Eating For Life
Outreach Magazine Editors

It’s no secret that obesity is on the rise in the United States. The good news is that concern for and awareness of health is also growing. As summer arrives and fruits and vegetables are plentiful, tap into your community’s interest in diet and nutrition by offering healthy-eating classes. Connie Bendickson, who teaches such classes at Church of the Open Door in Maple Grove, Minn., says she has a passion for helping people take care of their bodies-the temples of the Holy Spirit-through healthy food choices. ‘After all, it is God’s desire for us to be healthy,” she says. Even on a shoestring budget, you can conduct these helpful classes in your community.

Advertise. Send a press release to your local newspaper inviting your community to learn more about nutrition and healthy-eating habits. Include the specific theme of each class. Church of the Open Door provided plant-based eating classes focusing on whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits and nuts. Also try offering “Healthy Cooking for Families” or “Healthy Grilling.” Encourage families to attend together.

Cover Costs. Charge attendees about $10 a class to cover the cost of food. Also, ask attendees to bring their own plates and utensils. Teach. Find a member who has education and/or training in health and nutrition and is willing to teach a weekly class. He or she will be responsible for buying the food, planning the lessons and organizing recipes.

Pray. Ask the volunteer instructor to open class with prayer, asking God to improve eating habits and lifestyles to better serve Him.

Share. Have the instructor share recipes and demonstrate how to make certain foods. Allow tasting at the end of the classes.

Promote. Pass out recipe/ informational sheets at the end, complete with your church’s service times and ministry opportunities. Connect. Host monthly potluck dinners for class participants to try out and bring their new recipes. Encourage them to invite family and friends.

The above article, “Eating For Life,” was retrieved from pg 21 of “Keep the Change, Outreach on a Shoestring,” which is featured in the Outreach magazine. The material was written by the Outreach magazine editors in 2006.

The material is most likely copyrighted and should not be reprinted under any other name or author. However, this material may be freely used for personal study or research purposes.

This article may not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes, “Eat the meat. Throw away the bones.”