Why Have a Bod 4 God?

Posted on January 30, 2014 by dkoop

Bod 4 God with logoThe basis of Bod 4 God is the Bible which tells us that our bodies were created, by God and for God.

There are many Scriptures that mention this, but a favorite is Colossians 1:16:

“For by Him all things were created ….and for Him.”

A lot of believers are strong in the first part.  We know we are made by Him. God is our creator.   But we struggle with the second part.   We were also created for Him.  Not only is He the creator of our bodies, He is to be the controller of our bodies. It is to be for Him.

 The Bible says that you and I are the greatest of God’s creation.  God loves all creation, it true.  We should take care of God’s creation.  But He says, you and I are the greatest of all creation for one simple reason. You and I are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26).  My body wasn’t created just for my personal gratification; it was also created for God’s glorification.  God gives me my body so I can fulfill the purposes He has for me.

  •  My body was created by God and for God.

The good news is that God gives us a lot of help in knowing how to have a Bod4God.

The word “body” is found in the Bible 179 times.

God doesn’t just say, “I want you to have a Bod 4 God.” He tells us how to do it.

The purpose of this series, the Growth Groups, the Losing to Live Competition, the prizes and Steve Reynolds visit is to help you achieve a Bod 4 God lifestyle.

  •  Bod 4 God is a lifestyle, not a diet.  

We hope to encourage you to implement a lifestyle that you can live out for the rest of your life.

Personally overeating is a huge struggle for me. I love food!  I want to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. And I don’t want to exercise.  This is the part of my lifestyle that is so difficult for me but needs to change with God’s help.

One verse haunts me because it is me.

Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. Philippians 3:18-19

My belly is often my god. I quickly turn to food for comfort, reward, when stressed, when happy and when bored! This makes me an idolater and is an area of my life that I need to dedicate to God.   As a pastor many other things are dedicated to God.  Porn is not an issue for me, alcohol, cigarettes, I am only going to have sex with one woman and it is my wife. But in the area of food and eating, this is often far from God!

Why? Because it is about me.  I have a Bod 4 Darrell not a Bod 4 God.

Many of you may also struggle with food.   Steve Reynolds says, “Christians are the most overweight people group in America.”  Gluttony and overeating seem to be the “acceptable” sins and the “not talked about” sins in churches.  But it’s time to admit that these are not acceptable.

Some of you, you are doing OK on your eating and weight. I would encourage you to examine the rest of your life, because there is probably another area where you are struggling.

To have Bod 4 God you can’t be looking at porn or smoking a cigarette that takes three minutes off your life. It could be bitterness. Your body was never designed to keep bitterness without serious consequences. And the list could go on; maybe it is alcohol or another drug.  These are all areas that we need to look at.

When I talk about my eating, it is my sin of choice. I don’t chose pornography, alcohol or bitterness. It is not my area of struggle, but food is.  For you, be honest about what is holding you back from having a Bod4God.

  •  Bod 4 God is about is living the life that God designed for you to live.

I have decided to make that choice!  I know there is more to life than craving sweets, obsessing about food, disliking how I feel and look all while worrying about my health.

In Matthew 16:24-25 Jesus said this. “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”

I want to deny myself, follow Jesus and take up my cross.  It’s not a literal cross that Jesus took. He is the Savior.  I can’t save anybody. The cross for me is a cross of discipline, health and wellness. And do you know what? This is the life the life that he has for all of us.

Whatever we are hanging on to: food, drugs, pornography or bitterness. It’s not worth it!

Are you willing follow Jesus and have a Bod 4 God?

I am and I hope you’ll join me!

Darrell

www.RidgeFellowship.com

Sources:
Steve Reyolds, Bod 4 God
For more about Bod 4 God, go to www.Bod4God.org
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Sign Up Now for Losing to Live!

Posted on January 15, 2014 by dkoop

Losing to Live. jpgWant to get healthy and lose weight in positive and supportive environment?

With God’s help and the encouragement of a group of like-minded weight losers,  you can!

To get signed up:

1. Download this form: Weight loss sign up (This form will also be at church.)

2. Fill it out the Weight loss sign up form , bring it with you to church on Sunday and get weighed in.  (1st Weigh in Sunday, January 19th and last weigh in is Sunday, April 13th.)

3. Bring $20 cash or check to church or pay with credit/debit card online at 

www.ridgefellowship.com/online-giving (Select the Losing To Live fund.)

Losing to Live kitAll participants receive a Losing to Live Weight-Loss kit which includes:

  • Official Losing to Live refrigerator magnet
  • T-shirt: “I joined a Group of Losers”
  • Bod 4 God silicone wristband
  • A listing of groups that will meet

For more information, contact our Losing to Live/Bod 4 God Coordinator, Brian Thetford:  bthetford@conceptserv.com

www.RidgeFellowship.com

Bod 4 God with logoFor more about Losing to Live, visit the official site at www.Bod4God.org

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What is Losing to Live?

Posted on January 11, 2014 by dkoop

Losing to Live. jpgLosing to Live is a faith based weight-loss competition. It was created because it is so hard for people to lose weight on their own. But with God’s help and the encouragement of a group of like-minded weight losers, anyone can become healthier and live a full rich life.

The Losing to Live competition was created by Pastor Steve Reynolds, Senior Pastor of Capital Baptist Church in Annandale, VA (a suburb of Washington, DC). He is the author of Bod4God. After losing over 100 pounds of weight he was labeled “The Anti-Fat Pastor.”

This is a weight-loss program that really works! Nutritionist, Vivian Hutson, said “Bod4God has produced more sustainable weight-loss for its participants than any other program that I have been involved with in my twenty years as a dietitian.”

The competition takes place over a 12 week period of time. Each participant is encouraged to join one of our six groups meeting at different times and locations.  Group meetings occur once per week. All participants have the same goal which is to get healthier and lose weight as they compete with group members and other groups. Participants are provided with the inspiration and information they need to lose weight.  The first weigh in January 19th, the final weigh in is April 13.  See Rules below for more information.

This competition offers participants an opportunity to lose weight in a fun and supportive environment.

Registration for The Ridge’s Losing to Live weight loss competition is only $20 and all participants receive a Losing to Live Weight-Loss kit which includes: Losing to Live kit

  • Official Losing to Live magnet
  • T-shirt  “I joined a Group of Losers”
  • Bod 4 God silicone wristband
  • A listing of groups that will meet.

The Losing to Live weight-loss program has been featured on local, national, and international media including FOX News and CNN, as well as the front pages of the Washington Post and Chicago Tribune.

So, don’t try and lose weight by yourself. Come and join group of losers! This faith based weight loss program is spreading throughout the nation, other countries, and is now in your community!

Rules:
 – You do not have to participate in the challenge to be in a group,
but you do have to be in a group to participate in this challenge.
 – First weigh in Jan 19th. Final weigh in April 13.
 – Entry fee must be paid prior to or on the day of 1st weigh in.
 – Weigh ins will be each Sunday before and after services. Weigh ins will be held in a  private setting.
 – The only numbers made avaliable will be %. No actual weight numbers will ever be made public.
 – Contestant is only allowed to miss 4 weigh ins throughout the contest.
 – Winner will be based on % of body weight lost
 – Prizes awarded for 1st place at each location, and 1 Grand Champion chosen from the pool of all locations.
 – This is a spiritual based program. Faith, Diet, and Exercise are the only acceptable methods of weight loss.
 – Scholarships available on a case by case basis. Contact Darrell or Brian Thetford for information.

For more information contact our Losing to Live/Bod 4 God Coordinator Brian Thetford: bthetford@conceptserv.com

To sign up for a Bod 4 God group go to: www.RidgeFellowship.com

For more about Losing to Live visit the official site at www.Bod4God.org

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What is Bod 4 God?

Posted on January 11, 2014 by dkoop

Bod 4 God with logoBod 4 God is a message series we’re doing at The Ridge based on a book by the same name.

In Bod 4 God you learn small simple changes that will lead to a new lifestyle—a path to a new life. These are not complicated or even profound changes but they will work for you as they have for thousands of others around the world.

Discover the four keys that will unlock the door to health and fitness:

  • Dedication:  Honoring God with Your Body

  • Inspiration: Motivating Yourself for Change

  • Eat and Exercise: Managing Your Habits

  • Team: Building Your Circle of Support

In the book, Bod4God, author, Steve Reynolds – whom the media labeled “the Anti-Fat Pastor” after he lost more than 100 pounds – shares the simple lifestyle changes, both inside and out, that have led to his incredible weight loss.

In the series and in the book you will see how you can change your life forever by committing your body to God’s glory. One of the biggest reasons most people fail on traditional diet plans is that they are required to eat what the plan tells them to eat. This approach simply doesn’t work, because we don’t all have the same appetites, background or circumstances! Bod4God helps you craft your own personal plan that you will follow gladly for the rest of your life.  For more about Steve or the Bod 4 God book check out the website:  www.Bod4God.org

Bod 4 God Growth Groups

To go along with the Bod 4 God series we will have Bod 4 God groups!  Don’t lose weight alone, join a group of losers! There will be mid-sized groups meeting weekly on Wednesday nights for 12 weeks at the Ridge in Leander and Taylor. They will use DVDs (2- 25 minute video sessions).  There are also other Bod 4 God groups that will meet for 6 sessions (2 DVD sessons at a time) in Leander and Jarrell you can choose, Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays for group days.

To sign up for Leander go to:  http://leander.ridgefellowship.com/#/get-connected/interests-activities

To sign up for Jarrell go to:  http://jarrell.ridgefellowship.com/#/get-connected/interests-activities

To sign up for Taylor go to:  http://taylor.ridgefellowship.com/#/get-connected/interests-activities

Steve Reynolds (Bod 4 God Author) will be here!

Steve Reynolds will be at The Ridge Fellowship (Leander location) on Saturday February 8th 2014 from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM.   All invited! Childcare provided.

For more about Steve or the Bod 4 God book check out his website:  www.Bod4God.org

“Losing to Live” Weight Loss Competition

During the Bod 4 God series, we will have a weight loss competition that lasts 12 weeks.  There will be prizes for the winners at each location and 1 Grand Champion.

See the next blog post for more about “Losing to Live”

I’m looking forward to the Bod 4 God series, Growth Groups, weight loss competition and Steve’s visit!

Darrell

www.RidgeFellowship.com

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