Our online ministry is changing its name from “New Life Health Ministries” to “TEAMzao”, as of October 1st, 2016.
There are many reasons for this change, and much prayer has gone into the decision. One reason for this is because we do not wish to sound like we are some old, southern baptist organization (we love some of those organizations – but, they simply are not us).
Shama, from our writing team, recently crafted a new video that he titled “Churchanese”, in which he is poking fun at how “church-people” speak with words that do not make sense outside of a church context (seen below). “New Life Health Ministries” was a name forged out of that language and we believe that, that name was intimidating for many unbelievers.
We recently had a Hindu man, from here in the States, who told us that he did not want anything to do with our ministry because he did not want to convert. That is not our only purpose. We also care about the health of nonChristians! This is one reason our name must be changed – we need to rebrand to a greater audience, in order to show our desire to care for everyone, as if they were our own.
Health requires a team – this is another reason our new name change is soimportant to our mission.
As far as health for the body goes, having others around to live healthy lifestyles with us is vitally important. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to choose to eat healthy and work out daily on your own. Having others around you, struggling to do right with you, is important; you are not alone! Join our team!!!!
As for mental health, there is a reason solitude is considered an extreme punishment, and why support groups exist for addicts. We do not do well on our own; it drives a person crazy and causes them to become unstable!
And, as for spiritual health, 1 Corinthians 12 makes it clear that we all function as one body – one TEAM! Without the whole body, we cannot be a healthy ministry!!!!
Remember, Jesus’ disciples were not Christians until after He died. When asked who Jesus was, His best friends (His team) never could give a clear answer – they didn’t get it, yet. As such, we do not want only Christians on our team! In fact, one member of our writing team (Doctor Showbizhair) is an agnostic, who functions in this team to spread the news of bodily and mental health.
And so, we apologize for not having already given focus to the aspect of team health. We are even going as far as to make a minor change in our mission statement. The mission statement was:
“To spread the message of health for the mind, body, and soul, so that others can know how to live healthy, joyful lives & can continue to spread this message themselves.”
As of October 1st, 2016, the statement will read,
“To spread the message of health for the mind, body, and soul, so that others can join us in living healthy, joyful lives & can continue to spread this message themselves.”
Okay, so we covered the easier word, “TEAM“; what about “zao“? What on earth does that even mean, you ask??
It means “new life”.
No huge change there, we know. But, still, allow us a second to explain what inspired this focus.
(It is pronounced “z-ow”, like “ow, that hurt!” but with a “z”.)
Zach!
A couple years back, Josh and Zach, of our writing team, led a small group, in Charleston SC, together – studying the Bible in depth. They were in a long-running series that they titled “The Path to Revelation”. (“The Road to Revelation” would’ve sounded better, we know.) At one point, in this series, they encountered 1 Corinthians 15.
Verses 1 and 2, read:
“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”
When they were preparing for this lesson, they kept coming back to these two verses and one word, in particular – σῴζεσθε, or sózesthe. This word means “being saved” and it is both in the past tense and the present tense, at the same time. When we accept salvation in Christ we are immediately justified by His sacrifice (Romans 5); but, that is not the end to the salvation process.
After being justified, we continue getting saved through our sanctification. Sanctification is part of a daily process to become less and less self-absorbed, so that we can become more and more Christ-absorbed (1 Corinthians 15:31).
St. Paul famously describes what this process meant to him,
“For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
– Philippians 1:21 (ESV)
The two, leading that Bible study, started the meeting that week off by having Zach play this song, by Gungor:
The word “zao” means life, in ancient Greek. We, as a team, use this word to reflect our desire to focus on living life to its fullest.(We also use this word because “TEAMsózesthe” would have sounded really weird and no one would’ve remembered it!)
Being a team that focuses on life, means that we are dedicated to one another, to everyone who comes across our page, and we are focused on all of our transformations– mentally, physically, and spiritually.
We asked our writing team to share both about what it has been like to work as a team thus far and what this new direction in our ministry means to them:
David!David: When I was told about the name of the site changing, two thoughts crossed my mind:1) ‘I just got here!’2) ‘Harambe was more than just a gorilla.’ 17) ‘I really need to learn how to count.’42) ‘What does zao mean?’Josh had explained to me the direction we were headed and I got really hype! I’ve never met most of the people here, but once I started getting the chances to work with them, I quickly found that this would work!
Jessica + family!
Jessica is expecting her third child very soon, adding one more to her family. She is a family-oriented person and we are both extremely glad and proud to have her as a member of our family here at TEAMzao, as well.
Doctor Showbizhair: I would like to personally welcome the transition into our new team. “What team?” you ask. Why the one youare joining of course. TEAMzao offers what I love most, a place to share thoughts and ideas (strange and ordinary), where I will try to better your mind and body – leaving the soul stuff to people with more knowledge on the subject…. though, I can help you with the stock market too.
Shama:I’m super excited about the name change on the site. It’s a pleasure to be on board and watch the team grow. The best is yet to come and TEAMzao is gonna bring it!
JC (The Fanboy Pastor)!JC Prescott (The Fanboy Pastor): My first encounter with the term “ZAO” was an old Christian metal band. The 90’s were fun, kids! It occurs to me that as we talk about this term, we must keep in mind our old lives, as well. We (Christains) are not what we were, yet we are tethered to the same space and share the same time. It’s our mission, as TEAMzao, to take that tension, which Paul talks about, and mold it into something creative and functional; building the new life out of the remains of the old.
Josh: Having the name of this ministry reflect how the salvation of Christ is a process, reminds me that I mustdedicate all that I am to Him now, including how I eat and drink, so that I can better glorify Him for the grace that He has shown me (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Zach: I feel this name change truly shows what this group of people and this website is about: teamwork to change the world around us. Jesus didn’t go out and do things by Himself; He had a group of people that He trained and mentored. Our group is there for each other and willing to work together to get things done so we can truly make a difference in the world.
Without a team, good health for the mind, body, and soul is impossible.
Living life to its fullest is also impossible without a team.
Transformation is not possible, outside of ourselves.
Likewise, what we want to achieve through this ministry is impossible without you:
If youshare our posts, or comment on them, then others can see them. That’s how wecan spread the message!
If you write on our Facebook page and ask us questions, then we can better help others in what we are sharing.
What we do as a team, relies on you – as a member of this team! Not just for the reasons above, but also for team health. We need just as much encouragement for our health as all of you. We need you all to comment and pour back into what we are doing with these posts. Let’s all help each other live life to its fullest, by encouraging one another to live healthier with our minds, bodies, and souls!
Josh!
I, Joshua Noel, am the leader of this team and I love college football, so naturally I feel the need to use football as an anology, for everything, this time of the year!
My favorite college football team (F lorida S tate U niversity) chants something really cool in their locker room, right before a game. They started this chant in 2015, after they had already lost two games that season.
The chant came from the idea that the team was no longer fighting to be the best team in the nation that year, but instead they were fighting to help each other look better and have better chances to make it in the NFL, for a professional career in the sport (many members of that team did in fact get to go on to the pros in 2016). The chant they started in their locker room was this:
“Fight for each other! Fight for each other! Fight for each other!”
Let’s all do just that, as “TEAMzao” – “FIGHT FOR EACH OTHER!”
such, we do not want only Christians on our team! In fact, one member of our writing team (Doctor Showbizhair) is an agnostic, who functions in this team to spread the news of bodily and mental health.
TEAMzao 