Be a FAN
for Your Church's Health!

Free Enrollment is
Open Now

Click to register for the FAN Online Training. Each person from your church who wishes to take part in the training must complete a registration form. After you register, you will receive an email with information about how to access the FAN Online Training.

Registration »

 

Do you want to learn more about FAN? Click to watch an information video that describes the FAN Program and the FAN Online Training.

Informational Video »

 

Download a FAN flyer to share with your church leaders and members by clicking the button below.

Flyer »

 

Contact Us


FAN4Life@mailbox.sc.edu


877-971-5259

FAN Online Training –
Available to Churches Across the United States!

Why FAN?

Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) was developed at the University of South Carolina with and for churches to prevent and address the most common health conditions impacting congregations and communities, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and obesity. The program focuses on physical activity and healthy eating because these two behaviors are consistently shown in research to prevent and treat these health conditions.

God gave us our body and wants us to care for it. 1 Corinthians 6:20 reads, "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (NKJV).

Churches can benefit from FAN by having healthier members. Healthy members can more fully participate in church life and carry out the work of God. If you are interested in the FAN Online Training, complete an interest form today!

What is FAN?

FAN is a FREE Christian-based program that works to create a healthy church environment. It has helped over 300 churches increase physical activity and healthy eating in members.  FAN is a flexible program – your church can choose the activities you wish to put in place so that the program works in your church.

FAN is effective – it is included in the National Cancer Institute's Evidence-Based Cancer Control Programs.

FAN is now available online! The FAN Online Training includes 8 self-paced, interactive weekly lessons. Each lesson can be completed within an hour. The program also includes 12 months of materials and resources to help your church launch FAN and sustain it over the first year. Complete an interest form today!

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What Does the FAN Online Training Cover?

The FAN Online Training will support your church to:

  • increase opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating (e.g., substitute tasty, healthy meals & snacks for church events; add movement breaks into church events),
  • create church guidelines (policies) for physical activity and healthy eating,
  • engage church leaders in FAN goals and support church leaders’ health, and
  • share health messages with members through familiar church channels (e.g., bulletin inserts, handouts, social media, messages for worship service).

The training is designed for a committee of 2-5 people from your church. Your church committee will learn about national recommendations for healthy eating and physical activity and will spend time in guided brainstorming to plan how to put the FAN program into place. The online training can be completed individually or in small group settings (e.g., small group Bible study format), depending on the needs and interests of your church committee. You will begin a FAN Program Plan during the trainings that will guide your church’s activities over the next year.

Our hope is that FAN changes the culture of your church to make lasting health changes in the lives of members. Churches have also used FAN strategies and materials to improve the health of the communities they serve.

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What Will My Church Be Asked to Do?

We are offering FAN as part of a study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If your church chooses to take part, we will ask you to:

  • select a person from your church to coordinate the program (i.e., FAN Coordinator),
  • form a committee of 2-5 people from your church who will complete the training and put the program into place (e.g., church leaders, members, health champions, Sunday school teachers, cooks / hospitality staff),
  • take part in the evaluation of FAN by completing online surveys (completed by your church leader / pastor, FAN Coordinator, and committee members), and
  • invite members to complete a brief online survey before the program starts and 12 months later (this activity is optional for churches; if your church takes part in this activity, you will receive a church-specific report of findings).

If you are interested in the FAN Online Training, please fill out an interest form. Completion of the form does not commit you to take part.

Interest Form »

Hear from a FANtastic Pastor

"FAN is a complete package. Nothing was lacking or missing. It is exactly what churches need to get a health ministry started in their church. The resources were phenomenal. So well thought out. The training has all of the videos and resources and documents that you need.” 

–FAN Coordinator

Church Spotlights

Over 200 churches have participated in the FAN program. We have highlighted some of these churches to show the FANtastic work they are doing to improve the lives of their members and their communities. We hope you enjoy reading about their successes!

FAN logoMay you “prosper in all things and be in health,
just as your soul prospers” 

III John 1:2 (NKJV)