The saying, “It’s a jungle out there” seems to be more true than ever before. With all the dangers and hazards in everyday life it’s hard to manage through each day safely. It can seem like you’re among predators all alone to look out for yourself. But, get to Jungle Gym and you’ll find a community that moves to the beat of a different drum.
We visited Jungle Gym, spoke with founder Jason Bergstrom and his team and not only tried out the gear but learned how the Christian faith is central to all they do. Below is the video interview we did with them. Watch it to get immersed in the full ecosystem of Jungle Gym.
It’s a welcoming environment that’s fun for everyone! Release your inner Ninja and get swinging with beginners all the way to pro-level athletes. Jump into the world of Parkour and learn to leap beyond the limits you think you have. Stretch yourself with kick-boxing and strike against the ordinary. Even the weight training goes beyond tame with a whole range of multidimensional exercises.
And – if you think that learning to navigate obstacles, gaining technique to overcome challenges and pushing your limits is only about how you swing, jump, kick and train you’ll be pleased to discover that this jungle is a safe place to build friendships. Here you can get coaching for life and a community where your spirit can thrive. In fact if you want to find a church community where people are active spiritually every bit as much as they are physically, Jungle Gym is it.
Jungle Gym in Pinellas Park, Florida is a 14,600 Square foot air conditioned facility with training for both kids and adults. Programs include:
- Kid and adult ninja classes
- Parkour
- weight training classes
- OCR (Obstacle Course Racing)
- Ninja competitions
- Personal training
- Kickboxing
Looking for the traditional functional fitness equipment? Jungle Gym Untamed has free weights, benches, bands, balls, mats, TRX … yep, all the stuff you expect in a gym and more. But Jungle Gym also has a ‘few’ ways to train that may be new to you: Warped Walls, Cliffhanger, Unstable Bridge, Flywheels, Battering Rams, Windchimes, Floating Monkey Bars, Shelf Grab, Waverunner, Lightening Bolts, Cannonball Alley and more — quite a few!
Take a tour and see for yourself how this gym has something for everyone.
Jungle Gym started in Jason and Kathy Bergstrom’s back yard. He was inspired by the show American Ninja Warrior for Jason and his son to train. They watched some videos to learn how to build a few obstacles . The fun they had training led to them starting a Meetup group so that others could come and train. That led to training plus breakfast and as you may imagine the community that formed all kept growing from there.
This wasn’t just a cool idea that gained momentum and flourished beyond a wild adventure. This community happened as they desired to be faithful and pursued the unique way God wanted to be part of their family’s daily lifestyle.
Jason and Kathy share all about how it started and grew in this video:
EVERYONE WANTS AND NEEDS COMMUNITY
Ministry at Jungle Gym starts with community, creating relationships and then sharing faith through a common interest which is fitness. Jason Bergstrom shares, “Ninja is lower on the priority of what we do even though that is our bread and butter. We just love seeing people come together and that has enabled us to have a lot of faith conversations as well.”
Often parents bring their children to do Ninja training. While there and casual dialogue can become meaningful discussions. In some instances that can lead to people getting to know God and families coming to the gym for church. The Jungle Gym team knows that when people come together opportunities naturally arise for conversations related to faith. They share that passion.
SEEK GOD TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS ON A DEEPER LEVEL THROUGH FITNESS
Before Jungle Gym, volunteer youth worker Ian Pastor already had experience working with high school aged students. In 2020 he and Kiahley Bergstrom developed a youth program for Jungle Gym Untamed (the weight room). Ian actually paid for some of the students’ strength training memberships. Why? Ian explains, “I wanted them committed. I wanted them to know the Lord.” Then, when gyms had to close because of Covid they took the program and the youth to a local park. Their heart for the youth was much more than coaching good physical skills, they we’re being used by God to grow a deeper level of connectedness.
It’s not rocket science to connect with others more deeply. Seek God to see opportunities and then connect in relevant, helpful and meaningful ways:
– Engage in conversations, ask questions and listen.
– Offer assistance and tips for the exercise, sport or activity being done.
– Meet a specific and practical need like a meal, membership assistance, or helping with a task.
– Take time to pray with the person.
PEOPLE VALUE WISE INSTRUCTION. USE THE BIBLE AS A KEY RESOURCE.
What many saw as a devastating challenge (the Covid shutdown) they saw as an incredible opportunity for ministry. Kiahley Bergstrom and Ian wanted the youth to continue to have a community. They did the training in the park for free. But the training wasn’t the only thing free. They always offered something about Jesus. It might be a short message or a conversation about some issue. Often though they simply shared a Bible verse – instruction that the youth found valuable.
Kiahley notes, “Through that we wanted them to have just a taste of what we are about. They were coming to us for sports not church. [But] we let them know, ‘if you have questions we want to talk to you.’”
That offer led to a lot of talking that was undeniably genuine and heartfelt.
PATIENCE AND FAITHFULNESS BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS
Nicholi Idzinski says, “We would always have questions like our personal struggles and personal issues.” Kiahley and Ian became more than role models – they were mentors.
He continues, “They would always use their knowledge about God and use their faith to explain to us how to go about it. It really started planting seeds. At first I was going [just] to build my physical stature. But they were growing us in wisdom weather we knew it or not.”
Fitness ministry is often a very personal interaction. The often highly regarded measurable results of a ‘salvation experience’ leading to a profession of faith and then baptism (the potential outcome) can’t be prioritized over the patient and faithful journey of building relationships.
FAMILIARITY CREATES FRIENDSHIPS THAT FOSTER TRUST
Working out, being active or at least moving in some way or another is a very familiar thing to just about everyone. From childhood through to adulthood we move. Exercise is part of the God design for humans – without it we experience atrophy. On the other hand a relationship with God is often not perceived as equally necessary. For many in fact it’s strange.
Grady Idzinski candidly admits, “I really wasn’t interested [in God].” But, he was interested in having a community of friends and at Jungle Gym Untamed he experienced community and became part of it. Grady recalls, “I figured out that this was about a lot more than just working out. Once I received that love and felt true friendship for the first time, that’s where things started really turning around for me.”
#whatsNEXTisbetter
Fitness today is evolving. More than ever before everyone realizes that a good workout is the one that works best for you. That could be swimming, group exercise, meditation, running or playing a team sport. It could be Ninja training, Parkour, kickboxing or strength training – that just can’t be tamed. While fitness can often be enjoyed as a solitary activity – especially as dynamic communion in the presence of God, it is a powerful way to build friendships, grow a robust community and experience the rich essence of church.
Look for the “jungle gym” kind of environment in your community. It’s the place that builds skills and strength and fosters the development and maturing of real relationships. If you’re fortunate it will be more than a gym in the midst of your jungle it’ll be the church where you worship – a community committed to others and to God.
If one doesn’t exist then it’s time for you, a church or gym in your community or a community group or entrepreneur to look a lot closer at Jason and Kathy Bergstrom, their family and team AND the community God has built at Jungle Gym. Let what they are doing be an example for what’s next that God wants to do in your community.
