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Muscular Christianity: 90 Day Workout Plan

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click here to order “Muscular Christianity:90 Day Workout Plan” on amazon.com

Crafted by a former Marine, the “Muscular Christianity: 90 Day Workout Plan” will change your approach to exercise, teach you how to eat and give you that spiritual six pack that allows you to make a difference and not just an appearance!

You’ll be using the “Loose Cannon Fitness Audio Workout System” which means that your workouts are playlists you import into your iTunes. Each “song” features the voice of a Marine accompanied by a drum track giving you the exercise you’re doing, the number of reps you’re performing and the pace of those repetitions. When you’ve got that level of accountability built into your workout session, you’re not just exercising, you’re training!

click here to see how a typical “Muscular Christianity: 90 Day Workout Plan” training day looks…!

With the “Muscular Christianity: 90 Day Workout Plan,” you’ve got over 300 pages of content that provide you with an understanding of how to eat strategically based on sound dietary concepts. You’re also looking at how your relationship with Christ was never engineered to be a mere file folder among many. Rather, He’s the Filing Cabinet. And when you intentionally align all your pursuits beneath the banner of enhancing the Reputation of your King, your perspective changes, you’re more enthusiastic and you’re more inclined to succeed – not because of who you are, but because of a more muscular Presence of Christ working in and through you.

  • 90 days worth of daily “Core Training” readings
  • Over 60 individual “Loose Cannon Fitness” exercise tracks free with purchase of book. That’s over a $50.00 value!
  • Team Training Material also available as part of the collection of downloadable resources included with the book

Also, be aware of other “Muscular Christianity” resources engineered to keep you perpetually motivated and educated…

Buckle up!

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Bruce Gust

What is “Muscular Christianity?”

220px-Muscular_Christianity_GrugerA Brief History

From a historical perspective, the term, “Muscular Christianity” first came into the public spotlight when it was used as part of a book review written by T.C. Sandars of a novel entitled, “Two Years Ago” by Charles Kingsley in 1857. Sandars had seen in the book’s main character a combination of physical athleticism and Christian virtue and he called, “Muscular Christianity.”

But it was Kingsley’s contemporary, Thomas Hughes in his book, “Tom Brown at Oxford” where the characteristics of the “muscular Christian” were fleshed out and described in a way that resembled a 19th century Christian knight or a “true” gentleman:

…the least of the muscular Christians has hold of the old chivalrous and Christian belief, that a man’s body is given him to be trained and brought into subjection, and then used for the protection of the weak, the advancement of all righteous causes, and the subduing of the earth which God has given to the children of men. He does not hold that mere strength or activity are in themselves worthy of any respect or worship, or that one man is a bit better than another because he can knock him down, or carry a bigger sack of potatoes than he. For mere power, whether of body or intellect, he has (I hope and believe) no reverence whatever (The Victorian Web).

While it was never an organization per se, it was nevertheless a mindset that was encouraged by English clergy who saw sports as way to improves one’s physical capacity to serve in the context of personal and public ministry. In addition, it proved an effective way to get men interested in church and their spiritual disciplines when in 1899 women constituted 75% of church membership and 90% of church attendance.1

Men’s Ministry…it can be a tough thing to get moving because reading one’s Bible and spending time in prayer is often perceived as a last resort reserved for those who can’t get it done.

There’s a difference between being transparent and being defeated. While conversing with one’s King should never be perceived as a sign of weakness, it can be given the way it’s portrayed in our culture and even the way it’s sometimes voiced by well meaning believers.

Even some of our Praise and Worship focuses more on the weakness of the one that’s worshipping rather than the True Muscle of the One being worshipped. It is a very healthy and necessary thing to confess one’s inability, but not at the expense of celebrating God’s Perfect Ability to do all things.

To get a man interested in reading the Word of God, it has to be seen as more than just a Divine Emergency Kit. Rather, it has to be engaged as part of a Holy Ghost Strategy to be better than your best and being able to, not just get things done, but being able to get things done in a way that translates to an outcome that’s better than you could have planned on your own.

In addition, good health, while it was more of a given during the years prior to the Civil War, where a lot of the work that was being done was agricultural, now was in a state of peril due to the way in which the Industrial Revolution had transformed the country’s economy and sedentary desk jobs became commonplace (1870-1914).2

Over time, the formation of church sport leagues and the building of gymnasiums would crescendo to the point where the formation of a formal association became a logical next step and this is how the YMCA got its start.

While the Y was formed in 1844 in London, it didn’t have it’s own sports facilities until the establishment of the New York City YMCA in in 1869. At the time Theodore Roosevelt was only eleven years old,  but he was raised in a household that subscribed to the “Muscular Christianity” perspective and would go on to become one of its more vocal supporters.

You don’t hear the the term, “Muscular Christianity” as much today, although organizations such as the “Fellowship of Christian Athletes” do well in keeping alive the idea that athletics is an appropriate way to reinforce biblically based morals and character. From that perspective, “Muscular Christianity” is still very much a part of the contemporary Christian landscape.

What’s Different Here

“Muscular Christianity,” in the context that it’s used here, is different in that while fitness is still processed as an extension of discipleship, it’s taken a step further and used to describe an intentional effort to apply God’s Word to every nuance of the human experience. Fitness, Politics, Church Life, Relationships, Culture – everything!

Moreover, one’s spiritual disciplines are pursued not just as way to endure the trials of life, but also as a way to excel (Col 3:17, 23)!

The “Prosperity Gospel” movement positions Jesus as a Holy Appliance that one uses to secure financial and material blessings. Instead of using Christ to get what you want, “Muscular Christianity” is all about obeying Christ to order to do and become more than you could ever accomplish on your own and receive all that He would give (Josh 1:8; Dt 8:18; Ps 1:1-3; Rom 12:1-2; Phil 2:13).

You’ve been put on this planet to make a difference and not just an appearance (Eph 2:10). That doesn’t happen in the absence of challenges (Jn 16:33). In order to put some points on the board, you can’t afford to be merely smart, you need to be wise (Lk 12:13-21; Jas 1:5). Nor do you want to spend more time and energy rehearsing what you can’t do than on what God can do in and through you (Is 41:10; Eph 1:19-20; Phil 4:13, 19).

The goal of “Muscular Christianity” is to present Discipleship as an invitation and not just an obligation. By keeping your hand in His, He doesn’t just walk you through the fire, He leads you to the prize of time well spent, a victory well won and a life well lived (Matt 25:21). And all of this is accomplished by reeking of excellence in everything you do, think and say (Ps 19:14). That way, you’re not only getting things done, you’re doing the right thing at the right time in the right way for all the right reasons (1 Pet 1:16) and all the while inspiring others to ask you what it is that makes you tick (Matt 5:16).

The End Result

The result is a game winning approach to Discipleship. We’re not just launching an effective defense by standing up to temptation, we’re running down the field and putting some points on the board. We can explain not only what we believe, but why we believe it. We make a point of staying on top of our spiritual disciplines because, not only are we supposed to in order to avoid the baggage that goes along with sin, but so we can deploy God’s Purpose, Peace and Power in a way that translates to you and I reeking of excellence in everything we say, think and do!

In short, we’re spiritually ripped, physically fit and fully equipped.

Welcome to Muscular Christianity!

Bruce Gust


In addition to a number of articles on this website that cover a lot of ground, you’ve also got some specific strategies represented by a collection of resources:

Fitness: Muscular Christianity: 90 Day Workout Plan – pursuing a toned physique using the Bible as our mental starting point and then unpacking the subject of nutrition, working out everyday using a USMC approach and combining that with a daily conversation between your and your King. You can do it on your own or with a group. You’ll find a number of ideas by clicking on the “Fitness” tab on this website.

Bible Study: If you’re going to apply God’s Word to everything that’s going on in your life, you need to know how the Bible is laid out and what it says so you know where to go when it’s time to get some Answers. The “90 Day Bible Study Guide” breaks down every book in the Bible and gives you some highlights so you can see how everything “fits” and works together. It’s a great introduction to Scripture and is a great primer for more in depth Bible study.

Professional Development: “The Greatest Salesman in the World” is a book by Og Mandino that at one point was considered THE book that every business professional needed to read. It uses a clever story to introduce 10 Laws that, when properly applied, help you to succeed in the marketplace. “The Greatest Bible Study in the World” takes those laws and shows how they can be traced back to Scripture and from that standpoint, you’ve got more than just a book that shows you how to succeed in business, you’ve got a biblically based template on how to succeed in life.

Politics, History, Culture and Climate Change: “Perception Changes” is a book that looks at the things that dominate the headlines and asks the question, “What does this look like if Jesus really did die and come back to life?” Rather than wondering IF Christ’s death and Resurrection occurred, this book looks at the issues believing that He did rise from the grave and how that impacts our convictions and the way in which our “perception changes.”

In addition, you’ve got several articles that pertain to a variety of issues on this site…

Discipleship | Fitness | Self Improvement | Politics | Social Issues

The common thread being a concerted effort being deployed to craft a conclusion based on the whole of God’s Word and not just a few select verses.

 

1. “Muscular Christianity”, Clifford Putney, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. London, England, 2001, p41

2. Ibid, p23-24

The Best Workout Plans – What Makes Them the “Best?”

Christian workout plansThe Best Workout Plans

“Muscular Christianity” is not just a workout plan or a fitness regimen. Yes, it is that. But in order to ensure that your fitness goals are realized and not just pursued, you want to step back and be able able to articulate “why” you want to get in shape. That’s a large part of what’s going to distinguish an effective fitness program from something that you’ll contribute to the next neighborhood garage sale.

Why Do You Want to Get in Shape?

Why do you want to get in shape? Most respond to that by saying things like ” I want to look better, I want to feel better and I want to be able to perform at my best.” That’s all good and healthy, but in order to lose weight and build muscle, we’re going to have to make some sacrifices and that’s where our inspiration is either going to help us or hold us back.

If the primary reason for getting in shape is to gratify ourselves – if we’re looking at fitness as yet another way to make ourselves feel better about who we are, then pause for a moment and consider how the psychological math is going to play out the first time you’re confronted with something inconvenient.

The Psychological Math

The alarm goes off. It’s early. We’re tired and the idea of getting up is loathsome to us, let alone the idea of getting hot and sweaty as we toil through an uncomfortable workout routine.

Now, hold up right here.

If our whole premise for getting in shape can be boiled down to a desire to gratify ourselves, the unspoken thought going through our brain right now is how much easier it would be to make that happen is by remaining in bed!

Now, let’s look at it according to a “Muscular Christianity” approach.

The “Muscular Christianity” Approach

Fitness is more than just being healthy, it’s also being obedient. When we position our pursuit of fitness alongside everything else we’re doing in an attempt to please and obey our King, now the allure of concessions is nowhere near as compelling because we’re targeting something other than just our reflection in the mirror.

Smart, Strategic and Wise

Setting a goal and securing an accountability partner is smart. Writing down what you’re going to eat before the day begins is a good strategy. But establishing a Source of Inspiration for what you do that reduces what would otherwise be deal-breaking concessions to easily dismissed distractions is nothing short of wise.

Regardless of what program you use, you’re doing well to approach your workout plans from a standpoint that incorporates a carefully crafted reason for your efforts that go beyond yourself. Should you choose “Muscular Christianity,” not only will you become physically fit, when you make a habit of blurring the lines that traditionally separated the secular from the sacred, that’s how you get spiritually ripped!

… and that’s a good plan!

Faith Versus Fiction

stained_glassYou’ve heard the statement “It takes more faith to be an atheist…”

I’ve concluded that when you’re conversing with a non-believer, that’s not a strategic contribution to the dialogue. In a way you’re implying that there’s a more noble effort being put forth by eliminating God from the human experience than there is by revering His Presence and Activity.

Faith in God isn’t always logical in that you’re operating according to a perspective that exceeds the boundaries of human intellect. It’s because of the way it sometimes flies in the face of what’s empirical, that critics sneer at anything that strikes them as supernatural and therefore nonsensical. The problem with their platform, however, is that in an effort to explain the created order or to establish a sound philosophical base for morals and a sense of purpose, they’re obligated to adhere to imaginary numbers and concepts that exist in theory more so than practice. It’s not faith they deploy in those moments, rather it’s a resolve to maintain the illusion of control over themselves and their environment. While they insist theirs is a more rational perspective, in the light of Truth, it’s nothing more than an alluring fiction.

On the other hand, faith in Christ is based on a historical reality. The Person Jesus Christ did exist and the circumstances surrounding His birth, life, death and resurrection are documented in Scripture and corroborated by other extra-biblical accounts. It’s neither illogical nor unreasonable to accept and trust Christ as the One He claimed to be. And when you’re subscribing to a Resource that can be trusted, it is no longer illogical to embrace whatever content comes from that Resource, regardless of how it may or may not resonate with the obvious.

In business, you’re inevitably confronted with things you can neither control nor anticipate. The best product, the best marketing strategy, the best business plan can be dismantled in an instant by an unexpected occurrence. Look at what it says in James:

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. (Jas 4:13-16 [see also Prov 27:1])

What this verse is pointing out is that in light of the fact that we can never know what awaits us just around the corner, it’s not smart to brag about anything that has yet to happen. Regardless of how you’ve prepared and schemed, the outcome is totally in the Hands of God. That’s why, following the directions of your Heavenly Father in terms of a business strategy, while it may not look as though you’re operating in a sensible manner, it is very sensible to navigate your vessel from the Perspective of One Who both knows and sees everything whereas you and I are limited to that which is right in front of us (see Luke 5:4-6).

When you’re being truly faithful, you’re being genuinely wise. There’s nothing ludicrous in handing over the day to day operations of your shop to One Who is in a position to guide and direct based on unlimited Strength and a Perspective not restrained by the limitations of a human perspective.

So keep the faith and be assured that you’re being smart in doing so. “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your indication like the noonday sun.” (Ps 37:4-6)

 

The Tyranny of the Urgent

urgentThe Dictionary defines “tyranny” as “cruel and oppressive power.” When you consider the context of the title of this post, it makes sense.

Here’s the situation: You’ve got several plates spinning. Among them there are some legitimate deadlines, but you also have some things that, while they need to get done, don’t have the same sense of professional urgency attached to them.  And while that might be plain when you step back and really evaluate your to-do list, it isn’t always obvious when you’re just in your “zone,” trying to get things done.

But in order for your day to be truly productive, you have to step back and collect your thoughts enough to ensure that your efforts are being deployed in the wisest manner possible. Otherwise, the “tyranny of the urgent” takes over and those things that are authentic priorities are usurped by what poses as “urgent.”

And I’ve come to discover that it’s not always obvious… Read more

There is Such a Thing as “Muscular Christianity”

new_logo_rgb_blogThink about this: Being fit spiritually needs to be approached with the same kind of resolve that one deploys in the context of being physically fit. Reason being is that I’m not going to triumph in life based on a fit appearance. It’s who I am and not how I look or perform that ultimately translates to true success.

Being fit is very, very cool. I don’t say that because I feel like I’ve arrived, rather I see it as something that goes beyond mere appearances and therefore worthy of more than a casual effort.

It is inevitably indicative of who you are: your sense of discipline, you capacity to meet certain challenges, your ability to do more than the bare minimum.

We live in a world of instant gratification and an acceptance of unhealthy excess. We don’t have a bowl of ice cream, we have a quart because it’s there and we tell ourselves we should be able to enjoy it. And I’m not just talking about a frozen dairy dessert; I’m talking about any kind of food or behavior that, while it may be fine in the context of healthy parameters, is positively lethal when engaged without boundaries that are Absolute.

People cringe when they hear that word because it represents a dynamic that is perceived as unnecessarily restrictive and no one likes to be told they shouldn’t or they can’t.

But behind that word is an approach that is as advantageous as it is common. No one who has been able to accomplish something extraordinary has been able to do so without denying themselves whatever might distract them from achieving their goal. Yet when we attempt to take that same concept and rightfully apply it to the whole of life, discipline and sacrifice are suddenly processed as antiquated and even judgmental because even the presence of limits can invoke feelings of resentment and indignation. Its one thing to be disciplined in the context of pursuing a goal, but it’s another when deployed as part of a holistic approach to our total existence. Read more

Lap of Gratitude

There’s a park nearby that features a trail which provides a great route for runners in that it’s a little less than a mile and winds through trees and some picturesque scenery. It also has a little bit of a hill at one point, so it can be challenging depending on how much you want to “push” it.

Generally, I’ll try to run around it at least three times. That way, I will have gone three miles and  worked up a decent sweat.

Most of the time when I run, it will be a day where I’ve resolved to give my muscles a break from the normal LCF routine and my pace will be somewhat relaxed, at least for one lap.

By relaxed, I mean that if I were to be running along with someone, we would be able to have a conversation without a lot of huffing and puffing. That being the case, praying is often an activity I’ll engage in when I’m running on this trail.

Earlier this week, I started running / praying and I determined that for one lap, I was going to put my “list” aside and instead do nothing but thank God.

My list can be pretty extensive and, depending on how things are going with my family and my business, rather than a quality conversation, it will be a one sided wall of requests that will crowd out anything that I might otherwise say to God or hear from Him.

So I thanked Him for everything I could think of. And by that I mean, I wasn’t engaging in some trite little exercise where I’m trying to sound gracious and reaching for things that required very little thought. As I was running, I…

  • noticed the sky and the scenery – Romans 1:20
  • reflected on the fact that I could run at all. My hip surgery is rarely overlooked when I’m exercising in that there was a time in the not too distant past where walking for any length of time was a challenge. Not I’m doing Burpees! – James 5:13-16
  • rehearsed the fact that my perspective is radically different because of the Spirit of Christ breathing life into what othewise would be a spiritual corpse – Ezekiel 36:26; Romans 8:5-8; 1 Corinthians 2:12
  • thanked God for my bride and my kids – Psalm 127:3-5; Prov 31:10-31
  • thanked Him for my country – Psalm 33:12
  • thanked Him for my business – Deuteronomy 8:18

…and there was more, but those represented the highlights.

Here’s the thing, though: Being more intentional about thanking God before I launched into my list of appeals and grievances set the tone for a far more healthy and productive conversation with my God than what would’ve been the case had I simply started off with “what I want.”

So, I think I’m going to try and do that more consistently in the future. Before I start my marathon of requests or my sprints of activity, I’m going to warm up with a lap of gratitude and maybe throw in some well-deserved compliments. It seems like that’s how you’re supposed to pray anyway (Matthew 6:9-10; 1 Thess 5:16-18).

I think I’m going to go take a lap right now…