Faith Based Health


Almost everyone agrees that attending the church of your choice is healthy. The more we attend, the healthier we get. But, healthiness is not limited to less disease. It also leads to healthier behavior. Research recently published online says:

Involvement in faith-based programs, school clubs, and sports positively influences youth not to use alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Students who are involved in faith-based programs, school clubs, or sports are more than 50% less likely to use substances than students not involved in these activities.

Data reported are from the third iteration of the Coalition for a Drug-Free Greater Cincinnati's Student Personal Drug Use Survey, which is conducted every two years.

The 2004 survey included over 64,000 students from 186 public and private schools in 10 counties in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.

To access the entire dataset, please visit http://www.oasis.uc.edu/. For more information, please contact Rhonda Ramsey-Molina, President of the Coalition for a Drug-Free Greater Cincinnati.

I recently heard NPR attack President George Bush for promoting faith-based support groups. The reporter clearly failed to share the numerous research studies about faith and healthy behavior as well as recovery. It is up to us to get the word out. Despite having research facilities that can dig these things out NPR failed to do so.

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I have been writing about the command of Jesus to "Go as lambs among wolves" and "bless people with peace/shalom." Now we can see why. Jesus wants everyone to have the chance to experience shalom or health, prosperity, wholeness, salvation, eternal life and safety.

Drugs, alcohol abuse, sexualy promiscuity, violence are modern wolves in sheeps clothing. Getting kids involved in Christian activities will defeat those wolves.

What should we do about NPR? Bless them with shalom.