Thou Shalt Work Out
In Outside Magazine, Erin Beresini reports that churches have been getting into the fitness business. She writes, “Make no mistake: in an era of declining church membership, one of the main reasons faith-based gyms exist is to draw people to the gospel, whether they’re parishioners or not.” Nick J. Watson, senior lecturer in sports, culture, and religion at York St. John University in the UK, argues, “It’s a response to the social and cultural problems of the age we’re in.” Megachurches have been leading the charge in gym building, but some independent churches have also bought into the craze.