top of page

No Gymtimidation

  • Writer: The Rev. Mark Walters
    The Rev. Mark Walters
  • May 11, 2022
  • 1 min read

I have a gym membership. I meet a pastor friend twice a week and work out just hard enough to feel good. But that’s another story. On Monday this week my friend and I were noticing the signs posted all over the gym: No Judgment Zone You belong No Gymtimidation And one of us said to the other, “Why aren’t these signs posted in our churches?” OK, the last one doesn’t exactly fit, but the first two do fit. And I’d add a third, “No Shame Zone.” It’s not that there is no Judgement. It’s that judgment is God’s job, not ours. Our job is to encourage, promote, and enable healing and health. Our job is to love people more fully into life. (And in my book, both of these grow faith.) This cannot happen if people are not totally certain they belong, have a place, and are safe. Because healing takes hard work and honest self-examination. That's scary work most of us will not enter into unless we are sure we will be safe. Without that, we won't do this work any more than we would jump out of an airplane without a parachute. Because healing always takes place in a supportive, understanding, grace-filled, encouraging community.

Hey, church council, what do you think? Should we put up these signs?


Peace,

Pastor Mark Walters

 
 
 

Comments


Featured Posts
Recent Posts
Archive
Search By Tags
Follow Us
  • Facebook Basic Square
Lutheran Church Wilmington

As a Reconciling in Christ congregation of the ELCA, we believe that the gospel is God's gift to all people, shared unconditionally and without regard to race, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, socio-economic or family status, age, physical or mental abilities, outward appearance, or religious affiliation. We seek racial equality and justice. In this way, we live into the truth written in Ephesians (2:14)—that Christ breaks down the dividing walls between us and makes us one.

© 2025 St. Stephen's Lutheran Church. All rights reserved.

St. Stephen's Lutheran Church

1301 N Broom Street, Wilmington, DE 19806

302-652-7623 office@ststeph.org

 

We are a congregation in the Delaware-Maryland Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

 

 

  • Wix Facebook page
  • YouTube Classic
bottom of page