Archives For November 30, 1999

Tuesday News Briefing: Leaders call on thousands to rally for marriage at IL Capitol

Meredith Flynn —  February 19, 2013

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Leaders are hoping thousands of Christians will rally on the steps of the Illinois Capitol this week in support of a traditional definition of marriage.

The Illinois Family Institute (IFI) is sponsoring a marriage rally Wednesday, Feb. 20, in response to last week’s vote in the Illinois Senate to approve SB10, which, if passed by the State House, will legalize same-sex marriage in the state.

“I don’t think that we can legislate morality, but we’re called to be salt and light, and if we’re salt and light, we will influence this world, this country, this state,” said David Howard, director of missions for the Capital City Baptist Association in Springfield, after last week’s vote.

“And sometimes we have to be seen in the public square.”

Rev. Bob Vanden Bosch is executive director of Concerned Christian Ministries in Wauconda, Ill. In a press release, he urged Christians to stay at the Capitol after the rally and visit their legislators to lobby for traditional marriage. “It may be inconvenient to come to Springfield to lobby for a day, but it will certainly be more inconvenient if we do not stand up for our religion freedoms.”

The rally will begin at 10:30 a.m. in front of the Lincoln statue at the Illinois State Capitol. Read more here.

Students spend Spring Break cleaning up in New York
College students will again partner with Southern Baptist Disaster Relief in post-Hurricane Sandy clean-up along the east coast. Students first took part in the effort during their Christmas vacations, including a team of Illinois volunteers who served in Staten Island early this year. Read more about the Spring Break opportunities at BPNews.net.

Twitter uses weigh in on Lent
Swearing, soda, and social networking topped the list of what Twitter users pledged to give up for Lent, according to a list compiled by blogger Stephen Smith at openbible.info. The most mentioned thing to give up for Lent was tongue in cheek – more than 5,500 Twitter users said they were giving up “being pope” in the wake of Pope Benedict’s resignation. Swearing (4,944), soda (2,648), social networking (2,264) and alcohol (2,217) rounded out the top 5.

Millenials are stressed
Those happy-go-lucky twenty-somethings don’t feels especially happy. Or lucky. In fact, they report feeling more stressed out than their parents or grandparents: 39% say their stress levels have increased in the past year, 52% say their stress level is keeping them up at night, and a growing number say stress is getting them down. The findings are from a Harris Interactive poll of 2,020 U.S. adults, reported in USA Today.

Young adults’ top stressor? Work, followed closely by money. Relationships, family responsibilities, and the economy also add to their overall stress level. Read more at USA Today. Reported by Eric Reed

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Woulda, coulda, shoulda

Meredith Flynn —  February 18, 2013

pull quote_BRIDGESEditor’s note: This full version of this post by Erich Bridges first appeared on worldviewconversation.blogspot.com.

HEARTLAND | Regret is a painful thing. We look back on the foolish things we have done and the good things we have left undone. We lament wasted years, wrong attitudes, hurts inflicted on others, missed opportunities.

Bronnie Ware, an Australian nurse, spent years caring for patients in their last days. She identified the most common regrets they expressed about their lives in an article, and later a book, titled “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.” They are:

1. “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”

2. “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.”

3. “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.”

4. “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”

5. “I wish that I had let myself be happier.”

I’ll add a few more regrets that I have experienced. Perhaps you have some, too:

— I wish I had spent more time glorifying God and less time cursing the darkness.

 The world stinks. People are evil. Terrible things happen all the time. This is not exactly news. Constantly bemoaning it is a waste of time. Praising the Lord, His greatness, His grace and mercy and His salvation is time better spent — both now and in preparation for eternity in His presence. It’s also a better way to eliminate darkness. Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” (John 12:32, NASB).

— I wish I had spent more time serving God and people and less time serving myself.

God created you and me to love Him, not to squander our brief time on earth loving ourselves only. The Westminster Shorter Catechism of 1647 is a far better guide in this regard than all the pop psychologists and phony priests of self-worship: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

— I wish I had told a lot more people about Jesus — and helped other believers to do so.

If Jesus meant the words He uttered in Matthew 28:19-20, when He told His followers to make disciples among all nations (peoples), this is our agenda. Nothing else comes higher on the priority list. And we have more resources to do it on a truly global scale than any previous generation of believers.

What are your regrets? If you’re still alive and alert enough to read this, you can change the habits and patterns that caused them.

“People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality,” Ware says of her experiences with the dying. “I learned never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal.”

We are all dying. Some of us have a few days left; some of us have many years. Make every day count.

Erich Bridges is a global correspondent for Southern Baptist International Mission Board, IMB.org.

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Baptist pastors on hand as IL Senate debates, then approves same-sex marriage

Meredith Flynn —  February 14, 2013

By Lisa Sergent

SPRINGFIELD | The Illinois Senate voted Thursday afternoon to pass SB 10, which would legalize same-sex marriage in the state, by a vote of 34 to 21. The bill now faces a vote in the State House.

David Howard (center) speaks to Illinois Baptist reporter Lisa Sergent directly following the Illinois Senate's vote to legalize same-sex marriage. Howard, director of missions for Capital City Baptist Association, and John Keyes, pastor of First Baptist Church, Riverton sat in the Senate chamber's gallery during the vote. In the hours leading up to the vote, Christian groups had urged pastors and other Christians to come to Springfield in an effort to sway senators who were still deciding.

David Howard (center) speaks to Illinois Baptist reporter Lisa Sergent directly following the Illinois Senate’s vote to legalize same-sex marriage. Howard, director of missions for Capital City Baptist Association, and John Keyes, pastor of First Baptist Church, Riverton, sat in the Senate chamber’s gallery during the vote. Photo by Meredith Flynn

A few Illinois Baptists – who were vastly outnumbered by supporters of same-sex marriage – were present in the gallery for the vote and the debate which preceded it.

Many supporters compared their perceived right to same-sex marriage with the U.S. Civil Rights Act. Emotions ran high with Senators who shared stories about family members and other loved ones they felt were being discriminated against by not being allowed to marry.

John Keyes, pastor of Riverton First Baptist, who was present in the gallery, told the Illinois Baptist he was disappointed by what he heard. “We’re rushing headlong into doing it, without really being alert to what’s going to happen as a result of all this, but I also got the distinct feeling that for many, they didn’t care about that, because it’s what they wanted.”

Lawmakers who spoke against the bill did so mainly due to fears of the erosion of religious liberty.  While the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago), said the amended wording would protect religious freedom, many others did not agree.

Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) expressed concern that the passage of the bill would have a chilling effect on religious organizations that might worry they would be sued if they denied same-sex couples use of their facilities.

Righter asked Steans several questions about what would be protected from public accommodation and what would not. In her answers, Steans called his questions “red herrings.”

Righter argued, “There are two issues represented in this bill – one is same-sex marriage … and the other one is the degree to which we value the principles of religious freedom set for forth in the constitution both here in Illinois and in the federal constitution. This bill doesn’t strike that balance …

“The religious organizations [parochial schools and healthcare systems] back home we all represent … are all going to have to be asking these ‘red herring’ questions.  They’re not ‘red herring’ questions, they’re very real questions. The pastor back home with the small room in the basement is going to have to ask him or herself or the board, ‘What keeps us clear in the category of a religious facility as opposed to an educational facility?’”

Sen. William Haine (D-Alton) cited the position of Illinois Baptists and other religious groups while speaking against the bill. IBSA Executive Director Nate Adams wrote to all Illinois lawmakers last month explaining that in 2011, churches approved a resolution at the IBSA annual meeting registering their support for the traditional definition of marriage.

Democrats were confident going into Thursday’s vote; approval in the House, which could come as early as few weeks, is not as certain.

David Howard, Capital City Baptist Association director of missions, was also in the gallery. After the vote he shared, “I really don’t think there was a lot of thought in many of the senators’ stances. They went with the caucus; they went with whatever pressure was put upon them. But I don’t know that any of them really thought for themselves, and I’m disappointed in that.”

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Pastors urged to attend Feb. 14 vote on same-sex marriage

Meredith Flynn —  February 13, 2013

BREAKING_NEWSSPRINGFIELD, Ill. | Pastors and other concerned Christians are being encouraged to go to the Illinois State Capitol Thursday to sit in the gallery during the Senate’s vote on the “Illinois Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act.” If passed, the act would make same-sex marriage legal in Illinois.

Leaders of Christian groups believe the presence of so many Christians opposed to the legislation could influence senators who are still “on the fence.”

Christian leaders throughout the state are concerned that this will not only legalize same-sex marriage, but also infringe upon the religious liberty of all Christians in Illinois. If the act passes the Senate, it will go to House where it would be expected to be voted on in the next few weeks.

Last month, Illinois Baptist State Association Executive Director Nate Adams wrote a letter to all members of the Illinois General Assembly citing Illinois Baptists’ ongoing support of traditional marriage, most recently in passage of “The Resolution on Reaffirmation of the Defense of Marriage Act” at the 2011 IBSA Annual Meeting in O’Fallon. A full version of the letter is available here, or click here to read the resolution.

Today’s Senate session began at noon, and Thursday’s schedule has yet to be released. Check the Illinois General Assembly’s website, http://www.ilga.gov/, this evening for Thursday’s session start time..

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Tuesday News Briefing: Missions in Chicago, Pope Benedict, the influence of athletes

Meredith Flynn —  February 12, 2013
Nanette Franks (center) and Judy Rinkenberger (right) share information about a women's luncheon with a Chicago resident.

Illinois WMU volunteers share information about a women’s luncheon with a Chicago resident.

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

A volunteer mission team braved cold temperatures and gusty winds yesterday to bring a little warmth to Chicagoans. Eight women representing churches across the state and Illinois Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) worked in the name of Chicago’s Uptown Baptist Church during the annual trip.

Several in the group stood outside Uptown, handing out gloves, hats scarves and socks. Others worked inside the church’s kitchen to prepare an evening meal for more than 100 people.

“It just really opens my eyes [to needs] that I read about, but don’t ever see in my everyday life,” said Nanette Franks, a Harrisburg resident, as she worked on table decorations for the Valentine’s Day-themed meal. Uptown hosts a free dinner every Monday evening.

Along with the meal and clothing giveaway, the women helped organize Uptown’s clothes closet and hosted a women’s luncheon. They also worked with a neighboring missions organization, and visited local nursing homes and hospitals. For more information about the trip, see the March 4 issue of the Illinois Baptist.

Evangelicals: Pope Benedict has been a ‘friend of life’
(From Baptist Press) As the world reacted to the unexpected news that Pope Benedict XVI would become the first pope in six centuries to resign, evangelicals acknowledged major theological differences while citing Benedict’s commitment to human dignity as a key part of his legacy. Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, located in a heavily Catholic region, told Baptist Press that Benedict “is a man worthy of our respect and appreciation.”

“Although there are profound differences in Baptist and Catholic perspectives on faith, we shared a commitment to the sanctity of life and other biblical values.” Read the full story at BPNews.net.

Athletes have more influence than clergy, survey says
A new Barna survey found 64% of Americans think professional athletes have more influence in society than faith leaders, and 61% of respondents favor athletes talking publicly about their faith. Read more at Barna.org.

Frost to lead NAMB’s Midwest region
(From Baptist Press) New York pastor Gary Frost has been named the North American Mission Board’s new Midwest Region vice president. Frost spent 18 years as pastor of Rising Star Baptist Church in Youngstown, Ohio, and plans to locate near Cleveland for his new role.

“I love the Midwest and I came from Ohio, so we are excited about the move. And people in Cleveland face many of the same issues we face in New York. I hope I will be able to draw on those experiences and apply them to reaching new people and helping plant new churches in the Midwest.” Read more at BPNews.net.

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Making prayer ‘a glorious time talking to God’

Meredith Flynn —  February 11, 2013

pull quote_BLACKABYHEARTLAND | Meredith Flynn

Richard Blackaby is the author of numerous books and a former pastor and seminary president. He also has spent his entire life in a ministry family; his father, Henry Blackaby, co-wrote Experiencing God and has a long-time ministry to pastors and leaders, which Richard now leads as president of Blackaby Ministries International.

On a recent visit to Springfield, Ill., he spoke with the Illinois Baptist about the discipline of prayer.

Illinois Baptist: During your teaching sessions here in Springfield, you talked about how easy it is to fall into shallow praying. Is prayer hard work?

Richard Blackaby: Yeah, I think it is. It must be, because so many Christians struggle with it. I mean, it’s not really hard to do, but it is a discipline because you’re talking to someone that’s invisible. You don’t hear His voice, and you’re busy, and you start thinking of all the other stuff you should be doing.

IB: Sure.

RB: It’s not hard, anybody can pray, yet rarely have I every talked to a Christian who said they felt like their prayer life was what it should be. Rarely have I talked to a pastor who felt that; I don’t know if I’ve ever talked to a pastor who said, “Yeah, I wouldn’t change a thing in my prayer life.” And I wouldn’t say that about mine.

But I think the problem in part with prayer is that it’s something we keep trying to teach, instead of model. I could teach you until I’m blue in the face about why you should pray. I could give you all kinds of acronyms and books to read. But at the end of the day, if I just every day met with you and just prayed, and just had a glorious time talking to God, you’d probably want to pray that way too eventually, whether I was there or not.

IB: In your own life, what has helped you go deeper in that discipline?

RB: My dad always talked about unhurried time with God, and he said you have to carve out enough time that it’s unhurried. That when you start to pray, you don’t even have to look at your watch to be worried that your next appointment is coming up. You know you’ve got enough time to just relax with God. So for [my dad] for years, that meant he got up at 4:00 in the morning.

IB: What else?

RB: The other thing that was kind of interesting for me – I kind of go in and out where I try this – I would write my prayers down. Not my prayer requests, like write Bill’s name down [and] pray he gets a job, but actually writing out in sentence form what I was asking God to do….It was amazing what that did, because when you pray, you can pray out loud, but a lot of times you’re just praying silently. Your mind is thinking these thoughts and you’re saying these things, but it just seemed to be more… I’d get my hands on it better when it was written out.

For more from Blackaby, go to ibonline.ibsa.org to read the February 11 issue of the Illinois Baptist.

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The unseen danger of same-sex marriage

Meredith Flynn —  February 7, 2013

pull quote_WARNOCKCOMMENTARY | Mark Warnock

At first glance, the fight about same-sex marriage appears to be over whether to “normalize” homosexuality. But there is a more chilling danger lurking unseen: legalizing same-sex marriage will change the government’s posture toward religion from neutral to antagonistic.

Marriage is a universal, God-given institution, which is set up to provide the best environment for the nurturing of children. Marriage fuses the private interests of romance and sex with the public interest of seeing that children are cared for.

Marriage was not created by either the state or the organized church, but both administer it.  More importantly, both have long agreed on its definition: a permanent joining of a man and woman, which authorizes their sexual congress and makes them responsible to parent any children they might have.

Now, however, our government wants to usurp marriage for its own, and change it to include homosexual couples.

Many Christian churches, including Baptists, are bound by Scripture and doctrines to the original, time-honored understanding of marriage. They simply cannot recognize same-sex marriage as legitimate. Redefining marriage will put government and religion on opposite sides of an unfriendly divide.

The state will soon find it necessary to enforce its new definition of marriage, and to protect those marriages from discrimination. Churches and synagogues that refuse to recognize same-sex marriages will risk the state’s wrath. Imagine if a church secretary enters a same sex marriage and wants to add her partner to her church-funded medical coverage. Or what if a gay couple wanted to rent the facilities for their ceremony? Would the law allow a church to say yes to some non-members, but no to others?

We have already seen the government force individuals and their businesses to recognize same-sex marriage in violation of their own religious convictions. All assurances that religious people have nothing to fear are coming from advocates of same-sex marriage, who view religion as an essentially private matter. The “assurance” they offer is that religious people can think whatever they want about same-sex marriages, but will still be forced in practice to acknowledge and accommodate them.

In this contest, the state has all the power. It can legislate, fine, remove tax exemption, and seize property. If same-sex marriage becomes law, religious people and institutions will find themselves no longer in a neutral, free, protected place in our society.

This may in fact be the sinister goal of same-sex marriage legislation. Under Illinois civil union law, homosexual couples already have all the rights that marriage would confer. The only meaningful difference is that legalizing same-sex marriage will increase the government’s power over religion.

The first American freedom may be about to fade away.

Mark Warnock is associate pastor at First Baptist Church of Columbia, Ill., and is studying for his Ph.D in Christian Philosophy at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

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Tuesday News Briefing: Southern Baptist Convention sees 66% jump in diversity

Meredith Flynn —  February 5, 2013

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

The number of non-Anglo congregations in the Southern Baptist Convention has increased by more than 66 percent since 1998, according to data from the convention’s agencies. Of the SBC’s 50,768 congregations, just over 10,000 identified themselves by an ethnicity other than Anglo in 2011, up from 6,044 in 1998.

SBC President Fred Luter, elected last year as the convention’s first African American president, rejoiced over the shift.

“I remember at one time I was the only [African American pastor] in my city who was Southern Baptist,” Luter said. “I caught a lot of flack as a result of that. Thank God I’m able to see some of the fruit of my labor – not only at my particular church but in the associations and conventions across the country.”

In Illinois, one-fourth of Southern Baptist churches, missions and church plants identify either as an ethnicity other than Anglo, or as a multi-ethnic church.

“Having been Southern Baptist since 1969, and to see the changes and see the increase, it’s simply exciting to me,” said Don Sharp, pastor of Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church in Chicago. “I really get a good handle on it when I go to Black Church Week at Ridgecrest, N.C., and see the gathering of close to 2,000 who come there who are Southern Baptist.

“I remember some years ago when we went there, and there weren’t enough of us to fill up one little room.”

The largest jump in non-Anglo congregations within the SBC has predominantly come from an 82.7 percent increase in the number of African American congregations, but Hispanic congregations also have seen a significant increase over the same span – nearly 63 percent. And the number of Asian congregations affiliated with the SBC has grown by 55 percent. Read more at BPNews.net.

-From Baptist Press, with additional reporting by Meredith Flynn

Other news

Richard Blackaby says prayer is hard workWhile in Springfield to speak to directors of missions and associational leaders, author Richard Blackaby sat down with the Illinois Baptist for a Q&A on prayer and character development. Blackaby, who comes from a famously prayerful family (his father Henry co-authored “Experiencing God), said prayer is hard work.

“It must be, because so many Christians struggle with it. I mean, it’s not really hard to do, but it is a discipline because you’re talking to someone that’s invisible. You don’t hear His voice, and you’re busy, and you start thinking of all the other stuff you should be doing.”

The solution? Carving out unhurried time with God, to start with, Blackaby said. He also suggested writing out your prayers. “Not my prayer requests…but actually writing out in sentence form what I was asking God to do.

“I’d get my hands on it better when it was written out.”

For more of the IB‘s interview with Richard Blackaby, see the next issue of the Illinois Baptist, online Feb. 8 here.

Stanford opens religious liberty clinic
One of the country’s most prestigious law schools has opened the first legal clinic exclusively for religious freedom cases, Baptist Press reports. “It’s not needed because the U.S. is uniquely persecuting – it’s not,” said Stanford Law professor Michael McConnell. “I believe we are the freest and most welcoming country in the world … But we still be to fight and to think and to litigate and protect.” The clinic works like a small law firm, where students handle real cases under the supervision of a professor. Read full story at BPNews.net.

Help from above?
A survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found 27% of Americans believe God “plays a role in determining which team wins” in sporting events. And 53% believe God “rewards athletes who have faith with good health and success.” Institute CEO Robert P. Jones told CNN that many Christians believe in “a God that is very active in their daily lives and very concerned about the things that matter to them. So far as sports are one of the things that matter, it stands to reason that God is playing an important role.” Read more on CNN’s Belief blog.

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Why we went to a Super Bowl party

Meredith Flynn —  February 4, 2013

SPE_034HEARTLAND | Nate Adams

Recently our neighbors invited us to a Super Bowl Party at their home. This isn’t the first year they have invited us, but it is the first time we said yes. I have to admit, though, that there were several reasons I wanted to say no.

First, of course it was on a Sunday. The afternoon game time meant I could easily get home from the church where I was speaking. But Sunday afternoon is usually a time when I can relax a little, have some personal time, and maybe even take a nap. I kind of wanted the option of falling asleep in front of the game, rather than socializing through it.

Second, the people that were inviting us aren’t very much like us, and we both knew that. Before offering the invitation, our neighbor asked, “Do you mind being around people who are drinking?” The invitation itself then came with assurances that there would be soft drinks available as well. I guess we’re known as “the Baptists on the block,” and most of our neighbors know I’m in full-time ministry.

Third, I wasn’t sure exactly what kind of position we might find ourselves in at this party. Who else would be there? Would we even find we had much in common to talk about? Would others wonder why we were there, especially after not coming in previous years, and would they be watching us for ways we might not fit in?

Finally, I wondered what kinds of other commitments might be asked of us as a result of this party. Did they need new workers for the neighborhood workday or workday? Would we now be asked to buy more wrapping paper or Girl Scout cookies from their kids?

I know, all those suspicions and phobias don’t sound very trusting, or even mature, do they? And yet as I reflected on all the reasons I wanted to tell our neighbors no once again, I realized that many of those same thoughts probably run through the mind of anyone who is invited to church by his or her neighbor.

When we invite our neighbors to church, we may feel like we are inviting them to a wonderful place where we have the richest worship experiences and deepest friendships of our lives. But in their minds we may be asking them to take a big slice of their most personal time and spend it with people they suspect are not very much like them, and who may press them for changes they’re not ready to make.

So instead of saying no to the Super Bowl party this year, we said yes. It wasn’t just because we empathized with how hard it is to invite someone to something. It was because our neighbor taught us something about the art of a sincere invitation.

First, she has gradually but consistently built a closer and more trusting relationship with us. I now believe she wouldn’t intentionally put us in an awkward or compromising position. She obviously knows we’re different than many of those who will be at the party, but she respects our values and looks for ways to accommodate them. She seems interested in us personally, and not with whether we will conform to others. And she has persistently and warmly invited us, even when we’ve always said no. Her invitation came from her heart.

There was one more thing. In saying yes this time, we also knew there would be at least three couples present for whom we’ve been praying, and looking for opportunities to share Christ. In fact one of those couples is our host. And in an ironic way, God has used the very neighbors for whom we’ve been praying to show us the art, and the heart, of a good invitation.

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Does the Bible say anything about eating habits?

Meredith Flynn —  January 31, 2013

pull quote_ROACHCOMMENTARY (From Baptist Press) | David Roach

It’s that brief season of the year when most people are still on track with their resolutions to eat more healthfully and lose weight. In pursuit of that goal, millions have consulted Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, online diet plans, calorie-counting apps and a host of other nutritional guides – most of which have great value.

But what about the Bible? Does it have anything to say about our eating habits?

Certainly it does. Incorporating Scripture’s wisdom into our New Year’s resolutions could mean the difference between success and failure.

First of all, we should make a distinction between healthy eating and fasting. The Bible says a great deal about fasting, but that’s abstaining from food for a purely spiritual purpose.

Healthy eating habits are a different matter, which the Bible also addresses. For one, the apostle Paul calls the body “a temple of the Holy Spirit” and urges, “You are not your own … glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The context is an exhortation to flee sexual immorality and not profane the body that was created to honor God, but there’s an application to diet as well. Honoring our bodies as sacred temples certainly includes eating healthy foods that keep them functioning well.

The Old Testament, in fact, includes an example of God’s blessing people who eat healthy food. When Daniel and his three friends resolved not to eat the rich food of Babylon but instead make their diet vegetables and water, “they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food” (Daniel 1:15 NIV). Of course, health was not the reason for Daniel’s food choice. It had to do with ritual purity and being set apart from the pagan culture of Babylon, and God honored his obedience.

Nevertheless, it was also an occasion when God brought positive consequences from healthy eating. (It’s worth noting that the Old Testament ceremonial laws on diet are no longer in force under the New Covenant, though moral principles related to food still hold. See Acts 10:9-16.) Add Proverbs’ warning about the ruinous effects of gluttony (Proverbs 23:20-21), and this is enough to assure us that God cares about our caloric intake.

Thankfully, though, that’s not all the Bible has to say about eating. Paul says that God “richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). The writer of Ecclesiastes makes the connection to eating explicit, telling us that we should enjoy food as a gift from God (Ecclesiastes 3:13). Perhaps that is part of the reason why the Old Testament law required Jews to participate in a series of feasts every year and why scriptural examples of godly hospitality commonly include large quantities of food (see, for example, Genesis 18:6-8; Judges 6:19; 2 Samuel 9:10-13; Luke 15:23).

Jesus Himself instituted the New Covenant at a feast, the Passover meal. And when God wanted to picture for the apostle John the joy that will occur in heaven at Christ’s second coming, He showed him a vision of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-10) – another meal. God not only cares about healthy eating, there’s also a place for feasting in His economy.

So what does all this mean for dieters? While the Bible doesn’t prescribe any specific diet plan, it does highlight the principle of balance – between healthy restraint and enjoyment of rich foods. In other words, make a habit of disciplined, healthy eating, but on occasion let yourself enjoy a feast of God’s good gifts. Looking forward to the feasts will help keep you going during the seasons of restraint. Interestingly, that distillation of the Bible’s wisdom on eating is the same conclusion that dieticians have reached after thousands of years of scientific research. In Scripture God truly does provide “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

David Roach is a writer in Shelbyville, Ky. This article first appeared at Bible Mesh (www.biblemesh.com), an online discipleship resource to help people from all backgrounds grow in their knowledge of the Bible and how it applies to all of life.

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