Going to church is good for you

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Live long, live well”

Our Bible verse for today: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go up to the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:2 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Going to church is good for you”

In his book “Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest” Dan Buettner and his team searched the world-over and found clusters of people in widely different locations where a high percentage of the population lived long and lived well. They studied those population groups and discovered that they all had certain things in common which seemed to contribute to the quality and longevity of their lives.

Out of the results of their research Dan and his team then developed a list of suggestions we can all adopt that will improve the quality of our lives in the immediate short term, but which will also increase the likelihood of living longer as well as better. In the days to come we will think about each of those suggestions.

The lesson from their research that I personally believe is by far the most important and most helpful is being part of a healthy community of faith. The people in Buettner’s population groups practiced many different faiths but the positive impact on overall health and longevity was similar. They found that:

“Healthy centenarians everywhere have faith … The simple act of worship is one of those subtly powerful habits that seems to improve your chances of having more good years.”

“Studies have shown that attending religious services – even as infrequently as once a month – may make a difference in how long a person lives. A recent study in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior followed 3,617 people for seven and a half years and found that those who attended religious services at least once a month reduced their risk of death by about a third.”

“It appears that people who pay attention to their spiritual side have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, depression, stress, and suicide, and their immune systems seem to work better. Put generally, the faithful are healthier and happier.”

Strong faith that is held deeply and practiced faithfully is an essential element in living long and living well. Additionally, it is essential that that faith be practiced within the context of a healthy community of like-minded people. Tomorrow we will think more about how it is that being part of a good church family makes life better.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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