on several different issues here, one, whether a church should have an exercise program as part of their mission, and whether we should be fit, period. I'll let others comment on whether there should be a fitness program in a church, as that brings up all sorts of issues concerning megachurches and their role in the Kingdom. But if we are arguing whether we should be fit or not, there is no argument. We are created as holistic, rather than compartmentalized, beings. All aspects of our being are important, interrelated, and effect the others. What affects us spiritually, affects our emotions. What affects us physically, affects us spiritually, etc. We are whole, and one cannot say where one part of us ends and the next begins. All aspects of our being must be brought into surrender to Jesus, which means my body, what I eat, and how I take care of myself. He desires our health in every area so that we can serve him more fully and completely. We are called to steward our entire being for his glory. If that means we exercise in a church or on our own or a "secular" gym, let's just do it!

In response to Tamie's question about whether Saddleback's health plan leaders are Christian, Dr. Oz isn't a Christian. He's a Muslim.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/facesofamerica/profiles/dr-mehmet-oz/4/

I am positive there are many Christian doctors who Mr. Warren could have asked to be part of this program. That he chose these three doctors is interesting, to say the least.

Also, in the OT, Daniel did not go on a "diet" because he was out of shape, obese, or unhealthy. He and his friends refused the king's rich foods out of obedience to God. Sadly, I do not see obedience OR God as part of this program.

I agree that Americans need to eat healthier, exercise more, and take care of their health. Most commercial weight-loss and/or exercise programs are secular. I am disappointed that Mr. Warren is promoting through his church a program that is not much different than most secular programs and is incorporating a lot of New Age practices with it.

I know I need to get fit, and that God cares very much about my health and efforts to maintain it. But the last thing my church or any other church needs, is a "Dr. Oz"! Dr. Oz promotes such un-godly practices as hypnosis (Google "Dr. Oz show mass hypnosis") and Reiki, which is a New Age practice in which the practioner "channels" spiritual energy into their "patient". The 21st century church has lost discernment, and has become fair game for whatever new fad is out there!

Honestly, The Great Commission has nothing to do with weight loss programs but doing our part in bringing others to salvation through Jesus Christ. These physical bodies are fading away, yet our spirits hopefully, are being renewed day by day. Yes, take care of ourselves in moderation but let's remember to care for our souls more.

I do wonder about our church buildings becoming more an exercise in "entertainment" and myriad programs and less for worship. It doesn't bother me that Dr. Oz is Muslim, but if Rick Warren wants to lose weight, why can't he do it quietly without all the hoopla?

The Church has completely lost perspective. We serve The LORD, it is HIS Church and we are HIS Body, not the other way around. Saddleback Church continues to exhibit questionable @ best practices. Now ask yourself, why would a pastor align himself with a muslim (who does not believe JESUS is GOD), who himself is aligned with a hater of GOD (Oprah)?

JESUS said:

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Matthew 7:15-23 NKJV

What true Christian would even entertain the idea of even giving the appearance of siding with evil? JESUS chose us out of the world: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:18-19 NKV

All too often we get the idea that 'we' need to 'run' The Church. Lest we forget what Our LORD said: And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18 NKJV

When we do this we always run the risk of situation like these. I am not denying the validity of a healty lifestyle, but for whose glory, ours or GOD's.

Christians need to wake-up and drop to their knees in these last-days because yes, the days are evil and we can be deceived. We are supposed to be salt and light in this world, not followers of it! Paul sums it up:

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM. I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE." Therefore "COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM AND BE SEPARATE, SAYS THE LORD. DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN, AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU." "I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY." 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NKJV

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:1-5 NKJV

Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 2 Timothy 2:19-21 NKJV

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 2 Timothy 4:1-4 NKJV

And finally Jude states:

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4 NKJV

Dr. Oz may be Muslim but he heavily promotes many New Age practices. As a former New Ager, I am quite concerned to see someone like this promoted in a church. Some people may think since he's being brought into the church, that his books and advice are something to check out. Dr. Hyman also recommends some New Age practices, and worse, the Christian doctor, Dr. Amen, practices and promotes a Hindu meditation called Kirtan Kriya that is totally pagan. He has also written a book with a man who teaches a form of tantric yoga. Why not bring in 3 doctors who are solid and mature Christians? Ironically, bringing in these 3 doctors goes against the message in the book of Daniel.

I also agree with someone else here who noted that the refraining from meat and rich foods in Daniel had nothing to do with health or going on a diet, but was to honor God and obey Him. While we should take care of our health and eat wisely, that is no reason to bring doctors with unsound and dangerous spirituality into a church.

http://www.christiananswersforthenewage.org

Side note to statement in article: Gwen Shamblin's Weigh-Down Workshop is hardly a "Christ-based" fitness program. Shamblin denies the Trinity, putting her squarely in the "cults" camp. Avoid. End of story.
http://www.equip.org/articles/gwen-shamblin-weighed-found-wanting

Rick Warren now partners with New Agers, and this is supposed to be good news? And how is this scriptural?
He endorses yoga......which any truthful swami will tell you CANNOT be separated from its Hindu roots. It is a SPIRITUAL practice!
"Christian" yoga?
http://www.newswithviews.com/West/marsha30.htm

He's going to maintain an online database? Great!....when the global church gets rolling, he can share all that info with the government.....and globally through his seat on the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

Warren admits CFR membership:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHsGwEzed_I

Fantastic. This just keeps getting better.

As far as I am concerned, The Daniel Plan can go into the trash can with Rick Warren's globalist P.E.A.C.E. Plan and his unscriptural, church-destroying Purpose Driven paradigm.

Wake up people!! Can't you see the apostasy raging while one world church being formed right before your very eyes?......with this man leading the charge!

OK. All you that are critizing Saddleback and Rick Warren. I am an evangelical conservative Christian living 6 miles from this church. A fat person on our area is NOT a witness for the Lord nor an example that anyone would want to follow. Being overweight brings about so many illnesses that prove the person needs control in their lives in order to honor God. I know a lot of people from Saddleback that are evangelizing and on missions trips and I know also those who claim to go there and there isn't one evidence in their lives to show for it. How about your local church? Do you know for a fact that everyone who attends is really living and practicing being a follower of Christ? Of course, Saddleback isn't perfect and neither is Rick nor Kay but I will put them up to any of you "self-righteous or holier than thou" type of people. I also know some who have come to the Lord thru his book who wouldn't have read the Bible.

Good to see Christianity Today looking at the role fitness can play in the lives of people who want to know God. Congratulations to those churches that do Fitness Ministry. As the publisher of Faith & Fitness Magazine I help readers realize that the real opportunity is for Christians to live their faith in every aspect of life including the physical.
If we were angels THEN the physical would not play a role in our spiritual relationship with God. It is God that designed us to have a physical body. Accept it or not, God gave you a journey on earth in the physical. Don't despise his wisdom. We celebrate the miracle of life each time a baby is born. When do we decide that a body is no longer beautiful, deserving of care and a gift that we are to give back to God daily? There is so much God wants us to learn by connecting our faith and physical fitness.

Not going to get into the "should they or should they not" debate, but our church offers a FREE Fit Club once a week using dvd programs like Body Gospel by Beachbody.

Personally, I think church's are guilty of being one of the most glutenous environments when it comes to food. Think about it - we can't seem to have any meetings without food. Rich food.

There's nothing wrong with working towards some self-control (fruit of the spirit) in this area in the presence of other believers.

I attend Saddleback and have safely lost 53 pounds and am told I look 20 years ago. Good. But this happened in a commonsense manner with lifestyle changes in diet and exercise under a doctor's supervision over the past six months.

Never in a million years would I ever have turned for help to Dr. Oz and the pseudo "brain healthy" New Age and alternative medicine types Rick has invited on stage with him, and it offends me that my tithes are paying these guys to market their philosophies to my local church. They are certainly not doing it for free, I can assure you. Either they got paid or cut a cross-marketing deal in which Rick basically handed over the spiritually immature believers and non-believers to these guys and said, "Go ahead, have at 'em with your books, programs and merchandise."

This was a major, major failure on Rick's part that only further arms critics with charges of celebrity marketing methodology and doctrinal apostasy. Shame, shame, shame.

In SoCal fitness and good health are important. A fat person preaching the Gospel of Christ isn't heard because the sinner cannot see past the physical appearance. We joke that our only vice is food and eating but are we eating to glorify God or to satisfy our selves. If we really ask God to bless the food we are about to receive are we really analyzing what we are about to stuff into our mouth? How much of a testimony am I if I am a bit pudgy and putting my health at risk? If Rick Warren is getting the attention of some of his people to get on track with taking care of the temple of the Holy Spirit then fine. He hasn't changed his preaching of the gospel of Christ to do it. There was a very fat evangelical preacher in our town who only lasted 4 years because he didn't try to get his body into shape but gave excuses, his people stopped listening to him and stopped coming so he had to leave.

The miracles of green smoothies are endless.
Love hearing even more great stories like this one! Thanks for sharing!

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