Most Pastors Ignore This Health Principle—Fix It Now or Pay the Price Later
Most Pastors Ignore This Health Principle—Fix It Now or Pay the Price Later
I’ll never forget sitting in a lecture back in 1996 when I first heard about the Healthy Cell Concept.
The speaker laid out the cold, hard truth:
Your body is made of trillions of cells, and those cells are only as good as what you feed them.
At that moment, conviction hit me like a two-ton pulpit.
Here I was, preaching about stewarding God’s gifts while fueling my body with gas station snacks and fast food.
My temple of the Holy Spirit was running on stale coffee, fried chicken, and the occasional vegetable—usually in the form of ketchup.
I had two choices:
- Keep running my body on "cheap gas" and hope the engine would perform well long term.
- Start feeding my cells what they actually needed to function at their best.
I knew what I had to do.
And if you’re reading this as a pastor, let’s be real—you’re leading others, preaching life and vitality, but your own body might be running on fumes.
It’s time for a wake-up call.
If you really want to optimize your energy, focus, gym gains, longevity, the whole nine... living by the Healthy Cell Concept principle matters.
Your Body = A High-Performance Machine (If You Treat It That Way)
Ever seen someone put the cheapest gas in a Lamborghini?
It’s painful to watch.
That engine was built for premium fuel, but instead, it’s knocking and sputtering because some genius thought “Eh, 87 octane is good enough.”
Oddly enough, that's the equivalent of what the majority of the Christian community does (and even encourages).
Doughnuts at staff meeting.
Chemical-ridden soufflés at the potluck.
Heart-attack installments in the form of a massive dessert table.
And when Christians inevitably get sick, they're crying "Why me, Lord!?"
(I know. Not every sickness is caused by diet. But the point is strong enough to stand on one leg.)
God designed our bodies to function at peak performance—full of energy, clarity, and strength.
But if you’re running it on processed junk, sugar crashes, and drive-thru fill-ups, don’t be surprised when it starts breaking down.
What Your Cells Actually Need
Your cells aren’t complicated.
They don’t need gimmicks, fad diets, or some magic pill.
They need:
✅ Nutrients – Vitamins and minerals from real food (think meats, leafy greens, berries, nuts—not fluorescent orange cheese powder).
✅ Fats – Animal fats, Omega-3s from salmon, nuts, and avocados. (Not fried in seed oils.)
✅ Clean Protein – Grass-fed beef, eggs, wild-caught fish—things that walked, swam, or grew from the ground.
✅ Hydration – Water.
✅ Stable Blood Sugar – Carbs that fuel, not sabotage (sweet potatoes > donuts).
The foods that carry what you need are "whole foods" (the opposite of "processed foods").
But… Whole Foods Are Expensive! (And Other Excuses We Make)
I get it.
I used to make all the excuses, too.
Let’s address them right now.
1. “Healthy food is too expensive.”
Oh yeah? So is blood pressure medication (and at multiple levels for multiple reasons).
Think long-term.
Junk food might seem cheaper, but medical bills aren’t.
(Nor is the price you pay in ministry and life for being sub-par in your vitality.)
💡 Pro tip: Buy in bulk, meal prep, and cut back on those $7 lattes that somehow don’t seem too expensive.
2. “I don’t have time to cook.”
You had time to scroll through Instagram for 40 minutes last night.
You have time to throw some eggs in a pan this morning.
💡 Pro tip: Keep it simple—grilled meat, a leafy salad with feta and olive oil, one-pan meals. You don’t need to audition for Food Network.
3. “Healthy food doesn’t taste good.”
That’s because your taste buds have been hijacked by artificial flavors.
Detox from processed food for a few weeks, and suddenly, a blueberry will taste like candy.
💡 Pro tip: Real spices make real food taste incredible. (Also, fun fact: a seasoned ribeye actually tastes better than a frozen mac-n-cheese... and keeps you full longer.)
4. “I don’t know how to cook healthy meals.”
Let’s be honest—if you can follow Leviticus, you can follow a simple recipe.
💡 Pro tip: Start with one-ingredient foods. If it doesn’t need an ingredient label, it’s probably a good choice.
5. “I’m too busy pastoring to worry about this.”
So… leading God’s people is important, but stewarding your own body—the vessel through which you conduct your entire ministry—isn’t?
Ouch.
💡 Pro tip: You don’t have to be perfect. Just start making better choices. The stronger you feel, the better you’ll lead.
Optimization of Ministry and Life Requires Us to Take This Seriously
Your calling is too important for you to burn out, break down, or barely function.
God didn’t design you to just survive—He designed you to thrive.
That starts with fueling your body the right way.
👉 Start small: Swap one meal. Drink more water. Eat protein before carbs.
👉 Stay consistent: Health isn’t built in a day, but daily choices add up.
👉 Think long-term: You’re investing in a stronger, sharper, more resilient YOU.
Face it: This ministry you're in is a marathon of sorts.
You've gotta fuel up with something better than donut holes and disappointment.
More Resources To Help You Optimize
🥤Momentum Shake: The Complete Longevity Shake for Optimal Health
🎥 Sermon Shots: Repurpose Sermons Into Clips & Other Engaging Content in Minutes
💊 My (Scott's) full supplement regimen
