Garage Gym Church: A Christian Connection with a Touch of Testosterone

Some Christian men have found a unique way to serve God and improve their health at the same time. its name Garage Jim Church It represents a different vision of Christian fellowship and popular evangelism.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chris Reardon found himself exercising alone in his garage. As a Christian, he began to combine these exercises with his personal worship time, listening to high-energy praise music and fiery sermons about things like overcoming adversity while lifting weights, praying, and reading scriptures while resting between sets.

With the pandemic subsiding, Chris invites a handful of Christian friends to join him, calling it Garage Gym Church. This has been a positive experience with which Reardon is now a partner Faith and Fitness Journal To encourage others to develop similar ministries.

“The goal is to get the word out, work with churches, especially men’s ministries and pastors, and say, ‘We’re going to show you how this works.'” We’ll give you step-by-step instructions, Reardon told CBN News. “One of the good things is the overhead, the equipment, you don’t need that much. Audiovisual content is delivered through a YouTube channel “.

Brad Bloom, president of the Christian-based Lifestyle Media Group, which publishes Faith & Fitness magazine, told CBN News that the Garage Gym church can help men make Christ the center of their fitness and can be the place that helps them lead. others to Jesus.

“We all know exercise can be a very selfish thing, but it doesn’t have to be. This is your chance to say, ‘Hey, I want to reach out to my co-workers, my family, my neighbors, the people at church, and invite them over here.'” And we will not just exercise for pleasure, but we will have time to get closer to God to meet the spiritual needs we have.” News.

It’s a good place for men to let their guard down and be honest about what’s going on in their lives, including their spiritual lives, said Seth Doherty, who participates in Garage Gym Church.

“There’s something disarming when you’re sweating and training hard,” he told CBN News. “When you’re at the end of your workout, you have these vulnerable moments where you can really open up and share some deep things with each other. And creating those moments with the guys is invaluable.”

Garage Gym Church applies a dynamic and proactive format.

“It’s like a locker room,” Reardon explained. “We stand. We talk.” You have 90 seconds, give me God’s story. go ahead. Hey, let’s pray for each other now. “To really get this idea, I think this is something, a little more manly, so to speak, because a lot of men don’t pray together, right?”

What makes it easier, Dougherty said, is that many of the guys already have home gyms.

“During COVID times, when gyms were closed, garage gyms were popping up everywhere. In fact, you couldn’t get any gym equipment. Everything was sold out,” he said.

Marine Francis Edquid said his garage gym served as a way to minister to people in his life who did not know Jesus or who might have strayed from their faith.

He told CBN News, “Some of the sailors I work with, who have an internal fight, I bring them here. I tell them, ‘Hey, let’s take on this challenge together, man.'” Come on.” “Besides, I also share with my neighbors.”

Edquid said most people like the idea of ​​getting fit in their own home environment.

“A lot of people feel uncomfortable going to a public gym, especially if they’re not active, let’s say. So it’s a matter of trust. But here, there’s no judgment.”

The Garage Gym Chapel can be the missing link in communication with a previously unreached segment of the population.

“It should not replace the ordinary church,” Bloom said, “but let’s be honest. There is a whole world out there that will never reach what we call the “normal church.” And for them, that might be it.”