Legal? And Lovin’ It! – 4 Perspectives On 2 Key Concepts with 1 Conclusion

Faith & Fitness Magazine has a history built over several years. During this time the content has become more robust. With more people reading it, we’re discovering more professionals and more enthusiastic voices ready to make connections between faith and fitness than ever before.

The themes for each issue of the magazine in 2012 were conceived to help readers focus and develop perspectives on key concepts that are at opposite ends of the spectrum of thinking and yet very closely associated. It is sort of a left and right brain approach to looking at how we live life.

We did this partly so that you can get a well-rounded view on important subjects. However, a big goal is that together as a community, we can come to the conclusion that we’re uniquely and significantly different (something to be celebrated as God’s design). And yet – we share much in common, chiefly a pursuit for something more, something better… It is I believe an innate and built-in pursuit for God.

So what is this theme ”Legal? And Lovin’ It!”? And, how does this theme help you to make a better connection between your active fit lifestyle and the Christian faith? Christ helped us see that love is the perfection of the law. It is important to not only explore but understand the importance of rules in faith and fitness and then to daily apply that understanding.

The February/March 2012 issue helps you look at how practitioners educate us on technique, regulations and the natural physical and spiritual laws that God has in place. That is “step 1” and you can’t stop there. To gain the real benefit and achieve the richer depth in growth, “step 2” happens when you look at how exercise and spiritual practice are more vibrant when they are practiced with love and enthusiasm. Your challenge is to know and practice the laws of doing it right AND to find freedom to do it with passion. It is ferocious and fun all in one.

STEP 1: Legal – Know the technique, regulations, practice and "laws".

STEP 2: Lovin' It! – Be the life of Christ to others with enthusiasm.

I asked four people Katie Cordova, Sheila Hall, Bryant Johnson and Kirsten Quick to consider the following questions:

– In your fitness training what are some important rules you follow? What makes these important to you? – How do you feel people can go overboard in following training guidelines/techniques/routines? – How do you draw the line between following good fitness rules and practices and being legalistic? – In your faith walk what are some of the guiding principals that direct how you live life? What makes these absolutes that can’t be compromised? – What are some of the ways that people become legalistic with their faith? What is the danger in doing that? – How do you see the Christian faith being different when people live it in love as compared to living it purely by the law? – How do you make fitness fun as compared to doing it purely to achieve a goal?

Over the next 4 pages you can see their perspectives and contribute your own. I hope you’ll discuss these same questions in your small church group, in your group exercise class and among your friends and family. If you don’t draw any hard and fast conclusions right now, that is good. If you’re prompted to wrestle with what it means for you to be “legal” and yet “lovin’ it” then I hope you’ll get in a good workout. Go ahead and get sweaty and smelly. You’ll clean up just fine.