There is a particularly bunch who thinks fitness is the new spirituality. It is not. Sorry, but no. The sociologists do not see this: including my least favourite Unite Church heretic get some things correct.

But I saw a person wearing a T shirt that stated that they were not in shape to exercise. Thirty years younger than me. It made me sad, because (and I crawled out of bed this morning, my legs hurt because it was thrusters and calorie rows yesterday). And I recall the call of the Sunday group run, from my youth, and choosing to attend kirk instead.

Take Crossfit, explored in the New York Times last week in the article, “When Some Turn to Church, Others Go to CrossFit“, by Mark Oppenheimer. He notes that the benefits people experience when they are deeply engaged in the lifestyle that CrossFit engenders are similar to those we like to think are the exclusive purview of religion.

The same is true of some 12-step program members, and devoted college-football fans. In an increasingly secular America, all sorts of activities and subcultures provide the meaning that in the past, at least as we imagine it, religious communities did.

So what are the characteristics of a religion? According to Joseph Price of Whittier University in California, something constitutes a religion if it establishes a worldview. It isn’t just how regularly someone engages, it’s what is taken away by that person and whether the activity really leads to the reconfiguration or cementing of a way of life.

But neither the secular church nor the gym is true worship: neither can change you. There is a lot of goodness in discipline, and encouragement. We are human, and we respond to these things. And the rituals we have are not wrong, or an error. But they point forward as surely as the temple did.

Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

(Hebrews 9:1-14 ESV)

We need to go to church. We need to worship together. We need to meet. We need to have the word opened to us. And we need to realize that if we don’t continue to practice the habits of Christ we will not be effective. It is not enough to have scripture engraved in your skin (Froning does) but to live the life (and he generally does. When you have the sports commentators saying “He’s a real spiritual guy” you know you are getting closer).

Now, anything good and noble and true is worthy of examination. So what can I learn from my coach? Well, firstly, he’s not perfect: but he knows more about the technique. And secondly, that if you miss two weeks (which happened over Christmas) you are in for a ton of pain. That consistency matters.

But 3 weeks ago I did just that. I hauled my out of shape middle-aged ass over to the gym and have worked out 4 days a week for the past 3 weeks. Now I can’t lift my arms.

I was talking to my husband about why I am loving crossfit and it make me realize that they are some of the reasons I love church.

This is admittedly far from a perfect analogy, but….

• I love working out with other people. The experience is fuller when shared.
• These are people I normally would not mix with but our common purpose brings us together.
• The coach is always there reminding us of the basics over and over because we forget. He’s not the coach because he’s the best at all the exercises, he’s the coach because he’s studied this stuff and we trust him.
• Everyone pitches in financially.
• Even when the workout is over it stays with me. It is shaping me and sometimes that hurts but in the end, it’s good.
• If anyone gets proud and show-offy they look foolish and might hurt themselves or others.
• We spot each other on the heavy stuff
• If I stop showing up, it stops helping me
• If I stop showing up, I stop being able to spot someone else.
• Sometimes I hate the coach for telling me “that push-up didn’t count – you’re cheating” because I know he’s right.
• No one ever “arrives” – there is always something new to learn.
• Sometimes people show up and say “man, I skipped my workouts, ate layer cake and drank beer all last week” and the response is always “we’re glad you’re back!”
• People laugh there.

Basically if I was working out at 24 hour fitness alone with an ipod I would not be getting into shape like I am now. And if I were staying at home just reading about fitness alone on my sofa I would not be getting into shape like I am now. I would not be pushing myself and allowing someone else to teach me and encouraging someone to keep going and laughing the whole time.

But crossfit gyms, as great as they are, have a disappointing lack of bread and wine, and hymn singing, so I’ll keep showing up to church too.

I think I am the oldest bloke in my gym. I’m one of the slowest there. But I turn up and work at it. For I need to be fit, I need to be disciplined. For the other things of this life. And in this life, that which is not difficult is not worthwhile.

Crossfit is freaking hard. Christianity is more so. Without the help of the Holy Spirit Christianity is impossible.