Description: Yes, it is all about ministry but how do you do ‘fitness’ at church? Brad Bloom, publisher of Faith & Fitness Magazine has been visiting churches and fitness facilities for over a decade to bring together practical ideas and strategies for the church just beginning a fitness ministry all the way to the congregation that has been doing it for years. This is the how-to seminar that will leave you overflowing with ideas and a thoughtful strategy to start or grow your fitness ministry. From no budget to big memberships you’ll get a timeline that starts simple and expands to boundless opportunities and dynamic spaces.
How many of you have been to the hotel fitness facility? How many of you could find it? How many of you actually looked for it? It is based on the HOLY OF HOLIES model: far to the back, hard to find, limited access and pretty small compared to the rest of the complex. If you do this model at your church I don’t want to hear you saying, “FITNESS DOESN’T WORK AT OUR CHURCH”.
FACILITIES:
1. Cardinal Fitness – Apartment membership
2. Health care partnerships – Cincy (hot tub), Dayton YMCA
3. American Family Fitness – cardio like crazy
4. Beyond Limits – Urban store front
5. Lord’s Gym – Cincy, shirtless guys – inner city ministry
6. Lifetime Fitness – Family centric – water slides, Grace Church in Lafayette (pool)
7. Equinox – $250/month, amenities like crazy, moist menthol towels
MUST HAVES (McDonald’s QSCV):
1. Quality
2. Service
3. Cleanliness
4. Value
5. Really faith dynamic
6. WOW factor
7. Third place – community center
EQUIPMENT:
1. Everyday stuff
2. Power Systems type stuff
3. club level stuff (professional grade, keep it maintained)
BUILDING:
1. HVAC
2. professional grade flooring, lighting, sound system, locker rooms, security, management of access/flow
3. design Layout is critical Where things are located (maze), what is offered
4. Signage
5. location — off campus
6. effective use of outdoor space
MARKETING:
1. Web site
2. consistent communication (EcoPrint)
3. Energy (constantly new)
4. membership development
STAFFING:
1. Fitness Pastor
2. trained/qualified professionals
3. volunteers
4. senior pastor
CUSTOMER SERVICE/LIABILITY:
1. Greeting
2. Training
3. Client Records
4. Attentive to members and facility and equipment.
5. Conversation – ask questions
6. Coverage needed? Sure! But…
SERVICES:
1. Cardio
2. free weights
3. selectorized equipment
4. group exercise
5. aquatics
6. circuit training
7. stretching
8. spinning theater
9. children’s gym (real exercise equipment), play place, playground
10. nutrition classroom, group kitchen – YOU LIKE TO EAT? EAT WELL. EAT VERY WELL!
11. counseling rooms (marriage, addiction, career, finances, family)
12. gathering space
13. climbing wall (cost)
14. spa
15. wellness/health care
16. Outdoor/garden
DISCUSSION:
1. Are you STARTING or GROWING?
2. What is your most favorite space and why?
3. STARTING: What space in your existing church building could be repurposed for your Fitness Ministry? GROWING: How would you like to improve your facility?
4. What can be your WOW factor?
5. What is a “next step” that you can take?
