This week I went to our local gym…(pause for dramatic effect)

Some of you know why that’s a big deal, for those who don’t let me catch you up to speed.

I haven’t stepped inside a gym with weights, treadmills, and sweaty men who grunt too loud in over 20 years. In fact, earlier this year I wrote an entire blog post about Why I Don’t Go to the Gym. You should go read it if you haven’t, I think it’s some of my best writing.

If you follow me on Facebook, you may be asking yourself why would he go to the gym, he looks to be in peak physical condition. And if you’re comparing me to many baptist pastors in the south, I’d understand why you would think that.

Unfortunately I’ve never been in peak physical condition, I’ve just had a very high metabolism that covered up for my unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. But, my metabolism fell apart when I turned 35 and has only gotten worse as I creep towards 40 this December.

But that isn’t exactly why I decided to finally go to the gym.

No, I went to the gym because I’ve set a goal for myself. In a way my wife set it for me, but it’s a goal regardless.

We’re taking a trip in a few weeks to Zion National Park to do a hike that’s been on her bucket list for a while. Her goal is the hike, and my goal is not to embarrass myself by passing out before we get to the top of Angel’s Landing.

Every goal comes at a cost.

It’s an extra $15 a month to upgrade my wife’s gym membership to include me. I’m not a guy who likes spending money. I eat Beanie Weenies for lunch everyday (How many readers do you think I need to become sponsored by Beanie Weenies?)

If I thought I could get in shape without going to the gym, I would totally do that, but I have years of experience that tells me that won’t be the case. My investment keeps me invested.

Not only is there a financial cost, but there’s a time cost. Now, I’m not spending hours at the gym each day, but I am spending a few hours a week at least for the next six weeks. This means I’ll be spending less time doing some of the things that I’d probably rather be doing.

And most surprising for me, there’s an emotional cost. Going to the gym for the first time made me super anxious. Maybe it’s because I’m a bit introverted, but the whole experience is just awkward. I go in, no one talks to me, I try not to make eye contact with anyone, but my brain assumes that everyone is looking at me and judging me as soon as my back is turned.

I have the utmost respect for those of you who’ve dedicated yourself to going to the gym, and losing weight and getting in shape, because it’s a monumental task. Pray that I’ll be able to stick with it.

Now, some of you have a goal of seeing your churches grow, and I just happen to have had some success in that area. I’ve had my share of failures too, and I’ll be more than happy to share those as well. So, I want to share a few things I have going on this fall.

I have a membership site for small town pastors that I run with the help of my friend Jon Sanders called Small Town Revival. The site is for small town pastors who want to strengthen and revitalize their churches. It’s $27 a month, and I think it’s an incredible value. You can get more details here.

Beginning this September I’ll be leading a small town pastor mastermind group. I did this in the spring and we had an awesome time. The fall semester will be seven one hour sessions where I’ll lead and facilitate a discussion on things we can be doing during this season to set us up for success in the next season. Email me if you want in and I’ll send you more details.

Lastly, I also do one on one coaching, which of course is specific to your exact needs. I’m someone who loves thinking through systems, strategies, and budgets, so if you’d rather have more personalized coaching in those areas, I’d love to help.