Small Group Wellness – Go Small To Go Big

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By Amia Freeman

What is wellness and what role does it play in the life of a Christian; or more broadly one might ask, what role does wellness play in the Body of Christ [the broader Christian community]?

With such an ambiguous reputation, wellness as a topic might need to be looked at from a broader perspective then at the micro level, which will allow us to unpack the opportunities within itself.

According to the national council on health; the difference between health and wellness, is in short, health is a state of being, whereas wellness is the state of living a healthy lifestyle (1). Health refers to physical, mental, and social well-being; wellness aims to enhance well-being.

The World Health Organization explains it as “…a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

And the National Wellness Institute confirms wellness as “a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential.”

Considering all of this, it’s worth recognizing that wellness can be broken into eight dimensions:

occupational, emotional, spiritual, environmental, financial, physical, social, and intellectual. Each dimension of wellness is interrelated with another.

Wellness respectfully parallels the very core of a life lived in spiritual discipline. [Galatians 5, Colossians 3] In her book Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton identifies the catalyst of spiritual discipline as the gift of longing for more. This invitation offers the opportunity of naming our desires in the presence of Christ; an effort toward healing and fundamental change. As one might interpret: wellness.

Your desire for more of God than you have right now, your longing for love, your need for deeper levels of spiritual transformation than you have experienced so far is the truest thing about you. You may think that your woundedness or your sinfulness is the truest thing about you or that your giftedness or your personality type or your job title or your identity as husband or wife, mother or father, somehow defines you. But in reality, it is your desire for God and your capacity to reach for more of God than you have right now that is the deepest essence of who you are. Barton – Sacred Rhythms 2006

Like the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5 or blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52; we get to stand in the presence of Christ and hear Him ask us today “Do you want to be well. What do you want me to do for you”?

And with a definition in hand, considering the dimensions of wellness; rather than ask what wellness is; perhaps the more relevant question to ask is Do YOU WANT TO BE WELL. And then, the transformative part of that question is how can the church participate in this wellness plan? How can the church be a part of getting the Body of Christ healthy/well (mind, body, soul)?

Let’s first go to the Bible and consider what God might offer concerning His Word in this space of wellness.

We surveyed a combined cohort of fitness trainers, bible study small group leaders, pastors and fitness enthusiasts and they collectively offered wisdom regarding wellness and how the church can become a vital instrument in getting the Body of Christ healthy. 

What value does wellness-based bible study hold for the body of Christ?

• The stronger our vessel, the longer and farther we can carry the Truth to the ends of the earth. Wellness to me means health in mind, BODY, and spirit. I have a friend in my TWR (The Wellness Revelation) study right now. Her reason for starting this journey is she just started a 501c3 to help the mental health of teens after her daughter’s suicide. It is a huge undertaking mentally and spiritually, yet her attitude towards her physical health has been, “If I die I know where I am going.” With this mission God has placed on her heart, she realized she had to take care of her body so that she will be around long enough to fulfill the mission God has placed in her heart. (Faith-based Fitness instructor/enthusiast)

 

• Fully walking in the calling and freedom that He has for us. If we are bound up and only focusing on ourselves, we can’t be used as much for [God’s] Kingdom. He calls us to be well and whole and to love him more than ourselves, which to me speaks of stewardship and choosing needs vs. wants. If I’m not healthy in all areas of my life, I cannot live, move and work in space and kingdom He has called me into, at full capacity. (Faith based wellness instructor)

 

• After my baby I gained so much weight (55 pounds) being on bed rest and having bad estrogen levels. I had always worked out and been thin. Here I was just unhealthy and in my eyes, fat. I couldn’t base my worth on my looks anymore. I began doing Zumba at a church and God started speaking to my heart about who I was to Him. How beautiful altogether I was. How He simply looks at the heart seeking after Him. As I grew stronger and closer to God, I lost the weight fast because my perspective on my body changed to simply having a heart God loved to look at and a body to do His will and the ministry, He called me to – Women. I think our outer self can reflect our inner self. Our spiritual self reflects our physical one (Fitness enthusiast turned instructor)

How can the church be a part of getting the body of Christ “healthy” (mind, body and soul)? 

• For too long, the church has been silent on many issues related to health. We watched as many in the church have struggled mentally, physically, and emotionally. Some may have called to “pray it away” while others just wanted to stay on the surface level and not get into the harder issues. I’ve been encouraged that churches are beginning to shift this trend. The way we can genuinely be a part of getting the Church healthy is first, by being an example of health. We need to be striving for and talking about our own personal journey. We cannot ask for that which we are not willing to do. Second, be willing to spend the time as a church educating, bringing in professionals, allowing the facility to be used for groups and workshops, and using the main stage teaching platform to promote healthy living. When we are willing to bring to light those things we try and hide in the dark, we can find true healing and healthy shifts in our people’s lives. (Spiritual Development Pastor)

 

• I definitely think this does have to be a part of leadership and cultural development. Setting an example from the top. Solid teaching about the why and the sin that so easily entangles in this area. Gluttony, greed, selfishness etc… digging below the surface. God looks at the heart! Our hearts can be deceitful- To me it is no different than sexual sin or greed. If we saw a brother or sister committing these sins, we would say something. When it comes to our physical health providing the space, encouragement, truth and options is important. As we know the body holds the stories of our lives and for many of us trauma. There are tons of research around how exercise affects your mental health and our mental health affects your spiritual health and it becomes a cycle. What we think about matters! (Certified Personal Trainer -NASM & wellness coach)

 

• In my mind wellness is the whole person at peace. I feel if anyone is truly teaching the scriptures it has the potential to impact the whole person -spiritual and physical. So maybe I have been teaching too long, but I see both physical and spiritual outcomes are possible anytime we open Gods word for ourselves and others. If the church truly understood what wellness is and lived out of that truth, then maybe the impact would be different. Clearly Jesus “came to His own and they received Him not”. So there is no way to say IF we did this THEN this would happen BUT a healthy believer leaves a message and legacy that has an impact….and that is my hope. There is enough love for everyone… (Faith-based Fitness instructor & Wellness Coach)

 

• I love that this life is the ONLY place we get to worship God IN our physical bodies. There’s something urgent about it. If our church forgets to focus on our physical bodies it’s as if we’re not aware of the present and we’re only looking forward to that “blessed hope” – It would be wise to take into account what we’re handed, in the here and now and make the most out of being here IN our physical bodies.

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”     Ephesians‬ 5:15-16‬ ESV‬‬ So many sins we commit (Ephesians 5 list) have an effect on our bodies and when we enter into repentance (worship/movement) as a whole being we are humbling our whole self before the Lord. (Revelation Wellness Instructor)

 

• I think this is an area as a church that we may address if someone else brings it up and wants to lose weight- What I have not found is people addressing the issue in discipleship about either obsession or neglect when it comes to food and exercise. I think that this is a sensitive issue that I’m not sure if the church is necessarily always equipped to address. Another way I feel like the church can be light in this is being able to have health equity. Personal training, gym memberships, coaching can be seen as something that is a privilege not a right! (Certified Personal Trainer)

What role could small groups play in wellness?

– Developing leaders, creating interest groups, and having an intentional focus on helping our people pursue healthy living are keys. Here’s a guarantee, nothing will change if we do not make intentional shifts to bring about change. So, we raise up leaders who are passionate about physical, mental, or emotional health. But, and this is key, we have to become focused on helping them stay healthy. If all we do is pour out, we will burn out. So, we raise up leaders, focus on keeping them healthy, and then release them into our small groups to help shape our people. Small groups accomplish the application that a main stage teaching presents. We may say in a worship service, “be healthier,” but it is in the small groups that we find accountability, guidance, and community to apply what we have learned.

 

• Real talks and sermons from the pulpit. An environment that supports this kind of thinking

 

• Teaching others good stewardship of body, mind, spirit and ultimately being ready to walk out God’s plans for us.

 

• Accountability & discipleship with facilitators who have experience and walk it out (leadership) not perfection! I have seen the 8 and 9 -week model have great impact. I have also seen incredible health come from the small groups. They have helped renew faith and confidence I have seen people begin to dream and come alive with excitement and joy and freedom! You bond with this group of people that walk with you. Confession and healing begin. Having the space to explore these areas without judgement.

What about Community? How does community hold us accountable? 

The spiritual journey was never meant to be taken alone. The whole of Scripture bears this out, but Jesus’ life in particular offers us a compelling example. At the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, after praying and listening to God all night, he chose a small community of twelve disciples…Jesus’ first invitation was for them to be together with him in community, shaped by his teachings and leadership, and he remained faithful to these relationships until the end of his life. Our commitment to community and to spiritual friendship within that community is in itself a spiritual discipline that is of great significance to the spiritual life. – Ruth Haley Barton, Sacred Rhythms

 

Bible verses like Ephesians 4, Titus 1, Ephesians 2, Psalm 1:1-3, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 and Galatians 6 invite us into this space of community accountability; to be ready for the work, to walk worthy, to uphold a standard and encourage each other to do the same.

 

 It’s important that a church leader, responsible for the affairs in God’s house, be looked up to—not pushy, not short-tempered, not a drunk, not a bully, not money-hungry. He must welcome people, be helpful, wise, fair, reverent, have a good grip on himself, and have a good grip on the Message, knowing how to use the truth to either spur people on in knowledge or stop them in their tracks if they oppose it. Titus 1: 8-11 The Message

 

• I’ve seen the community and camaraderie that is built by standing alongside one another in the trenches. Being a part of a group of men that would meet at the gym and workout a few things began to shift in my personal life. Along with shifts in my personal health, I saw my spiritual and emotional get healthier as well. It also created a heightened level of discipline, physically and spiritually, and challenged me to make different choices. The level of accountability that came with having a group was equally unmatched. Giving people the opportunity to invest in my life personally helped me grow immensely. (Spiritual Growth Pastor)

 

• I have been able to facilitate small groups with this focus for the past six years- I have used a book called Women of Moderation and built content around it. The past two years I have used The Wellness Revelation. In the small groups that I have lead I have found there is a lot of shame around our physical bodies. The things that we say to ourselves in a mirror! How often do we ask each other about these things? (Common in Revelation Wellness communities- not so common outside of that) (Revelation Wellness Instructor and Personal trainer)

What about the dimensions of wellness? Integrated Health Is A Growth Opportunity.

“God intends for you to integrate His commandments into every aspect of your life, and that includes your physical and emotional health, too.” God’s Promises, Your Fitness – Family Christian Press

What we see on the outside is the result of the convictions that take place on the inside of us. We’ve been given the armor of God along with our decisions in order to fight our battles and stand up against the adversity we face. (Ephesians 3:16-21)

Our community of believers; The Body of Christ; comes along side of us and create a shield that guards our back. When we attempt to separate our lives, living in each dimension independently we live in instability and the Bible says that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. We get to seek God’s wisdom to see if we are only training what’s visible or if we are willing to train and be trained in all areas of life. Fit-ness and well-ness is a lifestyle that’s prepared to move in every range of motion requires an integrated approach to life training and development.

Did you know that the small fibers of our core; the untouchable, invisible fibers; that hold our body together allows us to move forward, to step backward, to step sideways, to bend forward; to cross over {into territory and new things}; these muscles are the supportive muscles that allow us to have full range of motion in our body. The same is true in our faith life which is why the ENTIRE BODY [community] of Christ is needed in order to be well. This is the growth opportunity of the church. 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27

• For years I lived in a box. I had my life box, my church box, my Jesus box. None of the boxes were integrated. The Holy Spirit gave me the vision of a waffle, but what I desired was more like a pancake. My heart’s desire is to have all of the boxes torn down and integrated into one. I want to teach women that Jesus is woven into the fabric of every facet of our lives. (Former competitive body builder turned faith-based fitness instructor and wellness coach)

What role do small groups play in community outreach? Internal/congregational outreach?

• If the church is intentional about promoting the programs and groups they are developing, then this could be a massive opportunity for outreach. In every church I’ve been on staff, we’ve had a workout group as a part of our ministry. People craved it. They invited people to it. Healthy living is one of those things that everyone wants but not everyone knows how to attain. So if we are creating excellent environments with top-level leaders, people will want to be a part of it. We’ve done mental health workshops where the room was standing room only. Why? Because people want to be healthy, they just don’t know how to get there. In all avenues of health and outreach, I am always reminded of the classic line from Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come.” People want to be invited in, they want community, they want health, and if we are going to be good stewards and shepherds, it’s time to be on the front lines of helping people get healthy and stay healthy. (Spiritual Growth Pastor)

What’s next? What can your church do to become a catalyst in this movement toward health & wellness?

• Start with a conversation internally to decide if you are considering outreach or internal member spiritual growth.
• Survey your members: does your church have qualified leaders to speak on the dimensions of health?
• Are your members already involved with this outside of the church, perhaps you could lock arms.
• Fitness professionals in a church should consider contacting your local church communities to offer your expertise as a service to your church.
• Church members – contact your church to express interest in wellness growth from a biblical perspective.

Reference List:

1. differencebetween.com/difference-between-health-and-vs-wellness/Last
2. Sacred Rhythms – Ruth Haley Barton; InterVarsity Press. 2006
3. God’s Promises Your Fitness – Family Christian Press
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