“The body is for the Lord! Your body has been given to you for one reason: to be an instrument for glorifying Christ (1 Corinthians 6:20). The way you use your body and the way you take care of your body should communicate that the glory of Christ is all-satisfying.”- John Piper
The Living Word IT Park Health and Fitness Ministry was launched March of this year with the objective of encouraging church members to take care of their health as a service to the Lord. The H&F Olympics idea came about over lunch when a group of us realized that we needed to bridge the gap between the Youth and Young Professionals ministries.
Sixty of us gathered one bright and sunny afternoon at Beverly Hills Multipurpose gym. Four teams were formed each composing of members from the youth and the young professionals ministries. The challenges tested their creativity, teamwork and physical fitness. The first challenge was the cheering competition. This garnered a lot of laughs and it proved to be a great start to what would be a fun-filled day. The next challenge was called “Human Centipede” where the members of the team had to move a stability ball across their shoulders without using their hands. Strategy and teamwork came into play. Next came “Human Tic Tac Toe.” Each member had to race to the life size “game board” where they had to get three X’s or O’s in a row. This challenge tested the participants running skills. The last challenge, “Partner Workout Of the Day (WOD) For Time” was where everyone’s fitness level was put to the test. Movements like burpees and push-ups were performed as well as synchronized movements where partners had to communicate and work together.
The H&F Olympics was a great time for fellowship. New friendships were formed and walls were broken. Ultimately, the event reminded us about the importance of health in ministry work.
- Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)We are obligated to care for our bodies and to treat it kindly. Nourishing our bodies by eating right and exercising daily is our service to the Lord. The more fit we are, the more energy we will have to accomplish our tasks in our ministry.
- Being healthy is being a good witness (1 Corinthians 6:20)We are called to be models of the Christian faith. Taking care of our health is a great way to be a good witness.
When we are called to serve we must be ready– mind, body and spirit. Yes, the Lord can use anyone, even the sick and the weak but that is not an excuse for us to live our lives carelessly. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (Corinthians 10:31). Our primary purpose in life is to glorify God. We do that when we care for our body and live a healthy lifestyle.