Being fat and being sexy are two things that generally always lead to getting attention. From Victoria’s Secret to The Biggest Looser, let’s face it, we like looking at people. Two stories in recent weeks speak to this fascination we have with such topics by turning our desire to feel good and look good into a challenge.
You’ve heard about Relevant Church in Tampa, Fla. and their challenge to married couples to have sex every day for 30 days and to singles to abstain from sex for 30 days. But before all that hanky-panky, we should probably lose a little weight. In their daily “Across the USA” wrap-up on February 19, USA Today referenced the story out of Oklahoma City about the 15 “predominately black” churches that are participating in a weight-loss challenge. Zora Brown, a health care official with Integris Health, initiated the contest. Brown wants to address the “health disparities among blacks by fighting obesity.”
Although I do have my reservations about the approach for the sex-o-rama drive, I applaud both of these campaigns for their desire to see healthy relationships and healthy bodies. These are both really practical ways for bringing people together around a very worthwhile cause. The way these campaigns include insiders and outsiders is also a home-run.
Matt Holley
February 27, 2008
This is a great idea. The staff at my church is currently doing “The Biggest Loser” It ends on Maundy Thursday. We broke the staff up into two teams with two captains. Weight loss is measured by percentage and we have a bi-weekly weigh in. So far it’s going great. The winning team will win a dinner at a Japanese steakhouse and the winning person will win $300 shopping spree for new clothes. It’s a great way to break up monotony and to inspire others to lose weight.
patrick
February 27, 2008
YSMarko is doing a “biggest loser”-type contest as well.
http://www.ysmarko.com/?p=2429
Joost Boers
February 28, 2008
This is an obvious thing, a good idea – especially if you encourage the participants to sign up for a multilevel marketing company that brings weight control products to the market. Higher income for the participants may also become profitable for the church by higher church payments. ;-)