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Ten Categories of Health


(c) 2022 Scott Thomas

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit from itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:4-5).

Church leaders need to examine every area of their life. Barna recently reported that 65% of all pastors are not healthy in the five domains of human flourishing: faith, relationships, vocation, finances, and well-being.  (self-reported as unhealthy or average). We have a diagnostic tool that measures and reports this with a Likert scale, but if you want to take the test yourself, you could get a general idea of your overall health. Each of the ten categories below has ten characteristics. Contact us if you would like to discuss how to improve your overall health. 

current-health-of-america-s-pastors-2021

I. PHYSICAL
  1. I Have a Healthy Weight (BMI between 19 and 25).
  2. My Diet and Nutrition are Healthy.
  3. I Regularly Exercise.
  4. I Abstain from or Moderate Alcohol.
  5. I Limit Tobacco (no cigarettes or vaping).
  6. I Get Adequate Sleep (7-9 hours).
  7. I Consistently Rest and Sabbath.
  8. I Moderate Stress, Anxiety, Anger, and Work Pressure.
  9. I Have No Major Health Concerns (cancer, diabetes, kidney, heart, lungs, mental health, frequent migraines).
  10. I Have Regular Exams by my Physician, Dentist, and Optometrist.

II. MARital or SINGLE

  1. Love and Grace Abounds in My Marriage/Relationships.
  2. I Clearly & Considerately Communicate with my Spouse/Friends.
  3. I have clear roles and responsibilities in my marriage that reflect the gospel/I have peace in my singleness.
  4. I Seek to Solve Relational Problems Peaceably.
  5. I am Physically Intimate/I am Celibate and Intimate in Friendships.
  6. I Connect Spiritually with my Spouse/Friends.
  7. I have Emotionally Oneness with my Spouse/I Have Emotional Health (not co-dependent).
  8. I Have Fun Together with Spouse/I Have Fun with Friends.
  9. I am Learning to Suffer with Grace When Facing Relational Challenges.
  10. I Practice Forgiveness and Reconciliation with my Spouse/Friends.
III. FINANCial
  1. I Have a Written Budget.
  2. My Income is Greater than my Expenses.
  3. I Have Minimal Short-Term Debt.
  4. My Net Worth is Growing.
  5. I am Contributing to a Retirement Fund.
  6. I Have Cash Available for Emergencies.
  7. I Give Generously to my Church and Christian Ministries.
  8. I am Purchasing a Home.
  9. I Have Wise and Diversified Investments.
  10. I am on Track for Retirement.
IV. RELATIONAL
  1. I Have Significant and Supportive Friends.
  2. I Have Mutually Enjoyable Friendships (rather than mentors, mentees, or work colleagues).
  3. I Regularly Interact with Others.
  4. I Have Intentional Interactions with My Neighbors.
  5. I Have Open, Honest, & Confidential Conversations with a Few Trusted People.
  6. I am Pursuing and Cultivating Friendships.
  7. I am Finding Encouragement from Friends.
  8. I Sacrificially Serve My Friends.
  9. My Friends are Helping Me to be a Better Person.
  10. I Understand Emotional Intelligence and its Effect on my Relationships.
V. SPIRITUAL VITALITY
  1. I am Demonstrating an Awareness of the Holiness of God in my Lifestyle.
  2. I am Confessing and Repenting Sin Daily.
  3. I Dedicate a Regular Time to Prayer.
  4. I Have a Consistent Bible Study.
  5. I am Uniting with a Community of People to Live out the Gospel.
  6. I am Walking in a Demonstration of the Fruit of the Spirit.
  7. I am Intentionally Making Disciples.
  8. I am Passionate about Learning about Christ and Christianity.
  9. I am Dependent upon the Power of the Spirit.
  10. I am Growing in my Sanctification with Christ.
VI. MISSIONAL
  1. I Have Identified my Purpose/Calling.
  2. I am Passionately Pursuing My Purpose.
  3. I Read, Research, and Study to Sharpen my Knowledge About the People and Places I am Serving.
  4. I Have Designed a Specific Strategy to Reach my Goals.
  5. I am Trusting God with the Outcomes.
  6. I Experience Fruitfulness from My Work.
  7. I Refuse to Make Excuses for Idleness or Failures.
  8. I Persevere through Setbacks and Discouragements.
  9. I am Intellectually Growing in my Vocation.
  10. I am Open to Dreaming about God-Sized Adventures or Projects.
VII. Recreational
  1. I am Participating in Life-Giving Hobbies or Activities Outside of Work.
  2. I Demonstrate a Sense of Humor.
  3. I am Trying New Activities/Places.
  4. I am Planning a Future Big Adventure (Bucket-List Type).
  5. I am Present in the Moment with Others.
  6. I Celebrate Often (Birthdays, Holidays, Accomplishments, etc.).
  7. I Do Interesting Things Regularly.
  8. I am Meeting New People.
  9. I am Inviting Others to Have Fun Together.
  10. I Easily Laugh at My Mistakes.
VIII. ACCOUNTABILITY
  1. I am Opening my Whole Life to a Few Others for Deep Examination.
  2. I Have Shared Failures with Others I Trust.
  3. I Give Honest, Vulnerable Answers to the Questions about my Life.
  4. I Take Specific Action to Remedy any Failure to Reach Goals or Accomplishments.
  5. I Regularly Analyze my Goals to Align with my Overall Purpose/Calling.
  6. I Receive Correction and Affirmation with Emotional Maturity.
  7. I am Meeting Regularly with my Supportive Accountability Team.
  8. I Seek Feedback for my Actions, Attitudes, Body Language, and Words.
  9. I Focus on Jesus' Good News of Grace as the Basis for all Accountability.
  10. I am Using Accountability as a Means to Gospel Transformation.
IX. EMOTIONAL
  1. I am Aware of My Strengths and Weaknesses.
  2. I am Aware of How My Emotions and Attitudes Affect Others.
  3. I Do Not Exaggerate My Abilities.
  4. I am Aware of My Sinful Behaviors and Strive for Holiness.
  5. I Submit to the Authority of Jesus in All of Life.
  6. I am Patient and Prayerful in My Hardships.
  7. I am Aware of Others' Needs and Eagerly Minister with Gentleness.
  8. I Use My Words to Encourage and Build up Others. 
  9. Others View Me as Humble.
  10. I Resolve Conflicts and Misunderstandings Swiftly. 
X. SexuAL
  1. I Honor the Marriage Covenant with My Spouse. I am faithful to my spouse and avoid any form of sexual immorality or emotional attachment, or being intimately involved with someone other than my spouse, often through conversations, shared interests, or other non-physical interactions. I recognize this type of infidelity can be just as damaging to a relationship as physical adultery, as it can lead to feelings of betrayal, mistrust, and hurt (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5). As a single person, I have peaceful contentedness with my current state, and I do not feel as though I am missing out on something by not being married. I accept that singleness can be a gift from God and offers unique opportunities for devotion to God and ministry work (1 Corinthians 7:8-9).
  2. I am Sexually Faithful to my Spouse/I am celibate in my singleness (Proverbs 5:15-19).
  3. I am not Viewing Pornography or any Other Sexual Stimulation that Contradicts God's Plan for Sexuality. I understand that lustful thoughts and actions do not please God and can damage my relationship with others. (Matthew 5:28).
  4. When I Lust, I am Able, with the Power of the Spirit, to Take Every Thought Captive to the Obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-6).
  5. I am Accountable for My Sexual Integrity. My trusted friends or mentors can support and encourage sexual integrity (James 5:16).
  6. I Foster Emotional Intimacy in My Relationships. I recognize that sexual intimacy reflects emotional intimacy. I seek to build trust, vulnerability, and emotional connection in my relationships (Ephesians 5:25).
  7. I Ensure that all Sexual Interactions are Based on Explicit and Enthusiastic Consent from my Spouse (Philippians 2:3)/As a single person, I view others as image-bearers of God rather than sexual beings or challenges to conquer for self-satisfaction (Genesis 1:27).
  8. I Pursue Holiness in All Areas of My Life. I recognize that sexual integrity is just one aspect of obeying God (1 Peter 1:15-16).
  9. I Respect My Spouse's Boundaries.  I understand that healthy relationships require mutual respect and clear communication about unacceptable behavior (1 Corinthians 7:5). As a single, I seek to build a healthy community of believers where people can support and encourage one another in pursuing sexual integrity. I understand I was created for community and need others to walk alongside me in my faith journey.
  10. I Use Language and Behavior that Honors Others. I respect others and do not objectify or demean them in any way. I do not engage in any form of sexual misconduct or harassment. I understand the power of my words and actions and seek to build up others rather than tear them down (Colossians 4:6).

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