In January of 2014, I wrote a short piece for the Reformed Journal (I am that old) entitled “The Religion of Crossfit.” In it I discussed my relationship with this new fitness trend as well as some ideas on what the church might learn from this growing community.
Crossfit itself found this article and published it, giving me incredible social media cred for at least a day or two.
I highlighted five aspects of Crossfit that I found relevant for the church. 1) Crossfit welcomes everyone, 2) Crossfit is unabashedly authentic, 3) Crossfit is demanding, 4) Crossfit is communally pastoral, and 5) Crossfit is missional.
A lot has changed with Crossfit over the last decade. It saw tremendous numerical and financial growth. Sponsors like Reebok, as well as televised competitions on ESPN, propelled the sport from a grungy community located in garages and stripmalls to a global fitness sensation. However, its meteoric rise was rather short lived. Recently, Crossfit has experienced a rather significant decline.
The reasons for the decline are numerous and relevant. The reality is that while Crossfit began as an innovative approach to fitness, it now faces new competition. Other fitness programs like functional bodybuilding and HYROX are growing in popularity. Similarly, Crossfit is feeling the effects of shifting wellness habits, as some individuals are prioritizing lower impact options of exercises. Adding to the decline is the shifting demographic. There are simply less young people to join, which is Crossfit’s primary membership.
Not all of Crossfit’s decline, however, is due to external circumstances and pressures. The brand is also facing internal turmoil. Changes in leadership have disrupted Crossfit’s continuity and direction. Safety concerns, most notably present in the death of a competitor during the 2024 Crossfit Games, have given rise to vocal criticisms of Crossfit’s leadership by some of the leading names in the sport. These issues, along with the financial struggles of some of the local gym affiliates have led to a greater distrust in the brand. Numerous gyms have continued to provide high intensity workouts but have decided to drop the Crossfit name either due to expense or a desire to disassociate from the baggage of the brand. The result is that Crossfit is losing local gym affiliates and is once again listed for sale for the second time since 2020. Many are wondering if Crossfit even has a future.
All of this brings me back to the church. Like many others, I have a deep concern for the church’s future in North America. I spent another day last week at a workshop helping pastors envision and implement strategies for the church’s future. It was a good workshop that named our realities while offering hope without a simple plan for success. The church faces a number of external and internal challenges. Shrinking demographics, other forms of community, as well as poor leadership and internal division are all real threats to the health of the North American church.
As I sat in the workshop, I struggled to get Crossfit out of my mind. While I am not a sociologist, it appears that my context continues to buck institutional communities or even brands. Whether it be Crossfit or the church, the interest in each seems to be waning. The desired lack of association appears to be from the top down. People have less of a connection to Crossfit, but they show more loyalty to their local gym. Church members are less likely to identify with a broad denomination but still might value a local congregation. And yet, even those connections seem more tenuous.
In the midst of those questions I experienced a strange peace and resolve. I found peace in that what we are experiencing is not just an issue with the church, but we are, in part, a player in a much bigger game. The church alone can’t “fix” what’s going on.
Rather than leaving me with a feeling of hopelessness, I found it comforting.
Will Crossfit survive? I don’t really care all that much. I am passionate about health and well being. My allegiance is not to a brand but to a healthy way of life.
Will the church (at least as we know it) survive? Maybe I shouldn’t care as much as I do.
More and more I discover that my highest calling is pointing people to Christ. I have a feeling that most around me are still fine with that, even while they are frustrated with the brand. My style of church will evolve or maybe it will die. Either way it will have served its purpose. Either way it will have pointed people to Christ. And the same Spirit that brought the church to its current reality will guide it for centuries to come.
8 Responses
I don’t believe the church is dying. I believe it is evolving as Jesus intended. I am comfortable in a ‘traditional brick and mortar church setting with a ‘traditional’ church membership congregation and denomination but my kids and grandkids are not. That doesn’t mean they are not part of the church. As Jesus followers they have a different way of being connected to God and Christ than I do.
Thanks for this expression of hope in something bigger than the decisions we make or that are made for us. When my church (CRC) closed all of the offices to women recently, I woke up every morning for awhile with a sick feeling in my stomach as I thought of all the spiritual gifts in that body that were being quenched. The subtle abuse of power exposed in that decision hurt me to my core. But, like you, I never doubted that Jesus would continue to build the kingdom on earth. The Spirit is not quenched even though we humans sometimes try to control it. God will surely accomplish God’s purposes.
This is encouraging, Chad. Thank you! We can relax our grip on our expectations of what church should look like based on our past experiences, as precious and formative as they have been, because God promised to “make all things new.”
You have spoken so well about what many of us are feeling. My denominationalism was always part of my DNA, believing in the strength of “together” rather than the weakness of “one”. However, that has disintegrated in these last few years. As you say, “Church members are less likely to identify with a broad denomination but still might value a local congregation.” The bonds of love continue to bind us to our church of 50+ years, a place that has made us still welcome. Diane, I bleed for you being made a second-class member in your own church, but you’re absolutely right, the kingdom will go on.
Chad, I have wondered if I should care as much about the RCA as I do. In my concern about the RCA, there are times I am consumed by it and forget to point folks to Christ. My efforts arguing against Christian Nationalism appear to entrench folks more than release them from their convictions. Thank you for helping me refocus on what is important: the Gospel message!
I’ve only been in a cup gym twice. But, I’ve done cf in a garage gym for 19 years. It has fallen off dramatically imo, since glassman was canceled. Yes, he said an idiotic comment in the climate of the time, but anyone who knew him had to tell he was an arrogant, highly intelligent sob that made rude comments all the time. Jumping ship on him for one dumb cogent among hundreds will be cf’s downfall. I use my journals from 10 yrs ago for words, as most of today’s words are not great. Find your roots, cf, and you will survive.
This was a nice read thank you. CrossFit is too expensive and too dangerous. Very hard to compete with gyms such as planet fitness which charges $15 and offers so much more. I do not go to church i attend a bible study, I’ve learned so much in 2 years compared to sundays in a roman catholic church. I don’t know what’s in people’s hearts but judging by the way we treat each other, i would say faith is down. People claim to have no time and way too many distractions. People want god the way they want him. Im afraid heaven will have too many vacancies as time goes on. If you asked the average person “how do you get to heaven? Or why do you thing you’re going to heaven”? 9 out 10 responses will be “ because im a good person”. We all know that’s not the case.
Amen!