Are obese men qualified to be pastors?

This belongs in the funniest comments thread ... from a threat about overweight preachers ...

 

You got it right Brother Larry! The Leviticus account meant to be humorous, because for me it has a little personal meaning. A few years back I had a friend, who was working with the Jewish Christian ministry in Ardsley, PA. His name was Rev. Charles Faulkner. During WWII he was a missionary to Eastern Europe and he was ministering among the Jewish people. When the Jews were taken away by the Germans, he was almost taken himself to Aushwitz but due to the quick thinking of our Baptist leaders, he was made a teacher in the Theological Seminary. He was in fact the teacher of my father. After the war he came home to his state, which was Oregon, and pastored a Baptist Church there.

Years later I have met him in Ardsley, PA, where his widow, Teresa, still lives. Brother Faulkner ministered among the Jewish people, and as a result of his work many came to know Jesus as their Messiah. Now this man was happily overweight, and he was the one who introduced me to the Bible verse I quoted. He had such a wonderful laugh, a great sense of humor, and a thorough knowledge of the Bible. At one time when we visited them, his wife and mine were talking in the kitchen following dinner. Brother Faulkner and I were talking about the book of Isaiah in the living room. Little did we notice the time passing. The ladies came in and asked us if we would like to have a cup of coffee and cake? We looked at the clock and it was 10:00 PM already. Later they appeared in their house coats, ready for bed and asked if we'd like to have the evening devotions before retiring? It was 12:00 midnight. It was about 1:00 AM that we actually went to bed. We thoroughly enjoyed talking about the Scriptures. Now this dear brother, who since has gone to be with the Lord, could so charmingly and humorously refer to himself as totally belonging to the Lord - as he quoted the latter part of Leviticus 3:16. Only he could say that with a deep conviction, charm, and grace. Forgive me for not enclosing this background when I was quoting the verse. But you did get it right. It was meant to be in a humorous context - but I am afraid that Bro. Preach the Word may have altogether missed it....

 

As I understand the passage, Paul is referring to keeping himself in a position where he can minister and not be put on the shelf so to speak because of sin or whatever. Maybe best understood as being in spiritual fighting shape. The only fat people in his day would have been rich folks who no longer worked by the sweat of our brow. That is the bigest problem is that we no longer work with our bodies and our foods are stuffed with funky chemicals and hormones to the point where many young girls are going through puberty several years before kids in my age group and the one ahed of me.

I am 5' 9" and 273. Yesterday, I shoveled a pickup load of top soil around the house and I still crawl around the floors of my hospital installing PCs. I am trying to lose weight but it is very hard to do. Habits formed when I was younger and very very active are tough to break. And everywhere you go people want to feed you. Tonight is men's fellowship and a pot luck. Want to guess what the percentage of that food will be healthy? Maybe 1% if someone brings a vegetable tray. The rest will be greasy meats, cheesy casseroles and sweet, sweet deserts. I will stay away from anything unhealthy which is why I ate something before.

 

Bro. Barnabas I'd like to ask you about your "proper" interpretation of Paul's statement. You said:

Exactly how does a body brought under subjection manifest itself? What is the fruit thereof?

 

LOL Helen! Does how much I EAT count tho??

I've got a better one than that!

I was 89 lbs when I married and 93 after 3 children. At age 35, I gained up to 124. I hit 144 two summers ago (age 50) and went right on a diet. Now I'm trying to regain what I lost with this sickness! I was 111 this morning. Ug....

 

Originally posted by Bro. James Reed:
You get more flies with hiney than you do with vinegar.

WHOOPS!!! Well, that's what happens with the "o" next to the "i" on the keyboard.

That has to be biggest slip-up I've had on this board.

 

Preach,
When you get this many defensive answers--you know you've hit a nerve. I appreciate those who, like yourself, admit this is a problem and are trying to deal with it.

Scripturally, a pastor is held to a higher standard. But even beyond the Scripture, we all know it instinctively--some of us also know it experientially (I'm a PK).

One of the things that kept me from rebellion during my teen years was the respect I had for my parents. They weren't perfect by any means, but they always attempted to live lives above reproach. I can only imagine how much harder it would have been to keep from succumbing to the everpresent lusts of the flesh I faced in public high school if my own father couldn't control his own lust for food. What a great excuse that would have been for a struggling adolescent! I'm thankful that stumbling block was not laid in my path.

If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. Fair or not, the young people in our churches will judge for themselves whether their pastor lives a self-disciplined life.

In Christ,

Tim

P.S. Let's not quote 1 Sam. 16:7 out of context as an excuse. Remember, it referred to a man who looked good on the outside, but whose heart was not right (Eliab). It was NOT about a person who didn't take care of himself physically, but had a good heart. We've got it backwards.

 

A Poland China is a spotted pig.

 

oh well. add me to the list of fat baptists...

 

Due to the controversial nature of this discussion, plus the differing viewpoints, I have started a poll in the Polls Forum on this subject. Come on over.

 

Really! I don't do Mountain Dew, but I did do
caffiene-free Pepsi, which I quit buying a few
weeks ago. The problem is that because of an
illness, I drink all day long and wake in the night,
several times a night, choking with thirst. The
water in my town ir HORRIBLE, and the bottled
water is no better. I still drink flavored drinks, to
cover the taste up.

I usually drink either Sobe drinks, Elements
drinks, 7-Up with a little no-alcohol margurita
mix, or milk.

I can go all day on one meal. Until 5 p.m. today,
for example, all I had was milk and one piece of
chocolate candy with pecans, about the size of
less than 1/2 a small Hershey bar. For dinner, I
had 1/2 ear of corn with spray-on butter, some
plain mixed vegies, and a piece of turkey ham.
I did drink stuff all day and brought a drink (7-Up
wit margurita mix) to bed, which is already gone.
This is ordinary for a day, except for the candy.

The only reason I can figure out that I am over-
weight is because of the all-day drinks. I should
lose 60 pounds.

My doctor does not understand either. I have had
a gall bladder condition for years which, if I ate as
my weight seems to show I do, would leave me in
constant pain. So far, nothing, other than two
attacks about a year and a year and a half ago.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Well, this has been the most hilarious thread at
times. I have laughed until tears made it
impossible to read and have risked waking my
husband with my noise. Thank you, people!

 

Abiyah

I know we are not preachers or pastors , but I have the same kind of weight problem that you do and I think my mother did too. She ate very little and was always overweight.

I used to drink diet pepsi. I quit and lost weight immediately. I switched to regular coca cola.

But now I really think that if I could stop the colas, I might lose weight. Also, I have less problems with my stomach when I eat sweet stuff. I cannot eat most fruits and some meat gives me trouble. Doesn't make sense, does it?


PTW, I know you don't want me to reference age here, but it is definitely a factor. I used to say, I need to lose xx number of pounds and do it with no problem, but not anymore.

 

How true about age! One time, when I was in my
very late twenties, I stopped eating anything that
was canned and all pop. No kidding, I started this
on a Thursday morning at work, and my boss knew
it. Monday, when I came to work, he asked me
what drug I was doing, and I laughed at him. He
was serious. He said that no one could loose that
much weight and not be on drugs. Wwhat I know
about drugs then and now would fit in a single
short sentence, and I had taken none.

Indeed, I had dropped, for unknown reasons,
slightly more than 20 pounds from Thursday to
Monday. If anyone understands this, please
inform me.

I have tried this since, and nothing happened.
Nothing. Of course, now, all I ever eat from a can
is tuna.

 

ARGH!! I should have reconnected last night so I could have got in first with the Leviticus 3:16 line..oh well I also see 1 Tim 4:8 has already been used too. Boy some people are quick

Looks like all the trainee Ehud's still have their knives out for me You better have more than one sword though little ones, you'ld lose a good half dozen in me before you hit anything vital

Although I'm not a pastor, over the last 6-7 years or so I have managed to teach Sunday school, write and lead young peoples Bible studies, play guitar, drive Church bus, preach a few times, etc etc, all while living in sinful, heretical, abhorrent, XXXXL-XXXXXXL shirts

I always say I would never turn "pro", however after reading this thread I must admit I am tempted to send a photo of myself to the nearest Baptist Bible school and ask them if I am qualified

Pete

 

Abiyah and Thankful, you mentioned that you eat very litte and probably only once or twice a day. That's the problem with most of us, me included. If you eat 6 small meals a day it speeds your metabolism and really, really does make you loose weight. I did that for a while and lost a lot and then stupid me started eating all the junk again and gained all the weight I lost. Eat 6 small healthy meals and I would say you will start seeing a difference.

Mary

 

Thank you, Mary. I may try that, but I have so much trouble with my stomach, I hate to disturb it, but one doctor said that it would be better to eat several meals a day.

 

Prov 11:23The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Mebbe I is jist too blasted liberal! At least in a biblical connotation.