THE old-fashioned pastor, who traveled on horseback and spent much of his time in necessary physical exercise, was probably in much better health than the minister of today who spends a great deal of his time in sedentary activities involving travel, study, and committee meetings.
The result of this inactivity is that many ministers at the age of twenty-six are in danger of having the physical capacity of a man in his forties. By the time the minister reaches his early thirties he may have the disabilities that are normally associated with men twice his age (see Thomas K. Cureton, in Physical Fitness and Dynamic Health, p. 21).
Lack of physical exercise has not only resulted in premature old-age bodies but also has affected the mental capacity of many. The deterioration of the Seventh-day Adventist minister leads to the deterioration of his ministry and message to the world.
Unfortunately, many ministers look at exercise as a luxury and not as a necessity. "Some of our ministers feel that they must every day perform some labor that they can report to the conference, and as the result of trying to do this, their efforts are too often weak and inefficient. . . . Brethren, when you take time to cultivate your gar den, thus gaining the exercise you need to keep the system in good working order, you are just as much doing the work of God as in holding meetings." --Counsels on Health, p. 564.
Daily physical exercise can result in a more effective ministry. The minister will notice that he has more endurance, less fatigue, and calmer nerves in the face of stress when he balances the exercise of his mind with that of his body. It is no wonder that greater amounts of pastoral labor can be performed when a balanced exercise program is followed.
Positive Necessity
"It is a positive necessity to physical health and mental clearness to do some manual work during the day." --Evangelism, p. 661. Perhaps this is the reason why the problems that seem insurmountable are often solved during a walk. The mind constantly burdened with perplexing cares and heavy responsibilities needs the change of setting that could be gained by some type of physical labor or recreation.
A minister must make decisions twenty-four hours a day. The ability to make accurate and immediate decisions often has eternal consequence. "For a healthy young man, stern, severe exercise is strengthening to the whole system. . . . Without such exercise the mind cannot be kept in working order. It becomes inactive, unable to put forth the sharp, quick action that will give scope to its powers." --My Life Today, p. 130.
The lack of daily physical exercise can result in a deterioration of the minister's sermons. "What they [ministers] need is more active labor. This is not alone con fined to those whose heads are white with the frost of time, but men young in years have fallen into the same state and have become mentally feeble. They have a list of set discourses, but if they get beyond the boundaries of these they lose their soundings." --Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 269.
Could it be that Paul's success in preaching and discerning spiritual truth was related to his exercise in tent-making? How much spiritual discernment would the apostles and prophets of old have had if they had traveled from place to place in an air-conditioned car?
A more psychologically pleasant ministry is a by-product of combining mental exercise with physical exercise. The pressures that build up in most people need a healthy outlet. So often the minister's wife or his children bear the brunt of this tension re lease through a hasty word or a lost tem per. On the contrary, it should be that "in vigorous physical exercise, the animal passions find a healthy outlet and are kept in proper bounds" (Medical Ministry, p. 81).
It is entirely possible that psychological depression can be caused by an insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain (The Ministry of Healing, p. 273). Perhaps this is what is to blame when a gloom settles down over the work of the minister; when the church seems to be falling apart; and all the prospects for winning souls seem bleak. The beclouded brain needs to be cleared with life-giving oxygen.
Pure air that is received during exercise soothes the nerves and gives a degree of composure and serenity. "The pure, invigorating air of heaven is God's free gift to men and women, and it is impossible for them to be cheerful, healthful, and happy unless they appreciate these rich bounties and allow them to answer the purpose for which they were designed." --My Life Today, p. 137.
Temperance is an important part of the Seventh-day Adventist message to the world. Seventh-day Adventist ministers are concerned with their diet, and rightly so. But they often forget that "we are more dependent upon the air we breathe than upon the food we eat" (Counsels on Health, p. 173). It seems inconsistent to champion the cause against cigarette smoking when lack of exercise coupled with overeating can kill just as quickly and surely. Seventh-day Adventist ministers should be living, consistent examples of what they teach regarding healthful living. An exercise program will lengthen the life of the minister and thus lengthen his years of service to God. Dr. Thomas K. Cureton in his book Physical Fitness and Dynamic Health points out that the average middle-aged man in this country is close to death and that only one emotional shock or one sudden exertion stands between him and a serious heart attack. Dr. Cureton believes that the inactivity of man today has a definite relationship to the increased number of heart attacks (see pp. 21-26).
Evangelist Billy Graham surely experiences many of the same tensions, frustrations, and demands that face the average Seventh-day Adventist minister. Pastor Graham's friends testify to the difference exercise made in his ministry. After two months of a vigorous exercise regimen he seemed less nervous and more relaxed (see Time-Life Special Report, The Healthy Life, p. 37).
What kind of a change would your church members notice in you if you started a balanced program of exercise for mind and body? Would you be easier to get along with on committee meetings? Would you have clearer thoughts to deal with difficult counseling problems? Would you have more energy and enthusiasm to win souls for Christ?
Before any vigorous exercise schedule is adopted, the minister should first ask his doctor just how much exertion his body can stand. It is always best to start out slowly. This is especially true for those who have more to exercise than they should have. A sporadic exhausting workout on the weekend is not as beneficial as a consistent daily routine of either doing physical labor, walking, or running.
The ministers of the remnant church have a special responsibility to keep their bodies as free as possible from fatigue, anxiety, tension, disease, and depression. Through a balance of mental and physical exercise, the pastor can have a more efficient ministry and give a more effective mes sage to the world.
