There is a difference between accepting people where they are and leaving them there. The CrossFit Community is built on acceptance, but acceptance is also accompanied by encouragement to seek out better ways to move, eat, sleep, and live.
Part of accepting people where they are means that we’re willing to give them plenty of time to decide to make healthy changes. Yes, the majority of people who start CrossFit need to change what they eat and drink, how much they sleep, and what kind of shoes they wear when they run. A wise trainer doesn’t dump all of that on them at once. First, they are accepted as they are. This means giving them time to get comfortable in their new environment, to learn a new language, and to overcome the initial shock of just out of shape they really are.
Over time, as they become more integrated into the community they begin to notice differences between themselves and the more experienced CrossFitters. They start asking questions about nutrition, proper footwear, and ways to improve their lifting technique. It’s amazing how many radical changes they make over time because they have been accepted into a community that not only shows them a better way, but lets them find it at their own pace.
Again, the challenge for many churches is how to scale the Christian experience so that anyone, no matter their religious background, spiritual maturity, or knowledge of the Bible, can begin to explore the gospel at their own pace.
This is not a new question for churches, maybe just a different way of asking it. “Seeker” churches are the result of church leaders trying to create an open, inviting, scalable version of the Christian faith. Many of these churches have had tremendous success in welcoming outsiders into their communities and introducing them to Christianity.
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons