FAITH & FITNESS: At Wellspring Assembly, the two go hand-in-hand

By Pyc Fitness
©2004-2008

At Wellspring Assembly, members might consider their spiritual journey while walking the .3-mile indoor walking track, or ponder weighty points of doctrine while pumping free weights in the fitness room.

The juxtaposition of spirit, soul and body is something that comes naturally for Wellspring and its pastor, Steve Todd.

¡°The church¡¯s primary focus has always been spiritual well-being, but we want our bodies to be healthy because we are the temple of the Holy Ghost,¡± Todd said. ¡°If we¡¯re the temple, we shouldn¡¯t be defiling the temple.¡±

Now Wellspring is taking that holistic approach one step further by offering church-based fitness to the community. The church¡¯s fitness center officially opened Sept. 1, offering a workout and weight room, racquetball and basketball courts, a walking track, and steam rooms and saunas to members and non-members alike.

¡°Too many people look at the church as Sunday morning worship or Wednesday night Bible study,¡± Todd said. ¡°We look at church as our daily life. Our Christian existence isn¡¯t for four hours a week. It¡¯s a daily existence.¡±

Todd said the fitness center is meant as an outreach to the community and a way to fulfill the church¡¯s mission as a destination for ¡°spirit, soul and body.¡±

Christianity, Todd said, is not a purely spiritual religion and should apply to the whole person.

¡°God created us spirit, soul and body, and he wants us to be healthy in all those areas,¡± he said.

Wellspring Assembly acquired the former Wales Athletic Club, 3855 Wales Ave. N.W., about four years ago and, ever since, has looked for ways to use the old fitness equipment and incorporate fitness into its ministry, he said.

¡°If God has blessed us with this property, we really need to use it to its fullest capacity to bring glory to him,¡± Todd said of the two-story, 22,000-square-foot structure.

The church first opened Holy Cow! Cafe to offer healthy sandwiches, soups and salads, as well as specialty coffees and Friday night dinners. Completing the picture is the fitness center, which includes treadmills, stationary bicycles, a recreation room and a heated, outdoor lap pool.

John Pittinger, a deacon at the church, said the fitness center is consistent with the overall ministry of the church.

¡°The atmosphere there is not just about the working out,¡± he said. ¡°It is a church, so it¡¯s a more laid-back atmosphere. You¡¯re not there just to be pumping iron. It is refreshing that you can exercise in there and not worry about somebody sizing you up.¡±

Pittinger, 42, of Jackson Township, said he does circuit training there twice a week and also takes his family to play basketball.

Cost for using the equipment is a suggested donation of $20 a month for individuals and $40 a month for families.

Todd said users of the fitness center need not be church members or Christians, but they should be aware that they are using a Christian facility.

¡°We normally would never meet some of these people. These people would not normally come to church,¡± he said. ¡°We see this simply as an outreach to the community, to really have an impact on the community, to develop relationships in the community.¡±