Getting in Shape for The Strong Challenge.

Recently I had an opportunity to shape up that was too good to pass up. The largest church in Cincinnati, Crossroads Community Church, began an annual church-wide spiritual growth study, The Strong Challenge*. Turns out 45 other churches in the Cincy area have accepted The Strong Challenge as well.  I decided, as a Christ-follower, to register online and do the extra spiritual training. After all, more training is a good thing, right?

I also decided, as The Church Guide, to visit as many of the 45 other participating churches as possible over the six-week period. I see The Strong Challenge as the perfect control variable for a church experience experiment:

• ·         Everyone has the same objective.
• ·         Everyone is given the same material and resources.
• ·         Everyone is studying the same scripture.

Everyone should be teaching the same program, shouldn’t they? Kind of like Jenny Craig for churches? Well, not from what I’ve seen so far.

I discovered it doesn’t matter when you begin The Strong Challenge. I started a bit late, so I had to catch up. Thank you, online sermons. So, I “visited” three different churches online for the sessions I missed. I started with the program’s designers, Crossroads. I thought they would have the best description and direction for this training program. Then, for comparison, I included a large Vineyard church plus another large non-denominational church.  

Here are the preliminary results that I hope will hold true for the entire experiment:

1.       The same equipment doesn’t produce the same training program.  After listening to three different approaches to the same spiritual practices, it felt like circuit training. Circuit one – cultural application; circuit two – philosophical application; circuit three – spiritual relationship application. I hit every major muscle group for my spiritual journey – life, mental, emotional, and spiritual relevance.

2.       The personal trainer’s (pastor’s) approach determines the training program’s direction. Each trainer motivated their participants differently. Pep talks included a personal testimony, a member’s testimony, and a combination of both. The “I,” “we,” and “them” inspirations. I could relate to each of them. Training goals also varied. These trainers tailored their workout sessions to the individual congregations. And guess what, the variety kept me from getting bored with the same equipment, too.

Overall I liked all three training programs, and could easily buy into each church’s program. But, I’m also planning to check out what other churches have to offer. Next week, I’m visiting some mainline church programs. For now, I’m feeling pretty good after this spiritual workout -- though it took a couple of hours to get through. Still, a couple of hours for three training sessions isn’t too bad.

Over the next few weeks, I'll continue my experiential training and let you know the results.

*This type of training program is pretty common for Protestant churches serious about growing disciples. If you’re interested in learning more about The Strong Challenge, check it out at thestrongchallenge.com