In a recent church planter training I attended, Steve Childers, the President and CEO of Global Church Advancement, lamented the way in which so many church planters wear themselves out. Church planters tend to be hard workers and overachievers, which often leads them to being unhealthy. They sacrifice their health for the ministry. Although they seek to advance God’s Kingdom through their hard work, they inevitably hurt the work by not being mentally and physically at their best. Childers suggested six ways of staying healthy:
- Sleep: 8 hours of sleep a night. Although you might be able to get by with 5 hours of sleep, you have simply learned to function in a state of sleep deprivation. You need 8 hours of sleep.
- Sun: 15 minutes in the sun each day, without sunscreen. Sunlight helps the body’s production of vitamin D, which helps support various systems of your body. You can go for a walk or run. Eat lunch outside. Play outdoor sports.
- Solitude: Schedule times to be with God, away from everything else.
- Sabbath rest: Select a day of the week when you can rest. Saturday and Sunday usually do not work because of church responsibilities.
- Sex: Physical intimacy is often the first thing to be neglected when life is busy. Neglecting time with your wife will make your marriage unhealthy and further affect your physical and mental health.
- Sweat: Physical exercise is crucial if you are to be healthy.
(7. In addition to these six suggestions, I would add the importance of eating healthy. For most people this means drinking more water and eating more vegetables, fruit and whole grains.)
By remaining healthy you are being a good steward of the body God has given you. In addition, you are setting yourself up to be more effective in your love and service of God, your family, the church, and your city.
