Fit for Purpose: Why Your Body Matters to Your Calling

Fit for Purpose: Why Your Body Matters to Your Calling

Discover how fitness and faith intersect in this powerful conversation with Matthew Gay. Learn why stewarding your physical health is essential for fulfilling your spiritual calling.

What If Your Body Is Holding Back Your Purpose?

In a world where physical fitness is often divorced from faith, March or Die cuts through the noise with a bold reminder: your body matters because your calling does.

In Episode 226, Jeremy Stalnecker and Sean Kennard sit down with author, coach, and founder of Fit Church, Matthew Gay. What unfolds is more than a story of recovery from trauma or a discussion on diet and exercise. It’s a call to discipleship through stewardship.

From Brokenness to Boldness

Matt’s story begins with chaos, an unstable home, rebellion, addiction, jail time, and a near-fatal car accident that left one dead and him barely walking. But Matt got a wake up call “God didn’t save your life for no reason.” That wake-up call forced him to confront his mortality, his faith, and the hard truth that he had been playing with God.

From that moment, Matt committed to building a new life, brick by brick, with the Bible as his guide. He took his recovery seriously, and part of that recovery meant getting physically strong, not for vanity but for service. As he says, “This body is the vehicle God has given us to do His work. Why wouldn’t I care for it?”

Fit Church: The Mission to Rebuild a Broken Model

Out of that personal transformation, Fit Church was born. What started as a Saturday morning workout with prayer and Scripture became a movement to help churches integrate physical health into spiritual formation. “There’s no such thing as spiritual health, emotional health, and physical health. There’s only health,” Matt explains. “It’s all connected.”

Sadly, many churches have ignored this reality. Instead of preaching stewardship of the body, we hand out donuts and wonder why so many Christians feel physically unqualified to live out their calling.

Fitness as a Spiritual Discipline

Throughout the episode, a striking theme emerges: discipline in your body trains discipline in your spirit. Matt, Jeremy, and Sean challenge the idea that health is optional in the Christian life. If your body is fatigued, immobile, or addicted to sugar and convenience, it’s hard to serve, love, or lead effectively.

But there’s a danger on the other side too, when fitness becomes a god. “If you’re bowing to the scale more than the Savior,” Matt warns, “you’ve missed the point.”

The goal isn’t a six-pack. It’s obedience. Movement. Stewardship. Freedom. It’s about honoring the God who gave you a body by using it for His glory.

Simple Steps, Eternal Impact

So how do you start? Matt offers some grounded advice:

  • Eat what God made.

  • Move your body every day.

  • Identify and confront the beliefs holding you back.

  • Treat your health journey as worship, not punishment.

  • Start with what’s in your hands and go from there.

Whether you’re a pastor, a parent, or someone trying to get off the couch, the truth is the same: your health is a part of your witness. Don’t disqualify yourself from your calling by neglecting the very vessel God wants to use.

Final Word: God Won’t Waste Your Pain Or Your Progress

At Mighty Oaks, we know the deep connection between trauma, identity, and purpose. Matt’s story echoes a message we’ve seen time and time again: God uses the whole person, body, mind, and spirit to accomplish His mission.

You don’t have to be a bodybuilder. You just have to be faithful.

So what’s your next step? Maybe it’s a walk. Maybe it’s putting down the soda. Maybe it’s reaching out for help.

Whatever it is, don’t wait. March.

Watch the Full Episode
Watch “Faith, Fitness & the Fight for Purpose” on YouTube »

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