Worldwide Health Reform

Saddleback Church itself benefits from its members’ participation in the plan. O’Neil said that as participants become healthier, they come alive with purpose, oftentimes bringing that energy right back to the church and its myriad ministry and volunteer opportunities.

“When people get healthy and they feel great, they’re prepared to serve,” she said.

Having the energy to give back is as great a motivating factor as any, according to Burstein. “When you’re doing something in the whole for other people, and you have that as a goal, it’s inspiring. It inspires you,” he said. “It’s something that can get me up on a Saturday morning much more effectively than just going to the gym.”

While the Daniel Plan has certainly taken Saddleback Church by storm, O’Neil said the congregation’s administration doesn’t envision it stopping there. When the plan launched, participants from churches around the world also jumped on-board.

The church is currently developing a “starter kit” that pastors from all denominations can use to start wellness initiatives in their own congregations. Their ultimate goal is to reform health for 1 billion people in the US and in the world.

Other faiths will be welcome to take the materials and modify them, and in fact one rabbi has already started using the plan with the Adat Shalom Synagogue, a Jewish congregation in Farmington Hills, MI.

“It’s a Christian-based program, but it can be modified for other faith communities to use as well,” O’Neil said. “We’re not talking about a diet. We’re talking about a lifestyle that has a power to transform lives.”

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Gabrielle Zastrocky is a multimedia journalist currently reporting for Evergreen Newspapers in the foothills outside of Denver. She specializes in the fields of education and health care, and has strong interests in energy, religion and business.