How One Pastor Turned His Garage Into a Gym Ministry

In this episode, Steve McKinney, a bestselling author, fitness coach, Brazilian Jiujitsu black belt, and pastor, shares his journey of integrating his passion for fitness with his faith and how it became a gym ministry. He discusses the importance of aging gracefully, maintaining physical health, and how his unique three W approach to fitness can transform lives. Steve also touches on the challenges of maintaining healthy eating habits in ministry and emphasizes the significance of self-care for effective leadership. Resources from this Episode: The Gospel of Fitness by Steve McKinney (available on Amazon) Fitness and More WebsitePart Two of Steve's Interview Transcript: Joy Suzanne: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Pastors & Money Podcast. I'm Joy Suzanne Hunt, pastor and financial coach, bringing you conversations about personal finance, church finance and how we disciple our churches in the areas of finance and stewardship. You can find the episode show notes, and more at pastorsandmoney.com. And here's the show. Joy Hunt: Today we have an incredible guest on the show, someone who truly embodies strength, resilience, and faith. Steve McKinney is a bestselling author, fitness coach, and Brazilian Jiujitsu black belt dedicated to. Helping people age strong and live healthier lives. As the owner of Fitness and More Incorporated, he has helped countless individuals transform their bodies through his unique three W approach to fitness. And why is he [00:01:00] on this podcast? Well, Steve is also a church pastor, integrating faith and mindset into his approach to wellness. His book, the Gospel of Fitness, breaks down the Science of Strength training and Nutrition in a way that's practical, sustainable, and life-changing. Well, Steve, welcome to the podcast. Steve McKinney: It's great to be here. Joy, thank you for having me. I'm excited about being here and talking today. The Beginning of a Gym Ministry: From K-Mart Weights to Life-Changing Faith Joy Hunt: So Steve, you've had quite a journey from converting your garage into a gym to becoming a personal trainer, a fitness business owner, and author alongside your ministry. So could you share a bit about your background and how you came to blend your passion for fitness with your faith and your ministry work? Steve McKinney: Absolutely. So, for me, I just always loved lifting weights. I mean, since my childhood. I talk about this in the book, but my grandfather bought me a set of weights when I was nine years old from a place called Kmart. Now, if there's any... Joy Hunt: I used to work there. Steve McKinney: I was gonna say not a lot of people know Kmart, but some [00:02:00] do. And so I always get a laugh out of that whenever I mention it. But they were these plastic weights that he bought me, and I went home and bought this book by a guy named Franco Colombo. And I lifted weights six days a week. Now, I'm nine years old, so I'm not making any gains, but I'm loving it. I'm just loving it! And so then we fast forward. I lifted weights for a long period. Back then, I wasn't walking with the Lord. Both of my parents got sick when they were younger. My father passed away at 49 from cancer. My mother died at 49 on Christmas morning; she died in my arms. Now, the interesting thing about that is her dying words were served. Jesus, tell your brother to serve Jesus. So, at the time, I didn't even know what that meant, and I was trying to go back to church at the time, and it just didn't work. There's a point in time where, you know, we hit that rock bottom moment. I was on my knees. I remember exactly where I was when I just said, "Jesus, you know I've heard a lot about you, but I don't even know if you're real. But if you are, would you show me?" And nothing happened at that moment, but as I was driving to [00:03:00] work a few weeks later, I knew something had changed. Building Community Through Fitness Ministry