Second Baptist Church of Indianapolis, Indiana
The Second Baptist Church held its Body & Soul kickoff in June and encouraged congregation members to take part in the "SBC Biggest Loser" contest. Over a three-month period, participants were encouraged to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diets and increase their physical activity. With 160 members of the congregation participating, the church collectively lost 676.6 pounds.

"Body & Soul is probably the best way to impact a large amount of people at one time," said Paula Howard, Second Baptist Church’s Body & Soul coordinator. "It offers them an educational opportunity and with the competition, it was easy to see how weight gain related to the foods they were eating."

Pastor David W. Greene, Sr. set a strong example by losing 25 pounds during the "SBC Biggest Loser" contest, as well as incorporating the program’s message into bible studies and leadership meetings.

"Pastor Greene and his wife Glenda are very active with the program and very receptive to other ACS information like screenings and overall cancer health for their congregation," said Yolanda Wide, community program representative for ACS.

Pastor Greene’s enthusiasm will help keep its nearly 1,200 church members motivated as they start the Active for Life program in the near future, which focuses on increasing physical activity. The church also plans to hold a nutrition fair in the first part of the year to continue the church’s health education.

Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church of Detroit, Michigan
In February, the Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit kicked off its Body & Soul program for more than 2,500 congregation members with the support of Pastor Nathan Johnson. The church held a successful health fair where health organizations were invited to give free screenings, such as blood pressure screenings, while educating members about healthy choices.

"Our goal with Body & Soul is to encourage members to eat more fruits and vegetables," said Janice Fitzhugh, community representative for ACS. "We can help develop a health ministry if one doesn’t currently exist, or strengthen an existing ministry."

The Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church’s health ministry has benefited from the information Body & Soul offers. In October, the church opened its doors to other health organizations for "Facing Cancer", a session to educate the congregation about cancer issues. The church will also hold a men’s health forum in mid-November.

To learn more about Body & Soul, contact Voncile Brown-Miller, director of disparity programs, at (248) 483-4399.

Pictured: "SBC Biggest Loser" winning team: David W. Greene, Jr., First Lady Glenda Greene, Neicey Bates, and Keisha Johnson. Not pictured: Pastor David W. Greene, Sr.