The Blueprint for Black Health and Wellness

The Blueprint for Black Health and Wellness: Faith, Food, and Fitness with The Overcomers

The Sunday Exerience – Soul Food at its Finest

There’s something special about Sundays in McClellanville, South Carolina.  After a soul-stirring worship experience, African American families gather at the only African American owned restaurant in town, where the scent of fried chicken and collard greens carries memories of grandmother’s kitchen and family celebrations.

The Sunday experience at Buckshot’s restaurant offers more than savory buffet options, like white rice and gravy, red rice, okra soup, cabbage, macaroni and cheese, turkey wings, or baked chicken but it honors tradition, cultivates a soulful culture, and serves as a reminder of just how central food is in the African American community.

The Struggle is Real

While soul food is deeply woven into the fabric of the African American community and has provided comfort in the best of times and the worst of times, the overindulgence of soul food and highly processed foods has adversely affected the African American community.  “A southern diet rich in carbohydrates and fats is an important example of a culturally influenced environmental determinant of health that likely contributes to health disparities in this region of the United States.”[1]

As an African American pastor who has humbly served three congregations in the African Methodist Episcopal Church over the past fifteen years, I’ve seen firsthand just how the overconsumption of these foods has become a major contributor to sickness, disease, and even death.  This sad reality took a whole new meaning in March of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic shook churches and communities to the core with an alarming number of deaths.  The insurmountable grief, the graveside services, and the overall impact of COVID-19 fueled a determination in me to be an advocate for faith, health, and wellness in the African American church and community.   I was compelled to explore how a faith based physical health and fitness program can transform a congregations’ commitment to well-being?

The Role of Faith in Health and Wellness

In 3 John 1:2, the Apostle John encourages us to embrace health and wellness.  “Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.”[2] Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we find Scriptures that promote healthy habits and discipline, warning against overindulgence and gluttony.  For example, the Prophet Daniel illustrated the benefits of fasting and self-control, which still gains traction today in the faith community, known as The Daniel Fast.  Jesus demonstrated healthy habits throughout his earthly ministry, often withdrawing from the crowds to rest and renew. As we emulate Christ, it is imperative that we treat our physical bodies as instrument of righteousness.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price.  Therefore, honor God with your body.”[3] How do we honor God with our bodies? We honor God through healthy eating, exercising and strengthening our physical bodies, and adopting a disciplined and dedicated mindset as vessels of Christ.

The Pastor’s Role in Promoting Health

Pastors play a crucial role in promoting health and wellness within their congregations.  Pastors are viewed as respected “gatekeepers,” have significant authority, and are trusted by their congregation and the community, making them well-suited for encouraging, organizing, and invigorating health change.[4] The call to ministry is spiritually, emotionally, and physically taxing and in an effort to “practice what I preach,” I strive to intentionally incorporate time for physical fitness that I am conditioned to meet the daily ministry expectations. When life is lifing, this can be challenging but I’ve grown to understand that in order to present the best version of myself, I have to invest in myself.

Author Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes emphasized the importance of self-care for pastors in her book, “Sacred Self-Care,” and argues that self-care is an act of stewardship, integrating spiritual, physical, emotional, mental, and relational well-being.[5]  It’s through self-care, balance, and the ability to say “no” that pastors can avoid burnout and maintain a level of excellence and effectiveness in ministry.

The Overcomers Health and Wellness Ministry

Bethel AME Church, the oldest African American Church in McClellanville, was established in 1867. Bethel is a progressive congregation with almost 450 members:  40% are senior citizens; 20% are middle aged adults; 20% are young adults, and 20% are youth.  I was appointed to serve the wonderful congregation of Bethel in November of 2021.

Shortly after arriving at Bethel, I saw the need to revitalize the health ministry. I collaborated with the newly appointed Health Ministry Coordinator and introduced The Overcomers Health and Wellness Ministry.  The mission of the Overcomers Health and Wellness Ministry is to educate and empower the faith community to invest in their physical health and nutrition. We incorporated health challenges to promote physical health and wellness.  Between 2023 and 2024, we launched two challenges with a total of twenty three participants who either focused on improving their eating and exercise habits or losing weight.  Progress was monitored by the health ministry coordinator.

We used the platform GroupMe to share announcements, research-based information, daily devotionals, and just to motivate and inspire.  GroupMe captured healthy conversations which left me in awe of the level of positive engagement and encouragement among participants. Our Health Ministry coordinated weekly virtual and in person sessions with qualified professionals to cover topics relating to nutrition and physical exercise, including a virtual workout session!

Nineteen out of the twenty-three participants achieved their goal, which ranged from losing ten pounds to reducing the intake of fried foods to consistently exercising.  This journey provided receipts of the transforming power of faith, health, and fitness.

The Challenges and Barriers

I must admit that the health needs and lack of access to resources for residents of McClellanville has been discouraging at times.  With the nearest grocery store being 30-35 miles north or south of McClellanville, families have to resort to the local gas station or Dollar General for a quick meal, which is more than likely highly processed and unhealthy.

There are limited options for physical fitness in McClellanville.  The nearest fitness center is approximately 30 miles from McClellanville.  Within the past year, a fitness space that operates on a reduced schedule, was established at the former high school creating an opportunity for exercise. Walking outdoors is the primary option but the lack of sidewalks, cold weather, or mosquitoes make it difficult to be consistent.  The Overcomers Health and Wellness ministry has become a response to the health disparities and limited resources in McClellanville.

The Conclusion of the Whole Matter

How has the Overcomers Health and Wellness Ministry impacted Bethel? It has cultivated a culture of healthy living while also strengthening relationships.  The prayer walks were a demonstration of how to incorporate our faith into our exercise routine.  The daily devotionals inspired us to embrace a balanced lifestyle, the weekly sessions educated us, and the camaraderie challenged us to support and encourage one another.

The Overcomers Health and Wellness Ministry will continue to expand its reach of empowering and educating the faith community.  An answer in a posttest question about how the church inspires health and wellness will serve as our reminder, “A supportive and prayerful community for discipline and strength is very inspiring on this journey.” The Overcomers Health and Wellness Ministry will continue to build a culture of community and faith, health, and wellness, with the conviction that “We are Overcomers.”

Sources:

[1] Steven Coughlin, Black Health in the South (Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 2023), 12, JStor.

[2] III John 1:2 (NIV).

[3] I Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV).

[4] M. Baruth, M. Bopp, B. Webb, &  J. Peterson, “The Role and Influence of Faith Leaders on Health-Related Issues and Programs in their Congregation,” Journal of Religion and Health 54, (2015): 1748. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9924-1

[5] Chanequa Walker-Barnes, Sacred self-care: Daily Practices Nurturing our Whole Selves (New York: Harper One, 2023), 25.