YMCA Returns To Christianity

Latimes.com

By Jenny Jarvie

Every day, 2,500 people pour into the Grenn Hills Family YMCA to lift weights, shoot hoops and swim. Scott Rrall believes many are searching for salvation.

On a recent evening, as disco music blared out of an aerobics room down the hall, Reall led a small group in prayer. Heads bowed, hands clasped, about a dozen men and woman sang "Amazing Grace." They had come to the YMCA-some in pearls, some in tank tops-to share their stuggles with depression, and their hope that Christ would pull them through.

"People come to the YMCA hurting," said Reall, who gave up his work as a fitness trainer to run a Christian ministry at Green Hills Y. "alcoholism, bulimia, divorce, grief, pornography addiction, loneliness, drug abuse...They're looking for so much more than exercise."

Reall is at the vanguard of a small but growing movement to bring Christ back into the Young Men's Christian Assn. About 13% of the more than 2,600 YMCA branches across the country have set up special committees to promote Christianity. Hundreds of Y leaders convene each year to swap ideas on how to "lift up the C in the YMCA."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-ymca24nov24,0,214217,full.story?coll=la-home-headlines


About once a week I make deliveries to a local YMCA. As soon as you walk in the door, you will see posters and literature on the walls and counter tops offering help and encouragement to anyone in need. As you continue to walk through the complex, you get the feeling that the people who work or workout here are just normal people looking to better their lives. You don't see the massive egos associated with your "high dollar" fitness clubs. These are people of all ages looking for a simple place to exercise or workout and just be healthy... like my Dad occasionally does.

I absolutely love seeing Christian based organizations like the Salvation Army and the YMCA return to their Christian roots. I hope that more historic organizations like the Y will make the same types of changes that will impact society for Christ like they were initially created to do so long ago.