Congressional Staffers Fight Negative Body Image with Bible Study
Congressional staffers are meeting together to talk about their body image via a Bible study, discussing what the Bible says about caring for the physical body.
Congressional staffers are meeting together to talk about their body image via a Bible study. Working in stressful environments has led these women to use food as a "legal drug," according to the Center for Christian Statesmanship, a ministry of Dr. D. James Kennedy.
Since October, up to 12 female congressional aides – five of whom are non-Christians – have met weekly to discuss what the Bible says about caring for the physical body.
“We’ve found that this topic meets a really big need among women on Capitol Hill,” ministry relations director Lisa Wink said about the health and fitness Bible study she co-leads with fitness instructor and Hill staffer Jennifer Howard.
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“We have noticed that many women struggle with improper diet and physical health in this stressful environment,” said Wink.
Howard said women either diet or gorge themselves. Instead of treating food as something God gave to enjoy and to maintain life, food is treated like a drug — a legal drug.
One verse the women's bible study group focused on was 1 Corinthians 9:27 – “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”
“God wants to sanctify the believer 100 percent," said Executive Director George Roller. “He does that through our spirits, souls, and our bodies.”
"This study is even serving as a witnessing tool for the non-Christian ladies who have joined the group,” he added.
Wink wants to teach the women that food has a place of honoring God.
“Before our conversion we ate and drank as we pleased, often abusing our bodies,” she said. “But now that we belong to Christ and have become the temple of the Holy Spirit, God wants us to eat and drink for His glory.”
