Imagine having a massive gym all to yourself. Not just once – all the time. It might be cool a few times – no lines, no distractions, no noise… it’s all you. But eventually you realize it’s a lonely place. This is the reality for most people. They may be in a crowded gym (maybe even a Christian gym – in a church!) with the energy of everyone all around them. But in fact they are all alone in their thoughts, their goals, their failures and fears and even their greatest achievements. Until Christ is right smack dab in the center of your fitness lifestyle you’re breaking a sweat and going through the motions – all alone. Christ wants something much better for you.
Here at Lifestyle Media Group we’ve been working for years to help people understand the difference between faith-based and Christ-centered. It’s much more than semantics. I’m really excited to bring you this issue of Faith & Fitness Magazine, which has the theme, Right Smack Dab In The Center.
In current culture faith-based is little more than a token-nod, an expression of some vague, ancient and likely elusive ideal. It pretty much means whatever you want, which means it doesn’t mean a whole lot of anything at all.
Christ-centered on the other hand delivers incredible value to you AND others. It’s not a label to wear, it’s a God-calling deserving of your undistracted attention and enthusiastic whole-hearted commitment. It’s not a trendy and endearing way to market your lifestyle. It is unfiltered and humble obedience and it looks, feels and performs exactly like that. It smacks with obsession for Christ – and you know what? You can wear that identity – fully!
This issue is packed with a lot of new content. Our cover story highlights a ministry I’ve known for several years now, Christ Fit Gym. They were one of our Fitness Ministry Award recipients back in 2021 and quite honestly I can’t believe they haven’t been featured in the magazine until now. But, perhaps now, with this Christ centered theme, is the best time to fully feature them. Founder Billy Weatherall, his family, the team and the community of this Christian gym in Bossier City, Louisiana puts Christ front and center in all they do. As I share in the article, God’s grace and their reliance on it, is a very distinctive quality of doing fitness with a Christ centered mindset.
I really hope you’ll take some extra time to pray and simply let your mind be quiet as you seek God about the importance of being “Christ centered”. Each of us need to pursue it intensely more. God wants it to be uniquely evident in you. Get what I’m saying there. This is fingerprint specific. The concepts are uniform and clear but God wants to display His presence in each of us distinctly.
‘Christ centered’ for Pastor Jamaal Bernard means embracing deeper and physically renewing meanings to drive and discipline. If your journey includes struggles with addictions, emotional burdens, lust, frustrations on any level then Jane Bower’s story will help you to see how ‘Christ centered’ isn’t a quick fix, It’s a long haul mindset. One thing that is key to a ‘Christ centered’ lifestyle is to realize that while making a choice for it is paramount, many things in life as David Lyons discovered are out of our control. One thing over which we have greater control than we want to admit is, as Christina Barkley shares, our ability to be ‘Christ centered’ in our mind and attitude and faithfully listen to God. ‘Christ centered’ is possible, Louisa Posca shares as we pray.
These are all stories, along with regular features from Marsha Apsley and Ron Williams, that will help you develop a fitness lifestyle that is ‘Christ centered’. This is a huge pivot point for anyone who wants to shift away from the lonely way of doing everyday fitness the way the rest of the world does it and mature into a rich, robust and close walk with Christ Jesus that, surprising to many people (maybe even you), is engineered by God to be intrinsically woven into our daily physical life.
Don’t be satisfied to do your fitness with simply a little Jesus flavor added – God sure isn’t satisfied with that.
This is the time and season to update to the latest version of you. Download only from God the certified and trusted source. Put Christ right smack dab in the center of your lifestyle.
Train strong in Christ,
-Brad Bloom, Publisher
Featured image above by Craig Lovelidge on Unsplash
