Wow! That’s all I can say when I think about the start of Imagine Not as Much classes at the church I used to pastor. I went on a weight loss journey beginning in May of 2013 because I wanted to change my overweight condition, feeling sluggish and tired most of the time, and feeling ashamed of my body. I lost 30 pounds by November 4, 2013, to reach a weight of 185, and I have never gained it back. My wife joined me in her own weight loss journey losing fifty pounds with another program, and then switching to Imagine Not as Much for those last 10 stubborn pounds.
People at church kept asking us, “How did you lose that weight?” I flippantly replied, “How much time do you have?” And then would laugh it off and walk away. My brother Mitchell helped me to realize the seriousness people felt when they asked me that question, and if I truly wanted to shepherd them well, I needed to give them an answer. “Plus,” he said, “people who need the Lord may not come to church to hear you preach, but they will come to learn how to lose weight.” He nailed that on the head!
Tammy and I wrote down some basic information about how we lost weight. I announced it to the church one Sunday morning saying, “We will share with you how we lost weight if anyone has an interest in hearing about it.” We had a sign-up sheet and within fifteen minutes after worship we had twelve people on the list. We looked at each other amazed!
We met for the first time and discovered an affinity with each other because the whole group had two things in common; they all knew they wanted to lose weight, and everything else up to this point had failed. So we began. We said we will teach it our church twice a year until no one else signs up. As I came to the close of my tenure there as pastor late in 2019, we still taught a class, and they talked about continuing it after we left.
We saw God do some amazing things! Fifteen people joined our church, eight through believer’s baptism and seven through transfer of letter. Several people in the church formed new bonds and became good friends. The members of the church who had taken the class used it as an outreach tool to invite friends and family to join for the next cycle and they would attend with them. We saw cholesterol numbers go down, blood sugar and A1C’s go down, blood pressure go down, and weight go down. Our pot-luck meals at church began to transform as more and more people brought healthy dishes. Several people asked us to teach it at other churches in our association and in different venues in the community.
Teaching Imagine Not as Much truly became a blessing, and we wanted other churches/businesses to experience the same thing. So, how does one get a class started in your church/work? I’m so glad you asked! We have five simple steps to make that happen.
- Purchase and read the book Imagine Not as Much.
We do not ask that you read the entire book before you begin the class, but at least start making your way through it so you will feel comfortable with the format. We especially encourage you to begin reading the daily devotionals. Many people have told us that it has helped them tremendously. One person said, “You and miss Tammy write like you talk, so it’s just like you’re right there with me at home.
2. Ask permission of your pastor or boss.
If you serve as the pastor of the church or CEO of the company, this part comes really easily. I would encourage you to take the lead in setting a good example of healthy living for your people to follow. If you do not lead the organization, we strongly encourage you to talk with him/her and explain what you want to do. I served as a pastor for 35 years before my current ministry position. I wanted to know and approve of everything that happened at the church. Why? Because I took seriously that God had given me that flock for a period of time to shepherd. In the business world, every CEO wants to stay on top of what happens within the walls of their company
3. Secure a space and time.
Once you have permission from your pastor/CEO talk with them about where and when you can teach the class. Tammy and I have taught it in the evenings, because of her work schedule, and a couple of times I have taught it doing the day. When Tammy taught it at her work, they did it as part of their lunch hour. You need to have a space where people can comfortably gather, and for two sessions of training move around. Find a time that best suits your church’s or job’s culture and does not interfere with anything else going on.
4. Publicize the beginning date.
Give yourself at least two weeks to publicize the beginning date of your class. Ask permission from your pastor/CEO to place the important information in print, and to speak about it at least once. Let people know they can order the book from Amazon, Ambassador International, or we can send you autographed books upon request.
5. Practice transparency and honesty about your weight loss journey.
You have to let the class know that you fought obesity as they do now. Or you may want to start the class before you reach your target weight, letting the class know that you plan on losing pounds right along with them. Tell them about your struggles, not only in the past, but also during the class. They need to know that you do not have superhero mad skills at losing weight! Tammy and I never did. As regular people we have discovered and shared an effective way to lose weight and to keep it off. If you do not share honestly and transparently with the class, they will think they cannot lose weight like you have.
We look forward to hearing from you on how your classes turn out. Why do we encourage classes? They keep you motivated, they keep you connected to a group to which you identify, and they provide you an opportunity to see lives changed by the power of the gospel.
I want to share just two stories with you, one from a church class and one from a work class. We had already taught Imagine Not as Much for several cycles at our church. Two couples had the same medical doctor that took the class at the same time. She noticed that all of their health indicators were changing for the better. She asked them how they did it. They all told her about Imagine Not as Much.
A short time later a new couple showed up at our Imagine Not as much class. They said their medical doctor told them they needed to lose weight and recommended our class. We joyfully and openly received them. During week ten of the class, the week we share the gospel, the wife accepted Jesus as her personal Savior. They had been married for 35 years and had never attended church together because they had different faith backgrounds. She got baptized and he joined our church by transfer of letter. When Tammy and I left in 2019 they were still attending church faithfully.
Tammy started a class at her work. I did not help teach, because the class did not have any men. Tammy said they had a good time, laughed a lot, and learned some things about each other they did not know. One particular woman commented that she had never approached weight loss from a spiritual perspective before. The class really opened her eyes about honoring God with her body as she maintained a healthy lifestyle.
We want to encourage you. Start a class at your church or work. You will never be the same, and your church/workplace will never be the same. And who knows? You just might serve as the catalyst to changing Sunday potlucks and junk food Fridays into a celebration of healthy eating! You also might help introduce someone to Jesus!