When I speak in churches I meet Christians who happen to be CrossFitters. When I’m working out I meet CrossFitters who happen to be Christians. In both instances, we talk about the difference CrossFit has made in our lives. We tell our transformation stories and show off our “before” and “after” pictures on our phones. One of us will usually connect our CrossFit experiences to our faith.
Sometimes it starts when they tell me how CrossFit has also helped them grow spiritually. Hoping to flesh out some of the ideas for the book I’m working on, I ask, “Do you ever think about what it would be like if church were more like CrossFit?”
After we brainstorm a few possibilities, they say something like, “You know, I wish I could get as excited about church as I am about CrossFit.” When I agree, they say, “It’s a shame isn’t it?” This leads to an awkward, guilty silence during which we beat ourselves up for finding it easier to invite our friends to come with us to CrossFit than to church.
Confession Time: In the past three years I’ve invited more people to try CrossFit than I’ve invited to the churches I’ve pastored and I’m pretty sure I’ve introduced more people to CrossFit than I have to Jesus. To be fair to myself, most of these people are Christians within my church network; that is to say that most of my friends are out of shape Christians who need CrossFit like crooks need Christ.
As I’ve gotten more involved in the CrossFit community and made friends with non-Christians or “spiritual but not religious” Christians who no longer go to church, I’ve struggled with the idea that someday I would invite them to come to church with me. Why? Because their experiences at most of the churches I know of would pale in comparison to the energy and intensity they’ve experienced at their CrossFit gym. So we talk about life, CrossFit, nutrition, and sometimes Jesus, but church—not so much.
Maybe it’s because CrossFit has become our church. The CrossFit community provides the connection, encouragement, and accountability we need to make and maintain huge life changes, we are accepted as we are and simultaneously challenged to get better everyday, and we celebrate each other’s victories every step of the way. CrossFitters aren’t going to attend a church looking to have their need for community satisfied. That base is already covered.
That’s why my mission is to help my fellow CrossFitters see that what they love most about the CrossFit community already has the fingerprints of Jesus all over it. Once they make that connection, I’m hoping the line between physical and spiritual fitness starts to blur. One of my goals as a CrossFit coach is to train people to become more like Christ while also helping them get in the best shape of their lives.
I honestly don’t know how many of my CrossFit friends will ever show up in a typical church, but I like the chances of Jesus showing up in CrossFit.
Check out these thoughts from one of CrossFit’s top athletes, especially the way she finishes her post.
Telling Stories, Asking Questions, Learning Lessons
Great, great blog Wade. Great perspective.
Thanks Web! Great to hear from you. I hope all is well.
This is amazing! I have only been CrossFitting for about 5 months now and it has changed my life. In conversations I’ve had with friends in my church, the best way I describe CF is that it is what the church in Acts is SUPPOSED to be. The church could learn so much about community through CF. Since getting more involved in my CF box, I really feel like these are the people God wants me to invest time and ministry in. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Sammi–thanks for the kind words. I’m glad you found CrossFit and I’m glad you’ve got a vision for how God wants to use you in the community. I’ve got a number of posts about this very thing lined over the next few weeks. I hope you keep jumping into the conversation.
“I’m hoping the line between physical and spiritual fitness starts to blur.”
I’m thinking that if we can ever get that to happen, then kingdom will have come. No longer spiritual and physical, but Jesus living and working in us 24/7!!
Sounds good to me!
I’ve had similar conversations in and out of the gym with (as you put it) fellow out of shape Christians. It is ashamed we don’t feel the same desire to share how our lives have been transformed by faith. Perhaps part of it is our culture of not getting personal with those things. Somewhat ironic though since we’re quick to suggest to our overweight acquaintance that they really need this workout program.
Looking forward to your next book Wade! Your insights are always inspired.
Is it possible that we believe in the narrative that we need to be physically fit, but not the one that we need to be spiritually fit? Is this born of the fact that those who run a gym expect you to become physically fit while those that run churches are content that you write a check?
Deacon says “it’s a shame we don’t feel the same desire to share how our lives have been transformed by faith.” Maybe that’s because they haven’t been. We’ve grown up in a church culture that has never asked us to be spiritually fit and so we have missed out on the experience of being transformed. It isn’t that we aren’t sharing our story, it’s that we don’t have a story to share. The experience of too many Christians is that of someone who has a gym membership, but never works out. They’re “members”, but not in any way that matters.
Kester, you are killing it! Great thoughts. I think you’re hitting the big issue. In many churches, transformation is no longer an expectation, whereas in CrossFit gyms it is the norm.
In my experience, church goal isn’t transformation. Its goal is guilting multitudes into showing up a few times a month, leaving “God’s” 10% at the door, and otherwise keeping your mouth shut. Unless opening your mouth is going to convince more people to show up and also be guilted into showing up a few times a month and paying their 10%. Don’t ask questions, don’t upset status quo. Transformation isn’t even on the radar. I don’t really know anyone who has been transformed by a church, unless you count being awakened to the true goals and then deciding to opt-out completely.
Cynical? Yep. From life experience. I’m a happier person since I made a vow to God to never go to “church” again. But I do need to find a crossfit group. 🙂
“I’m a happier person since I made a vow to God to never go to ‘church’ again. ”
We’ll have to unpack that one over lunch someday.
Hey Jeremy,
I am sorry you feel that way towards the Church. I too once felt that way and was concerned about the Churches purposes. I read a book by Tim Keller called “The Reason for God” and it helped me understand the Church today and what the Church is really supposed to be according to Scripture. I hope you continue to pursue your relationship with God through HIs Son, Jesus Christ and that the peace that He has for you is realized because of your pursuit of Him. Hope this helps.
Ew. I am never coming to your box if you’re going to try to introduce me to Jesus while I’m doing “Fran”.
Don’t worry Matches. I wouldn’t want someone doing that to me, so I would never do it to you or anyone else.
If we became friends and if you were interested in talking about spiritual things, then I’d buy you a cup of coffee and we’d talk about it sometime.
http://journal.crossfit.com/2011/08/adriftthen-came-crossfit.tpl
It seems like community is the key to purpose. Jesus is everywhere where there is community sometimes he is invited and sometimes he isn’t, either way he is there. My prayer is that he is invited within the Crossfit community. That happens within the heart of each Crossfitter not within the genera for the community. Crossfit is just another place where people are together. Not matter where you are and there are struggles and adversity you will find God because the people within that arena need strength that is more then themselves which the only source for strength bigger then you is God. Even atheists look up when they need a little extra.