Overview of the 4th Pastor’s Forum Held on July 14, 2014

To attend the Next Pastor’s Forum August 18, 2014

Click pastorsforum5.eventbrite.com

To assist fundraising for Elder’s Power to Stand Outreach to Kenya http://elderernestrichard.my90forlife.com/

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Introduction of Moderator

Pastor Wilton DeGraffe, NY

Guest Moderator Elder Ernest Richard, Washington, DC area

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MISSION Eliminate OBESITY within the BODY of

CHRIST, starting with the spiritual leaders

BACKGROUND 1st Sustainable

Wellness Initiative installed: October 2012

Wilton DeGraffe, Sr. Pastor Grace Gospel Tabernacle

Queens Village, NY (718) 690 ~ 1238

GRANT APPROVAL October, 2013

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Media Articles on Obesity in the Church

1. FAT in CHURCH http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/06/03/obesity­epidemic­

in­america­churches/

2. PRAISE the LARD? Religion linked to obesity in Young Adults

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/42256829/ns/health­diet_and_nutrition/t/praise­lard­religion­linked­obesity­young­adults/

3. The more frequently people attend church,the

more likely they are to be fat! http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/24/frequent­church­goer

s­frequently­fatter/

4. The Black church has created a culture that is promoting obesity!

http://thegrio.com/2012/07/23/is­the­black­church­partially­to­blame­for­obesity/#s:black­women­singing­in­church­16x9

5. Firm Faith, Fat Body

http://www.christianpost.com/news/firm­faith­fat­body­study­finds­high­rate­of­obesity­among­religious­49568/

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RESULTS

The Pastors TAKE the CHALLENGE First group: May, 2014

because TALK is CHEAP !!

Bishop Nathaniel White, NY Started THE SERENITY CHALLENGE

May 17, 2014

Results: 17 lbs in 10 days NOW: 33 lbs GONE

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Rev. Dr. Pearl Glasgow, NY

World Impact Ministries Started THE SERENITY CHALLENGE

May 21, 2014

Results: 9 lbs in 10 days Now: 17 lbs GONE

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Pastor Clinton Glasgow, NY World Impact Ministries

Started THE SERENITY CHALLENGE May 21, 2014

Results: 8 lbs in 10 days| Now @ healthy Goal weight

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Elder Ernest Richard, Washington, D.C.

Started THE SERENITY CHALLENGE May, 2014

Now: 21 lbs GONE Just 20­25 lbs to his goal

Pic Not yet Available Rev. Margaretta Young (Referred by Rev. Dr. Pearl)

Brooklyn, NY 9.5 lbs in in 9 days!! Started July 7, 2014

We invite you to take on the Challenge too. Pastor Wilton DeGraffe

will describe how to get started with a sustainable church­based wellness initiative

at the end of the call

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WHY is FASTING (not eating) easier than stopping GLUTTONY in the

Church?

Examine the motives Is it the kind of FAST that is pleasing to GOD? Did you know there was such as thing as a

selfish or profit driven FAST?

Foundation scripture ISA 58 ­3 (Message)

3 But they also complain, 'Why do we fast and you don't look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don't even notice?' "Well, here's why: "The bottom line on your 'fast days' is profit. You drive your employees much too hard.

Samuel 15:23 (Message) Do you think all GOD wants are sacrifices­empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him..plain listening..

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ISA 58 5­9 (Message) Do you think this is the kind of fast day I'm after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that

I, God, would like?

6 "This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the

oppressed, cancel debts.

7 What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the

homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill­clad, being

available to your own families.

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ISA 58, 8­9

8 Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your

righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage.

9 Then when you pray, God will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.' A Full Life in the Emptiest of Places "If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit

gossiping about other people's sins

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FASTING

Sacrifice

Commitment

Determination to please God

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GLUTTONY

Deuteronomy 21:18­21 "If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto

them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And

they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a

drunkard.

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WHAT is REALLY at

THE ROOT of YOUR DECISION

to OVEREAT or NOT EAT (FAST)?

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REBELLION

Listen to our team call discussion on Rebellion

June 30, 2014 Recording

.https://www.freeconferencecallhd.com/playback.html?n=Do9Dp/jd1cK

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Genesis 3 The Message (MSG) 3 The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal GOD had made. He

spoke to the Woman: “Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree

in the garden?”

2­3 The Woman said to the serpent, “Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the

garden. It’s only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘Don’t

eat from it; don’t even touch it or you’ll die.’”

4­5 The serpent told the Woman, “You won’t die. .God knows that the moment you

eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s really going on

You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.”

6 When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what

she would get out of it—she’d know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and

then gave some to her husband, and he ate.

7 Immediately the two of them did “see what’s really going on”—saw themselves

naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves.

8 When they heard the sound of GOD strolling in the garden in the evening breeze,

the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from GOD.

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~This statement on a Burger King Paper placemat sounds like Genesis 4­5 ~

The serpent told the Woman,

“You won’t die. .God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s really

going on You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.”

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QUESTIONS:

1. WHAT EMOTION DO YOU THINK IS AT THE ROOT OF REBELLION?

2. WHAT DO YOU NOW BELIEVE SHOULD BE THE APPROACH of CLERGY

for addressing OBESITY in the CHURCH?

3. HAD YOU EVER CONSIDERED that a (profit driven) FAST and GLUTTONY BOTH have REBELLION in COMMON?

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SOLUTIONS

Spiritual leaders need to increase focus on their personal health

Implement Sustainable Church­based

wellness initiatives

Practice FASTING based on ISA 58, because meal skipping is not necessarily the

opposite of gluttony

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THE NEXT PASTORS FORUM

August 18, 2014 7 p.m

530 881 1400 Access code 591 178#

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You might enjoy enjoy this slide information

on church initiatives http://www.slideshare.net/serenityretreats/take­the­serenity­challenge

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