Faith and Fitness: J.R. Adams & Chris Leach

Lisa Jarvis: Please give us a brief introduction.
JR: We are a faith and fitness-based podcast called “FaithFit”. What separates us from the rest of the sheep in the pasture is that we love to connect biblical teachings & scripture to fitness industry trends, topics, and movements (even when it might seem like a reach). Our aim is to spread the Gospel to as many people as we can while engaging the weightlifting culture in an educational and fun way. We lovingly refer to this as ‘casting functional fishnets’ (A play on the infamous CrossFit tagline of ‘Functional Fitness’).

The self-proclaimed “Swole Samaritans” both operate within the fitness realm. J.R. Adams is currently studying for the NASM (National Association of Sports Medicine) to become a certified Coach at the F45 studio where he handles member relations. Chris Leach is a Level-1 CrossFit Coach at Whole Strength CrossFit in Nashville Tennessee he also operates a small woodworking business out of his man-cave.

LJ: Please share a  brief “life history”.
JRA: I was raised in a Christian home by my mom pending my parents’ divorce when I was 8 years of age. Throughout the years I found a love for physical activity, first through high school sports then through MMA in college. I discovered my true passion for HIIT style training at age 25 through a local box in the town that became home to me and my amazing mother. By the time I began my CrossFit journey, my flame for Christ had all but burnt out due to life changes and other unforeseen circumstances. Little did I know that the Lord would once again jettison me back into the Faith.

Chris Leach: I was born and raised about an hour outside of Chicago. I attended church regularly as a youth and had a great childhood. I went to College at Iowa State University for Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Technical Sales. In this period of life, my faith and fitness took a backseat where I headed down a dark path. Fast forward to my post college days, I was struggling with anxiety, insomnia, and constant sickness (From overworking and bad habits). I went on a quest to solve my problems and started attending a Minneapolis-based CrossFit gym in 2015. That was the birth of a movement in my life that I like to call “an awakening”! Coinciding with my growing love for fitness and adventure, my life took a turn toward Jesus where I began a true relationship with Him.

LJ: Share your testimony.
JR: After Chris and I met while living in Nashville, I got word that my father’s early onset Alzheimer’s condition had dramatically worsened ultimately leading me towards the decision to relocate in an effort to assist my stepmother in his care. Within the first few months of my time in Virginia, I received a phone call that would forever change my world. My beautiful and angelic mother had fallen victim to violent crime and passed away. In an instant my entire universe collapsed and imploded in on itself. Rather than use this tragedy as an excuse to go down a very dark path, I instead ran towards the Lord. They say you don’t know how much you need God until God is all you have. Without my Faith in Him I would not be where I am today. It’s by His grace alone that I was able to make the decision to use this horrific situation to show other people dealing with unbearable circumstances that God is ALWAYS with them and will ALWAYS deliver them. Jesus is nearest to the broken hearted, and I never fully grasped what that meant until now. I will NEVER be the person I once was, and as much as that saddens me, it’s also okay. Because I can now become the man that my mother raised and the person God always intended for me to be. Before my mom’s passing I was 100% agnostic and destined for destruction. Now I’m a 110% restored Christian fulfilling the course set before me by our Creator. My mother was my cheerleader, my rock, and my best friend. I never thought I’d make it in this world without her. But I know I’ll see her again someday, and my mission until then is to make her proud.

CL: I was also raised in a Christian home and attended church every week up until college. I always refer to my college years as my “Pre-Jesus Stage” because my faith was talking the talk but not walking the walk. My faith was an inheritance from my parents and not something that I owned personally. I began to understand that my walk was for show and didn’t have any meaning in my life. I didn’t realize that religion (Set of rules and regulations) is a lie….but instead an intimate and ongoing relationship with Jesus is what being a Christian meant. As these thoughts began to stir in me, I found myself sitting on top of my coffee table at 1 in the morning (yeah don’t ask me why I was sitting there haha) and all these thoughts turned into a prayer of asking Jesus to reveal himself. I had learned the truth, but it hasn’t yet set me free. I bought the book Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and began my true relationship with Jesus. I was 24 when my life changed, and I have been saved 1,000 more times since. It seemed hard for me to grasp that a single heartfelt prayer can give me an eternal relationship with an amazing God.

LJ: Tell us about your business/ministry. Why and how you started, the mission statement, and what your goals are for it.
JRA & CL: As previously stated, our ministry is to tell the good news of Jesus with as many fitness enthusiasts and bible buffs alike. We met at a local CrossFit gym in Nashville TN and little did we know a friendship of legendary proportions would be born. We decided to save money and from there we went from swole mates to ROOMMATES. J.R. had previous experience with another podcast but shifted gears due to a change in lifestyle. Rather than give up on a God-given talent (“The Gift of Gab” so to speak), we decided to create a new brand with a much higher purpose and a mission of enduring positivity for all.

LJ: How does your faith impact your business/ministry.
JRA & CL: Another thing we like to throw around is this idea. Why be the king of fitness, when we can be fit for the king? In essence, people that workout, do it for themselves. We feel that we’ve found a NEW way to worship. If our bodies are the temples of God, then what better way to worship Him than by doing something we love? Some gyms are made of iron, ours is made of heart.

LJ: How is God using your ministry or business to further the Gospel and encourage believers?
JRA & CL: We hope that those who listen to our content will be able to make life changes that align with the message of Hope found in the Word. Walking away with a better knowledge of fitness is simply a welcomed addition.

LJ: Tell us about your current projects.
JRA & CL: This is currently our most prominent project at hand.

LJ: What are your plans, personal and/or professional for the near future?
JRA & CL: We hope to grow our brand and promote the name of Jesus however we can.

LJ: Give the readers a word of encouragement.
JR: My word of encouragement is this. If you’ve lost someone in your life or are facing a season of unbearable darkness and you aren’t sure you’ll ever be able to find the strength to go on – call upon the Lord and use HIS strength. There is absolutely no hurdle too large or too cumbersome for Him to handle.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

CL: The number one thing in life is an ongoing and intimate relationship with Jesus. Everything flows from this….
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

LJ: Contact info. How can the readers find you?
JRA & CL: Our show is currently hosted through Anchor and we can be found wherever you listen whether it be Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or some other platform. You can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FaithFitPodcast, Instagram at @Faithfit_pod, and Twitter @FaithFit_Pod. We hope you enjoy our content and if you DO, feel free to rate and review us on our social platforms or on Apple Podcasts. Make Jesus the head coach of YOUR life!