editors note: see this post for a more introductory dealing with health.

There are simple rules when it comes to the fat vs. fit argument: fat is simply unhealthy, and fit is the standard we should live by. It is impossible to call fat fit or healthy. *

Our bodies that God has blessed us with are to be cared for with respect and honor. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Here are 6 simple rules to follow:

1. Reject Your Fat

The first step to overcoming obesity is to not tolerate it. Do not excuse it. Do not comfort yourself about it. Do not rationalize it with your reasons, whether emotional, spiritual, medical, or genetic. Say to yourself, I am fat and I need to get rid of it!

2. Recognize Your Eating Patterns

People don’t get fat for just any reason. They respond to all of their cravings, and eating discipline doesn’t exist. Over-eat and you will become fat. This may not happen in a week, but it will happen. The law of physics applies; if you continue growing fat cells, they will extend everywhere and invade every inch of your body. Obesity leads to early death, but fitness extends life.

3. Stop Hiding Behind Religion

The very evidence of fat in a person’s life demonstrates that there are some spiritual areas that need attention regarding compulsions and lazy behaviors. Hiding behind your Christian faith (or fat) by saying what matters most is that you are growing in your spirit is an insult to God when you fail to address an area of life that matters to God. God is faithful and will point out the sin that causes the fat to exist in the first place.

4. Take Action

The call of the Christian is to constantly be engaged in spiritual warfare. Anything that insults the work of Jesus Christ by our bad behavior is sin. Excusing compulsive bad habits that lead to obesity can further a person’s sinful habits or behavior. God’s grace will break the heaviest of all chains. Stop stalling and take action! Find a health coach and remain accountable until this bad pattern is broken.

5. Cut Your Food Intake By Fifty Percent

Cut your calories by 50% and get them from wholesome food. Eat more green vegetables and quality protein (fish and organic sources of meat). There are wholesome weight reduction programs that include excellent food choices and assist in changing the negative hormone behavior. When a person is fat for a long time the body forgets how to metabolize fat and needs help. I would recommend you see a qualified doctor who can assist you with this.

6. Fitness Must Be Your Motto

Fitness is hard work. Fitness and Christianity complement each other. A fit Christian is a healthy Christian. Fitness of spirit, mind, and body are essential to honor and glorify God with this mortal body. Fitness requires daily commitment, and there isn’t room for excusing the need for it. This is part of your action plan! Fitness for life should be your pledge to God as an expression of respect, honor, and worship.

* Editors note: The following was removed by the administrator to help clarify the article and address the main issue:

There is no excuse for being fat. It is not a disease in and of itself, but it can contribute to diseases that afflict the body, mind, and spirit.

A person cannot call themselves spiritually fit if they excuse the fact that they are fat! If you are fat, regardless of the reason, your fat is a poor testimony of what Christ is accomplishing in and through your life.

Docent Research

Customized research for pastors. High-level exegesis, theological analysis, and cultural research as well as writing assistance. Learn more.

Hormones series: Click | View Series

The human body produces many chemical messengers and hormones are just one classification. Due to the comprehensive nature of this topic we will scale down and focus on 10 important hormones. Without a healthy balance of these hormones healthy body function is impossible and expedited aging results.

1. Cholesterol

All hormones are made from cholesterol. Cholesterol is the main indicator of internal stress. If cholesterol is high, the stress burden in the body is also high. High levels of cholesterol can cause serious disease like heart attack and stroke. Cholesterol that is too low is not healthy and can indicate loss of vitality. Aging of the body increases when cholesterol is out of balance.

2. Thyroid Hormones

Thyroid hormones control the body’s thermostat (heat) and metabolic rate. When this hormone is out of balance various things like depression, anxiety, dry skin, slow digestion, and fatigue result. Low thyroid can affect cholesterol metabolism and contribute to high cholesterol.

3. Cortisol

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands and regulates the body’s ability to adapt to stress. When this hormone is too high or low, resistance to stress is impaired and metabolism and immunity usually decline as a result. This hormone is known as the main regulatory hormone which keeps the body’s clock on time.

4. DHEA

This is involved in regulating stress, immunity, metabolism, and hormone production. It is considered the regulating hormone of stress adaptation. Decreased levels will result in decreased energy and resistance to stress.

5. Insulin

Insulin regulates sugar metabolism and cellular metabolism. If this hormone is not working appropriately diabetes, high and low blood sugar is the result. This can predispose to other diseases like obesity, heart attack and stroke. Insulin uptake and use is improved by good diet and daily exercise.

6. Glucagon

Glucagon regulates sugar metabolism and metabolic controls. If this hormone does not work, it impairs insulin, predisposing one to diabetes and other metabolic challenges. Glucagon and insulin must work together to keep a vital internal balance. Glucagon is also known to assist in liver health and detoxification.

7. Estrogen

Estrogen is the hormone of reproduction and cellular integrity and metabolism. Every cell of the human body needs estrogen, but too much can predispose to hormonal related cancer. It is important for women to be on a balanced hormone program that is individualized and enhances hormonal performance and minimizes cancer risk.

8. Progesterone

This hormone is important in many processes of the body. It is the hormone of reproduction, cellular integrity, immunity, and stress adaptation. It is known that progesterone influences the immune system in a favorable way. It also enhances bone building and expedites metabolism making it a useful hormone in weight loss.

9. Testosterone

Testosterone is the hormone of reproduction, cellular integrity, and metabolism. When this hormone is low energy, libido, memory, and stress adaptation are also low. This is a vital hormone for men and women and needs be maintained. Loss of this hormone profoundly affects health and increases the aging factor.

10. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a cofactor hormone that regulates other hormones and metabolic activity. We know this to be a vitamin, but scientific research demonstrates that it is a hormone that is a key regulator of protective activity. Vitamin D protects against cancer, memory loss, and bone loss, and it is used in virtually every biochemical process of the body. It is essential that adequate levels are maintained. Low Vitamin D results in serious risk of disease and loss of health.

It is essential for these hormones be in proper balance. The easiest way to know if they are in balance is to have a simple blood, saliva, or urine test. Remember these 10 hormones—they are essential in minimizing stress, enhancing immunity, decreasing the aging factor, and increasing overall wellness!

Porn Again Christian

Pastor Mark Driscoll's frank discussion on pornography and masturbation is available as a free e-book. Find out more.

Hormones series: Click | View Series

Readers Respond on Hormones and Sin

I have received responses from our readers regarding my last post on hormones, and one comment I take very seriously is that hormonal chaos should never be an excuse for sinful attitudes and behavior. Hormonal deficiency does not cause sin, nor is replacing deficient hormones the remedy for sin. Jesus Christ is the only remedy for sin.

Our personality must be identified in Jesus Christ. Anything contrary to the nature of Christ (flesh) must go! No excuses should be made for bad behavior, sinful attitudes, and errors in judgment. Repairing hormones cannot fix problems of the flesh—only God can. However, if we are going to be good stewards we should understand how God has designed our bodies to run with hormones.

Intricate Design

The body works on an intricate balance, and many systems within the human body are interdependent. God is incredible in the beautiful design he’s put into the human body. There are various glands involved in hormone production, messaging, and regulation, and hormones are needed for very essential life-sustaining functions.

The Matrix of All Hormones

The matrix of all hormones is a very essential biochemical called cholesterol. Cholesterol is contained in every cell of the human body, and it is required to sustain cell life and health. It is the "mother molecule" of all hormones. In the medical world, cholesterol has been given a bad reputation, and physicians have failed to educate people appropriately regarding cholesterol’s role in sustaining human health. What most people know is that they do not want the bad, high levels of cholesterol, and many are prescribed "statins" to lower their cholesterol.

Depleting Cholesterol Is Not the Answer

The bad thing about "statins" is that they deplete all cells in the body of cholesterol and are known to cause adverse reactions, such as muscle and tendon weakness and atrophy. In extreme cases, drugs may be needed for seriously elevated cholesterol in order to reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. However, long-term use of these cholesterol-lowering medications contribute to alarming reactions, including the body’s inability to produce hormones from resulting cholesterol depletion. Facilitating better use of cholesterol through diet, supplementation, and exercise is a more reasonable approach.

Cholesterol Production Increases in Stress

The most impressive aspect of cholesterol, "the mother of all hormones," is that the body makes more of it during times of physical and emotional stress. Unfortunately, the easily oxidized form known as LDL cholesterol is secreted and results in increased free radical production that causes inflammation and injury to cells and surrounding body tissues (heart and blood vessels). It is important to address the underlying causes that increase bad cholesterol. Stress, deficiencies or excesses, and biochemical imbalances are contributing factors that should be examined and remedied.

The next post in this series will examine the various kinds of hormones and glands in more detail.

To be continued.

Resurgence Literature

Re:Lit is a ministry of Resurgence. There you will find a growing line of books to help guide the resurgence of the new reformed. Find out more.

Let Your Food Be Your Medicine

Your food should be your medicine. It should nurture you in good health, promote longevity, and reduce the effects of aging. Adding 10 of the most powerful foods to your diet can dramatically change your health. These foods contain phytonutrients (plant nutrients) and proteins known to sustain vibrant health.

1. Apples

Yes, an apple a day can keep the doctor away. Apples contain pectin, which is known to protect against cancer, excessive weight accumulation, and damage caused by inflammation. Apples are a rich source of usable fiber that assists in the cleansing of bowel toxins and reduces the likelihood of colon cancer. Antioxidants in apples, known as quercetin and catechin, are known to protect human cells from free radical damage and increase the longevity of healthy cells.

2. Avocados

Avocados are a rich source of monounsaturated fat known to decrease the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. The average amount of fiber contained in one fruit is about 10-18 grams, which is valuable to detoxifying the colon, stabilizing blood sugar, and preventing diabetes. A vital nutrient known as lutein in avocado increases the health of the eyes and skin.

3. Blueberries

If you ever choose one food to help slow down the aging process, it should be blueberries. They are rich in carotenes, proanthocyanidins, and other biochemical nutrients that stop inflammation, increase circulation, nurture and strengthen vision, and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and diabetes. This simple fruit is the most powerful brain fruit.

4. Cabbage

This powerful food is known for its ability to reduce colon cancer risk by over 60%. It is also known for its cleansing properties, as it assists in detoxifying blood of impurities. Cabbage juice is often used in detoxification programs. Cabbage also kills bacteria and viruses, and it has nurturing antioxidants that prevent inflammatory diseases.

5. Garlic

Garlic is an amazing food that is known to lower blood pressure, increase circulation, stimulate immune function, and kill harmful bacteria and viruses. Raw garlic is an excellent food in cleansing diets. If you cannot stand garlic breath, both fennel and parsley help to take away the offensive odor. Freshly crushed raw garlic is best. Two to three cloves per day are recommended.

6. Fish and Fish Oil

I cannot say enough about the nurturing and medicinal properties of fish. Fish and fish oils are known to reduce inflammation, strengthen immune health, reduce diabetic risk, decrease heart and vessel damage, improve mental function, and reduce depression. Avoid mercury-containing varieties like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and albacore tuna. Wild white tuna is fine, as is white flesh fish in general. Exotic fish are known to have more mercury. A serving of 3-6 times weekly is recommended.

7. Flaxseed

Flaxseed has been used for centuries for medicinal and health reasons. The seeds contain Omega-3 and -6 essential fatty acids that help reduce inflammation and strengthen cell health. It has nutritional value, very usable protein, healthy fatty acids, and minerals like magnesium, potassium, and zinc. Flaxseed is also a rich source of fiber.

8. Mushrooms

Research has proven that maitake, reishi, and shiitake mushrooms have anti-cancer properties. These mushrooms also are known to reduce inflammatory disease and assist in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

9. Pomegranates

Pomegranates are known to have 3 times the antioxidants of red wine and green tea. This fruit reduces the formation of plaque and fat buildup in the arteries, which results in heart attach and stroke. Research shows that long-term consumption of pomegranate juice may also help to slow aging and protect against cancer.

10. Red Wine

One to two small glasses of red wine per day is proven to assist in digestion, reduce cardiovascular inflammation, support blood sugar balance, and decrease cancer risk. Excessive alcohol consumption, however, does not improve any of the health benefits mentioned above. A small amount of red wine each day can be nurturing and medicinal. There are many biochemical components in red wine that contribute to overall health, such as reservatrol and saponins, two powerful compounds that are known to reduce inflammation and cancer risk.

Boost your health by trying some of these power foods. They will make a difference to your health. If you want to learn more, consult The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden.

Grow E-Book

Winfield Bevins explains organic discipleship in his free e-book. Get it here.

Hormones series: Click | View Series

Editor's note:  Most Resurgence readers are men between the ages of 18 and 35. Most men think they're impervious to health problems, but after speaking with several pastors’ wives, we know that they've found these posts to be very helpful in caring for their families. Feel free to pass these on to anyone you feel would benefit.

Hormones Can Make You Feel Good Or Bad

Hormones gone crazy will lead to wild and crazy behavior. It doesn’t matter whether you are male or female. One thing is for sure—you cannot convert evil hormones. When they are not working correctly, they can create havoc, no matter how devout you are.

Hormones for Women

You know your hormones are wild and out of control when:

• You are using a blanket and opening a window at the same time on a cold day.
• Your husband was the one who was always hot, and now you're the warm one.
• You can relate to all of your girlfriends’ feelings about their husbands during a certain time of the month or during menopausal change.
• You don't want to talk or spend time with your husband.
• Your love life is either flat, ice cold, or on fire—all at the same time.
• Strange and bizarre expressions and words you’ve never used before become the norm.

Hormones for Men

You know your hormones are messed up when:

• You start noticing your chest, stomach and executive fat roll getting out of control and finding it easy to gain weight and hard to lose it.
• Your physique becomes a thing of the past.
• You cannot maintain sexual activity (Erectile Dysfunction).
• You have excessive anxiety, mood changes, and depression.
• Your wife needs to repeat the same things over and over again.
• You lose muscle mass, bone mass, and strength, and your energy plummets.
• You lose excessive amounts of hair.
• You experience the same type of cramps, night sweats, and trouble sleeping and other symptoms that your wife experienced during her menstrual cycle (If you tell her she may think you are nuts!).
• Your wife tells you that you need counseling because these symptoms are not normal for a guy.
• Your enthusiasm for daily life is gone, and special activity is not the highest priority.
• Your prostate begins to malfunction, and your doctor tells you that your PSA is high or your testosterone is low.

Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance

Some of the undesirable things that occur when hormones are out of balance are symptoms like hot flashes, excessive sweating, foul body odor, excessive tiredness, menstrual cramps, accumulation of fluid and swelling, irregular menses, painful intercourse, feminine dryness, loss of libido, hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails, fatigue, moodiness, depression, anxiety, or you find yourself easily angered and frustrated. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you’re hormones are likely out of control.

Hormones Are Essential to Every System of the Body

The immune system depends upon a healthy hormone system, so in this series we are going to examine all of the hormones that influence your daily health and how essential it is that they are all working in unison to keep you hormonally balanced.

We will discuss the facts and myths of hormone replacement therapy and its essential role in keeping your endocrine (gland regulating system) in vibrant wellness. We will map the entire glandular system to help you understand the important roles that the brain, pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal glands and sex glands play in keeping hormone balance. Lastly, we will explore the essential roles of Vitamin D and Calcium metabolism with regards to keeping hormones healthy.

To be continued.

The Preacher’s Voice Series: Click | View Series

The last article discussed strain, stress and tension as factors inhibiting the effectiveness of preacher’s voice. This segment is going to discuss digestion and immunity.

Poor Digestion Is A Bummer

Bad digestion leads to bad breath, excessive mucus and post nasal drip, acid reflux, gas and bloating, and continual burning irritation. Food and environmental allergies, consumption of bad foods, excess alcohol, tobacco, and just plain old digestion inefficiency can contribute to bad digestion and cause bad breath.

For some people, continual exposure to gluten, dairy, or other food groups will cause bad reactions until they are identified as a problem and eliminated. Testing for these reactions and for digestion efficiency is prudent, as this can eliminate these undesirable reactions.

Get Tested

Some very approachable blood and digestive efficiency tests can assist in identifying these unpleasantries. I had a friend who suffered from extreme discomfort because he had reactions to nuts, wheat, and dairy, but as soon as he eliminated these things, he got better.

I have also treated many patients with enzyme deficiency, which causes indigestion, malabsorption, and a decrease in good bacteria. When appropriately treated the symptoms get better. Anti-acid medications just temporarily resolve the issues and do not lead to permanent changes. Finding the cause is most essential in taking care of the problem!

Can’t Live On Fumes

Much can be said for good immune health. Preachers and doctors get sick. They may have a higher resistance to certain bugs because of being around crowds of people, but dependence upon the old phrase “I never get sick” is asking for trouble.

Preacher, you will get sick. You are not indispensible and immune to everything. You will be blindsided if you continue to live on the fumes of your strong body constitution. There is no way that the battery can continue without being maintained and recharged.

The negative results I mentioned above will contribute to stressing the immune system if unchecked. You must take precautions to strengthen your immune system. Just depending on Tylenol, cough and cold medicine, and occasional vitamin C is not enough.

Get Some Help!

You need a plan that will keep you strong, and there are many tools available online such as Health Fact Sheets and the Reference Room of the Health & Wellness Institute for such strengthening.

In my practice, I have been using these tools with success. The common response from patients that have followed immune strengthening programs is that they don’t get sick as often and have a higher amount of energy for daily needs.

Preacher, if you are strong, that is a blessing. Don’t abuse this. However, if you have chronic colds and immune stress, do not ignore these serious signs. A preacher needs a physician who can act as health coach and mentor, so get some help!

Resurgence RSS Feed

Subscribe to the Resurgence syndicated feed and have all our content delivered straight to your feed reader. Find out more.

The Preacher's Voice: Click | View Series

Stress Affects Your Message

Preachers encounter stress and this can profoundly affect the delivery of a clear message. Unrelenting stress is called hyper-stress, which is considered a type of stress that the human body cannot adjust to very easily. An example of hyper-stress in the Bible is when Scripture tells of Jesus Christ sweating drops of blood. His spirit, mind, and body were beyond the point of fatigue and in a traumatized hyper-stress state.

Extreme tension and hyper-stress can eventually saturate every aspect of the preacher’s message and work. The preacher can become ineffective and exhausted. Astute listeners will recognize burnout stress by the tone of the preacher’s voice, body language, and overall appearance. Jesus Christ went to the Father for help. What should you do?

Tips For Handling Stress And Tension

• Recognize warning signs and listen to the counsel of trusted people if they tell you to slow down.
• Pray seeking direction and action for renewal and relief of extreme stress.
• Commit to properly caring for yourself and family (family life, diet, exercise, and relaxation).
• Set the tone for ministry; don’t let ministry set the tone (evolving at a steady pace is healthy).
• Set and keep priorities. Make sure that God and family are always the priority.
• Get quiet with God, putting away all electronic devices and tuning out all distractions.
• Be accountable to your staff and make known your need for time off.
• Trust your assistants to handle matters when you are at rest, even if they may not do it as perfectly as you.
• Know when to say no!
• Leave your worries behind and cast your anxieties on Jesus Christ.

Christ Will Restore You

I love the passage 1 Peter 5:1-11, as it outlines the most succinct guidelines to sustain a healthy preaching ministry:

“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

God’s Spirit will comfort, direct, and defend you during times of extreme stress. Cast all your tension and stress on him, and you will experience the rest you need. Surely the preacher’s voice will resound through the noise, clutter, confusion, and suffering because Christ himself restores, confirms, strengthens and establishes you through it all.

To be continued.

Religion Saves

Check out Pastor Mark Driscoll's newest book: Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions. Find out more.

The Preacher’s Voice series: Click | View Series

There are primarily four areas of concern when it comes to the use and care of the preacher’s voice:

• Strain
• Tension
• Digestion
• Immune Health

Strain

Preaching is not the only thing preachers do. They teach, counsel, speak at different events, and have casual conversations. You might see your preacher at a sports event yelling with excitement on Saturday, but then he’ll be preaching on Sunday. Or you may see your bi-vocational rock star preacher jamming on Saturday, but then preaching Sunday morning, which contradicts all principles of healthy voice care. Whether jamming or preaching your voice needs to rest and recover.

Strain is the number one killer of the preacher’s voice, and the number one cause of strain is lack of a proper night’s sleep. When we sleep, the brain recovers from the previous day’s activity, as does the voice. Relaxation, gentle conversation, and proper rest and recovery of the voice are essential elements for planned healthy voice projection like preaching.

Tips to Preventing Voice Strain

• Rise early and drink warm liquid, such as water with fresh lemon juice.
• Do not have a large meal before speaking.
• Exercise early and lightly on the day of preaching.
• Do not nap before public speaking.
• Stay calm and avoid strain the night before preaching.
• Do some light public speaking before preaching.
• Pronounce words clearly and distinctly; mispronounced words cause strain.
• Keep room temperature water with you and sip throughout preaching.
• Do not force excitement; let it come naturally.
• Adequately test the PA system before preaching.
• Do not use excessive bass in the PA system.
• Change up your pace during the message.
• Rest your voice after preaching.

Preach Jesus clearly, firmly, and lovingly, with conviction, grace, and action. Mostly, preach in faith with a loud and healthy voice.

To be continued

Rain City Hymnal

The first offering from Re:Sound is the Rain City Hymnal. Listen online and get the record from the Re:Sound website. Find out more.

The Preacher's Voice: Click | View Series

The focus of this series is to understand the importance of preserving the health of a preacher's voice.

The Preacher Needs Energy

The preacher needs an incredible amount of energy to meet the preaching demand. I have heard through the years that preaching is not a difficult task, and that it doesn't require much energy. This is based upon the fact that most preachers are overweight, unfit, and indulge in poor eating habits. However, I believe that this results from the stress of the job itself.

Quick Energy Fixes

Sustained intake of carbohydrates with constant adrenalin output can be a vicious cycle. In cases like this, the preacher looks for quick energy fixes to keep on going, and often these choices are loaded with sugar and stimulant agents, like caffeine. If the tank is empty, an octane booster won't fill the tank. It will just give a bad message to the complex regulating systems of the body that metabolize and burn calories.

Burn Off Those Calories

Billy Graham once said that before a preaching event he would have a carbohydrate meal the night before and a steak dinner afterward. Fitness, however, was an essential item on his list. He ate this way with the understanding that consuming higher calories required exercise to burn those calories. He didn't just rely on the sweat produced from his preaching.

Preacher, if the greater omentum (Latin for the fat mesh of the tummy) is gaining momentum (gaining more weight), then you are consuming more than what you are sweating off! This increases the risk of poor health and takes away from your voice energy in more ways than one.

Unfit Preachers are like Unfit Doctors

Would you listen to an overweight and unfit doctor giving you health advice on diet, cholesterol, sugar management, and exercise? An unfit preacher demonstrates poor discipline with his health, and he similarly hampers the effectiveness of communicating the disciplined life of the Christian.

If the evangelical message is to be taken seriously, the preacher must strengthen his voice through the support of healthy disciplines.

To be continued.

Resurgence RSS Feed

Subscribe to the Resurgence syndicated feed and have all our content delivered straight to your feed reader. Find out more.

The Preacher's Voice: Click | View Series

The focus of this series is to understand the importance of preserving the health of a preacher's voice. Practical points will be given to protect and enhance the preacher's vocal ability. We will also discuss the importance of health and energy, vocal preservation, elements that may compromise the voice, and actions required to enhance the vibrancy and longevity of it.

"The Voice"

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea… For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'" Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Matthew 3:1-4

John the Baptizer came in the verve and passion of the Old Testament prophet Elijah. He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, heralding the message that Jesus Christ, the greatest preacher of all time, was coming with an evangelical thrust that would not be ignored.

He received a diversified response from his listeners: casual hearing, deep conviction, total rejection, and complete acceptance. He received both applause and thumbs down (or the traditional Roman thumbs up) from the common crowd, his own people, politicians, and religious leaders.

Bugs and Honey?

John needed to be in great health to have the energy in spirit, soul, and body to herald this world-changing event. The world was never the same after John proclaimed Jesus as the answer to all of the world's conflicts. He required nutritious and sustaining food for this athletically demanding message. Preacher, so do you!

No way would your pastor agree to eating bugs and honey as a main staple of his diet before preaching, unless there was some odd behavioral thing going on. Well, John didn't either. According to some New Testament experts, John's diet in the rough and arid terrain consisted of dates, date honey, and bread cakes that were made from the bean of the locust tree. This seems to make more sense. This diet would provide immediate energy to meet the exhausting task of preaching to the masses the message of the Messiah.

To be continued.

Rain City Hymnal

The first offering from Re:Sound is the Rain City Hymnal. Listen online and get the record from the Re:Sound website. Find out more.