YPulse’s recent Health and Fitness report reveals that 92% of young people think that mental health is an important aspect of their health, compared to 83% who believe that fitness/working out is an important part of overall health. Though these figures are relatively close, they say something important about the prominence of mental health concerns among young people, especially as they pertain to overall quality of life and well-being. When asked what was their most important reason to exercise, the second highest response was, “to improve my mental health.”
As young people prioritize their mental health, how can the church support both the mental and physical well-being of young people in our communities?
One possible venue that has become popular over the past five years or so are the F3 exercise groups, an early morning men’s fitness and fellowship network (there is a similar group for women). The popularity of these groups says a lot about a perceived need in the broader culture, but are there ways we can do community outings/fitness events in our churches that are not gender segregated? For example, churches that are already engaging with mental and physical health concerns could lean into social justice work too, perhaps even organizing a community bike ride to explore a city’s racial history as these two community groups have done.