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Last week I taught three classes at the Pepperdine Lectures about what churches can learn from CrossFit. The material was reverse engineered from my book, Train For Something Greater: An Athlete’s Guide to Spiritual Fitness, available at Amazon.com.

Here are nine observations I shared about the life changing environment at a typical CrossFit gym. Let the reader discern applications for creating life changing environments in churches.

1. CrossFit creates compelling “before” and “after” photos. Physical transformation is a normal occurrence in a CrossFit gym. CrossFit trainers are confident the program works and assume something is wrong when it doesn’t.

2. CrossFit provides a clear, practical definition of physical fitness. Crossfit trainers know what kind of athletes they are hoping to produce and they program accordingly. Exercises that do not contribute to functional fitness are ruthlessly eliminated.

3. CrossFit motivates by measuring progress. How do you know if you’re getting more fit? The numbers don’t lie. CrossFitter’s track progress, pursue milestones, and celebrate their improvement.

4. CrossFit offers a personalized training program. Trainers help athletes identify their strengths and weaknesses and then provide additional programming for improving weaknesses.

5. CrossFit is never boring. CrossFit programming consists of multiple exercises combined in an endless variety of ways. Crossfitter’s rarely do the same workout twice in a row. This not only keeps the training fresh, it also ensures that athletes can’t hide from their weaknesses. (See #4)

6. Crossfit makes it possible for anyone to participate. Workouts are scaled according to each athlete’s level of fitness. This creates an accepting environment in which everyone is welcome.

7. CrossFit uses the power of community to nudge us out of our comfort zones. CrossFit is too hard to do alone. CrossFitters are surprised at how much suffering they can endure when surrounded by others who are also suffering.

8. CrossFit embraces the “suck” factor. CrossFit is hard. So what? CrossFittters don’t try to make CrossFit sound easier than it really is in order to entice their friends to join them.

9. CrossFit emphasizes identity over behavior. CrossFit awakens the athlete within. When people see themselves as athletes, they start thinking, eating, sleeping, and training like athletes. A new identity leads to changed behavior.

Which of these strikes you as being the most applicable to your church environment?

To read more, check out Train For Something Greater: An Athlete’s Guide to Spiritual Fitness available at Amazon.com.