Welcome!
Welcome, we are here to help those involved in the wonderful fitness, health or physical training communities. From Functional Fitness Warehouses, small back alley bodybuilding clubs, through to shiny high street mega gyms we see an opportunity for these communities to add a key component to the health of their members. staff and coaches.
Sports Chaplaincy UK help train, support and facilitate the appointment of Gym Chaplains to provide pastoral and spiritual care. We work in partnership with Faith RXD.
An Introduction to Gym Chaplaincy
Gym chaplains are part of the charitable organisation Sports Chaplaincy UK. The initiative of gym chaplaincy developed in recognition of the increasing number of members who want more from their gym than a place to work out, and are looking to address mind, body and soul.
People go to gyms for more reasons than fitness alone. They are there because they have high stress levels or are going through rehab, or simply because they are lonely. When you place a chaplain in a gym it is a perfect opportunity to discuss some of these deeper issues with people.
In numerous surveys, people have said that one of the chief reasons they join a gym is to make friends. Gym chaplaincy helps people build these relationships through organising such things as coffee mornings and social gatherings, and also running small group courses and seminars. Members have enjoyed belonging to a small social group and being in a ‘safe’ environment where they feel they can share their feelings openly and honestly. It is easy for a member to leave a club for another facility down the road, but much more difficult for them to leave their friends.
Gym chaplains believe that a truly healthy lifestyle is not just about physical fitness but also about mental and spiritual wellbeing. Gym chaplains offer support and encouragement and help people take time to consider their priorities. They make themselves available to listen and chat at various times during the week.
Gym chaplains offer a presence in the gym on a regular basis and are available for members and staff alike. They are a listening ear for those who want to talk, a source of social interaction, and a space for those who want to explore spiritual issues. We believe we can add value to a gym by adding to the holistic care that is offered and by creating a stronger relational dynamic, both of which will retain membership.
All our chaplains are fully trained by Sports Chaplaincy UK.
Faith RXD is a gym/CrossFit based ministry working through the local gyms, as a ministry we operate through chapters in a given locale striving to unite and strengthen the fitness community to live for Christ, share His love and serve the world.
