Christian Paths to Health and Wellness

Most Christian college instructors have taught health and wellness from books that are not God-centered, simply because they have had no choice. Thanks to the development of Christian Paths to Health and Wellness, instructors can empower students to take responsibility and initiative for their own health, fitness, and wellness as part of their daily lives—while offering that instruction in a Christian context.

Driven by 1 Corinthians 3:16 (“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?”), this practical text is based on sound, cutting-edge scientific research and Christian principles. As such, it provides an exciting new approach to teaching health and wellness to help meet part of the Christian college mission. Students will glean these benefits from the text:

-A solid foundation in health and wellness theory and research

-Multiple Christian perspectives that create a balanced approach to health and wellness across a broad spectrum of Christian beliefs

-Study aids, including vocabulary lists, glossary definitions, chapter-opening objectives, and chapter-ending questions, which foster learning and application of the material

In addition, Christian Paths to Health and Wellness comes with many instructional aids that are free to course adopters, including Web support with sample course syllabi, a presentation package, and a test package. These aids will help instructors streamline their preparation time while teaching and managing their courses.

Written by six contributing experts and edited by two highly respected Christian college instructors, this book stems from the contributors' own experiences in meeting the challenges of teaching in today's Christian colleges. It includes point/counterpoint discussions examining issues students face today, and it provides hope, practical tools and methods for change, and a comprehensiveness that enables students to make gradual and significant permanent change through the wisdom of education and the power of the Holy Spirit.

The book focuses on four major themes: how we are made, how we are made to move, how we are to be nourished, and how we are to behave in restful ways. In part I, students are introduced to biblical reasons to value their wellness and examine God's purpose and their own life's mission. They explore body image, eating disorders, and weight management in part II. In part III, students learn about the basics of fitness, including cardiorespiratory, muscular, and flexibility assessment and training. Part IV focuses on nutritional and emotional health and wellness and also looks at wellness as it relates to sleep habits and personal relationships. Part V encourages students to develop a comprehensive strategy to maintain personal wellness in a relationship with God.

Through Christian Paths to Health and Wellness, students will learn about and practice making choices that have positive effects on their lifelong fitness and wellness. Students will become aware of physical wellness issues and develop a passion for proactive and permanent lifestyle changes. And they will do it all with a God-centered approach.

Peter Walters, PhD, is an associate professor in the applied health science department at Wheaton College, a private coed interdenominational Christian college in Illinois. Since 1996, he has directed the wellness program at the university level, during which time he has evaluated the health and wellness behavior of more than 5,000 college students. Prior to his career in academics, Dr. Walters was actively involved in several parachurch organizations, including Campus Crusade for Christ, the Navigators, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In addition to these ministry opportunities, he served as director of student ministries in three local churches.

Dr. Walters has presented and published his wellness research at several national conferences and in peer-reviewed journals. He also participates competitively in weightlifting and bodybuilding to ensure that he stays grounded in practical applications and not merely theoretical constructs.

Dr. Walters is certified as an educational trainer from the American Council on Exercise, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). He is also a member of the NSCA, the ACSM, and the Christian Society of Kinesiology and Leisure Studies (CSKLS). In his spare time, Dr. Walters enjoys weightlifting, cycling, and participating in triathlons.

John Byl, PhD, is a professor of physical education at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, where he has taught a wellness course for several years. Dr. Byl is a member of the Christian Society for Kinesiology and Leisure Studies (CSKLS) and is the host of their listserv. He is also a host of the listserv for Church Sport and Recreation Ministries (CSRM), an organization that connects church recreation and sport.

Dr. Byl has been a professor since 1986 and has received numerous awards. In June 2006 he was given the Literary Award, which honors current members of CSKLS who have demonstrated the integration of faith writing into one of the disciplines represented in the society. He also received the Presidential Award, which recognizes those who have displayed actions compatible with the mission of the Christian Society of Kinesiology and Leisure Studies (CSKLS).

Dr. Byl has edited, authored, or coauthored 15 books, including Physical Education, Sports, and Wellness: Looking to God as we Look at Ourselves.