Crossfit Leadership Lessons

Maybe it was my heart racing at 200 beats per minute, maybe it was the sweat flooding my eyesight, or maybe it was the 200 pounds sitting on my shoulders. As I was lying on the floor after the workout, my brain began to churn and I realized that there’s a lot we can learn from this movement. My brain, though barely functioning, quickly hashed out 3 things that Ministry Leaders can learn from Crossfit.

1. Your Progress is Your Own

No one cares about your current level, only that you’re trying hard. At Crossfit, it’s really not about where you’re at, it’s about how hard you’re trying. Easier said than done. We all see someone that rapidly progress in his or her spiritual walk. We give that person increasing amounts of responsibility and they do awesome. We love it. However, we all know people who seem to take forever to spiritually grow. We get frustrated and want to dump them. That should not be the case. If they’re willing to come and try hard, keep them on your team and encourage them in their growth.

2. Care for the Entire Person

Is Crossfit enough to get in shape? Nope. You have to eat right and get plenty of rest. Crossfit coaches stress those three things over and over. Workout, eat right, and rest. They don’t gain anything by getting me to rest or eat right. They just care enough about me as a client and as a person to want my health to be the best it can be. Yet with our Kids Ministry teams, we often take a one sided or two sided approach. We tell them to serve and to sit in service. Do we care enough about them to get dirty? Will we stand by them during marital problems, problems with family, or health issues? Are we willing to help them paint their house or move? Lets take the holistic approach. Lets be there to serve the entire person.

3. Build Community

We must foster community through common goals and special events. Crossfit does a great job of building community. They have barbeques, special offsite workouts, and they join up with other boxes (gyms) for large scale events. At churches we talk a lot about building community but struggle at it. Your Ministry Team is part of a community that wants to reach people with the Gospel. You’re also part of a church that that wants to reach your city and the world with the Gospel. Encourage your team to be fully integrated into your church, encourage them to reach beyond the church walls, and encourage them to attend Ministry conferences and training events.

Have you ever learned something from an unlikely source?