Are obese men qualified to be pastors?

[Maverick]

By the way, PTW looking at your picture you look like you mightbe a bit fluffy thyself and could end up obese so plan your career accordingly, my friend.

Also, remember the amount of stress on a pastor and if he is a stress eater his size will show it. He might need counseling for that but to call it greed is excessive.

Also, I know of no pastor that fits 1 Tim 3 perfectly so maybe we should fire all them.

 

[WonderingOne]

I think this concept of physical perfection is a recent standard brought on by societies decision to put vanity at a greater value than character and godliness. Sure we should strive to take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit, sure we should exercise and eat right if we are to be good stewards of the gift God has given us. But even when these things are done, a person can be overweight for other reasons.

Amen, Wisdom Seeker! There can be factors at work in an obese person that have nothing to do with food intake. Hypothyroidism and diabetis, or other physical conditions that preclude exercise can also contribute. I think when you start judging a person's spiritual condition by looking at his physical body you are treading on dangerous ground.

 

[Daniel David]

I mentioned a Scriptural passage in the opening post. Paul disciplines his body so he isn't disqualified. This is about preachers people. It is not about members. What is the thread called?

Maverick, if you notice in my picture, my wife (who is pregnant) and my son are also wearing black shirts. FYI, I do want to drop some pounds before I enter the pastorate. I seriously do wonder about pastors and preachers who have no desire to lose weight to get to a trim size. If Paul would shave his head and stop eating meat so as to not offend...

Btw, Helen, those who disagree are not less intelligent than you. Perhaps you did not mean that. That is just how I understood you.

Have a nice day.

 

[KeeperOfMyHome]

'ga ever notice that the only two times gluttony is mentioned in the Bible, it is mentioned along with drunkard?

And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. (Deuteronomy 21:20)

And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. (Deuteronomy 21:20)

Julia

 

[KeeperOfMyHome]

The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. (Matthew 11:19)

The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! (Luke 7:34)

 

[Andrey]

In the two months I have been on the Atkins nutritional plan I have lost almost 25 pounds. That doesn't make me more spiritual, but it is an effort to correct a flaw, without getting into why the flaw is there. (Blame that great cook my Mom, or my wife, or me, or whoever, okay?)

Yes, imperfect people are the only kind available to be preachers.

However, anyone that has a flaw and REFUSES to correct it as best they can (there are limits!) is someone that may need to spend some more time with God.

I love the taste of some foods, yet I will never eat them in the same quantity again. I dislike exercise, it makes me sweet. Yet, I will do it because I believe God is calling me to do what I can about myself, and to also not judge those that won't or can't.

The key is not the preachers waistline, but the preachers prayer-lines. How is his connection with God? Can the preacher hear Him? Does the preacher believe in a historic-figure God or is God alive and interacting with us today?

(John 8:47 is pretty clear on whether or not God speaks to us, by the way.)

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[Tim]

No way is a fundamentalist preacher ever going to be disqualified for obesity. Gluttony is the Baptists' pet sin. But an obese pastor will have little influence with people who try to maintain a more reasonable body weight, including many who will never tell him so.

Just telling the truth, sorry if some are offended.

In Christ,

Tim

 

[Helen]

Preach, it had nothing to do with intelligence. Ignorance is not knowing, not not being able to learn! Very intelligent people can also be very ignorant about any number of things. I'm reasonably intelligent but please, PLEASE don't ever ask me how this computer works or why my car runs, OK? I'm not only ignorant in those areas, I'm horrid enough to prefer ignorance in those areas!

Andrey -- be very, very careful about the Atkin's diet. Have your cholesterol checked regularly. That diet can be a killer. Skinny and dead is not exactly what you are aiming for, I don't think...

In the long run, that diet may be just about as unhealthy for you as being overweight. At least try to go off it enough to have a bowl of oatmeal (with fruit, not sugar -- I know berries are 'legal' for you.) each morning.

Tim -- there are Baptist congregations who won't hire dark-skinned people either, because they want a pastor who looks just right. What that would tell me about the congregation is that those 'swinging the weight' are either not Christians at all or are very immature Christians.

 

[dianetavegia]

A tiny local church had to make a decision about a year ago about a new pastor who is morbidly obese and severely diabetic. Some voted against him because they felt he was 'defying the temple of the Holy Spirit' because he refuses to eat properly for his size and health condition. However, the majority voted him in and my friend says he's quite an asset to their church!

I am very small. I would prefer my pastor to NOT be morbidly obese (to the extent he couldn't walk up and down the altar, etc.) but that would not change my vote! Our pastor and minister of education are not small men and I love them dearly.

If you were brought up on southern fried fat cooking, you are going to have a lot of fat cells unless you have some kind of genetic disposition AGAINST that!

That's me Helen! Tiny even after eating all that fat laddened southern food. PTL.

Diane

 

[Deacon]

I work with a number of Cardiologists who I highly respect. Near our office a large (obese) family physician practices. He can hardly get out of his car in the morning and parks in a handicapped area especially placed for him. It would be easy for me to say, “Physician, heal thyself”... But his patients love him and his caring ways. I’ve never met anyone who had anything but good things to say about him.

Everyone of us has weaknesses, each one of us has strengths. If a obese man has been gifted in the abilities needed for the pastorate, who am I to condemn him?

The amount of work that pastors do and the poor salary paid to most pastors guarantees that they’ll probably loose weight anyway (although we Baptists do enjoy our meals).

 

[ruthigirl]

Overweight preachers should not be preaching. Selfcontrol is something that preachers need to be aware of.

Do these fat preachers order fries at lunch and a brownie at dinner? Are they trying to lose the weight?

 

[Daniel David]

People, what did Paul mean that he disciplines his body so he does not become qualified. How loving a person is doesn't overrule being obese. We run the risk of making Scripture irrelevant on these issues when we start bringing up personal stories that are supposed to create sympothy or sadness.

The Scripture stands. It is the interpretation that I am after. If Paul could be disqualified, then I think that is important.

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

I dislike exercise, it makes me sweet.

If that's the case, we could ALL use some exercise.

(I know you meant to say sweat, but I couldn't resist...)

Blessings,
Sue

 

[Artimaeus]

Look at the excuses.

He's fluffy.
He may have a physical cause (What, maybe 1 in 1000).
His mother made him do it. (So, serial killers are OK).
I like him.
Do preachers have to be "perfect physical specimens"?
The other things the glutton does are good.

Not all gluttons are fat, true but, all fat people are gluttons, even the ones with a physical cause. A glutton is someone who eats to excess. It is not someone who eats more than me or, you or, the average person. When one eats more than their body needs it stores the excess as fat. Gluttony isn't eating too much at Thanksgiving dinner, it is a character trait resulting in obvious physical characteristics.

What credibility does an obese pastor have when he tells me I need to have self control as the original poster said? He doesn't have to be perfect but not Fatty Arbuckle either. One last thing. Has anyone here, even in their wildest imagination, ever thought of Jesus as fat or can you imagine that as even reasonable?

 

[Bro. James Reed]

I have a very good friend who is a preacher. He is very, very obese. It is not of his own fault, though. He has other health problems and, in order to combat those, he takes medication which also happens to put weight on him. So, should he not take this medicine so he can be skinny again, or should he remain fat, but in batter health than he would if he was skinny?

BTW, who on earth determines who is and is not fat? Where is it layed out in the Bible the qualifications to be fat, skinny, obese, or perfect? Who can tell me, hmm? Is it the American Medical Association? Is it Hollywood? Show me! Otherwise, quit criticising very able ministers of the gospel.

 

[Daniel David]

James, read the original post. Even Paul tried extremely hard to not be disqualified. You do the research on that issue. Stop with the where does the Bible say. I gave you a passage. Deal with that text.

A fat preacher that preaches on selfcontrol is like...

a drunk on prohibition
a rapist on lust
a murderer on hate
a thief on contentment
an idolator on polytheism
an Enron CEO on greed
an Amiller on end times
an arminian on Sovereignty (okay I just couldn't resist that one)

 

[Deacon]

People, what did Paul mean that he disciplines his body so he does not become qualified. How loving a person is doesn't overrule being obese. We run the risk of making Scripture irrelevant on these issues when we start bringing up personal stories that are supposed to create sympothy or sadness.

The Scripture stands. It is the interpretation that I am after. If Paul could be disqualified, then I think that is important.

So I guess the only thing we need to determine is what weight is obese? What arbitrary standard will you use?

In 1 Timothy 3:3 , Paul outlines the criteria that qualify people for leadership in the church. The items mentioned have to do with a man's character, not his appearance. Preach, your original question was, “Are obese men qualified to be pastors?” I don’t think size matters. Now if the question was are gluttonous men qualified to be pastors, then I think that deals with a persons character.

 

[Daniel David]

Deacon, don't forget that I brought up something Paul said about himself. If being fat didn't matter, why was Paul thinking he might be disqualified?

This is the question that just doesn't get answered.

 

[Helen]

or a youth judging a mature person?

Someday those of us who belong to the Lord will be perfect. In the meantime...

Disciplining one's body being related to food is a distinctly Western notion. Paul could much more easily have been referring to

lust
tiredness
laziness
pushing past pain
accepting stoning and such

These, much more than anything he ate or didn't eat, would have stood in the way of his gospel work.

Sure, I would PREFER a minister who is well-built, slender, tall, tanned, handsome, with a striking speaking voice, well-educated, humble, sensitive, manly, happily married, stronger than all temptations, never too busy for anyone...

But I'm really happy when we find one who loves God, knows the Bible, has the gift of teaching, and is humble. I could care less what he looks like, actually. I know there will be areas in which he will be more sensitive and understanding than others. I know he will often be too busy. I know he will also be a sinner, just like me. I know he may have a rocky marriage at times. What I want is someone who knows God and is growing via the power of the Holy Spirit within him.

Between dresses, pants, hair, and weight, it is apparent some people have a real obsession with looks! That's a shame.

Who would like to see Christian character in their pastor?

 

[Daniel David]

Helen, is selfcontrol a Christian characteristic?

To answer your question, I would like to see that in a pastor.