Yoga for W&J students

UPDATE: Due to scheduling conflicts we have for the moment pushed the pause button on this project. Our goal is to make more connections and find a better time so that we can redeploy in the Spring semester. In the meantime, contact me for more information or read below the original post:

Every Tuesday @ 2pm, the Ignite ministry is sponsoring free yoga classes for W&J students. The classes will be held at Church of the Covenant (267 East Beau St, Washington, PA 15301).

Down to brass tacks...

• Is this just a ploy to get W&J students to believe in Jesus?

No. We think that being good Christians means being good friends. While evangelism and outreach are part of the Ignite ministry, this offering is not an evangelistic stealth mission. We aren't trying to sucker you in with something you want just so that we can force on you something that we want. What we want, is to live as Christians that treat other people as people, not as means to an end. We make no attempt to hide our faith and make clear what we believe, so whenever (if ever) you want to talk about it - you can.

• Isn't yoga a Hindu/Buddhist/Eastern spirituality thing?

Sure, there a plenty of opinions out there that make an argument like this: Yoga was originally a Hindu practice. Yoga is still a Hindu practice. People who do yoga are therefore engaging in Hindu practices and compromising the Gospel. This argument usually also includes some Scriptural references like Romans 12:1 or Acts 15:29.

Rather than really dissect that argument thoroughly and offer step by step explanations through Scripture of why it is a consistent fallacy, I offer the following short list:
Christmas trees, wedding rings, the cross.
Did Christ command that we put a cut evergreen in our houses and decorate it to celebrate his birth? Does the Bible ever say that wedding rings should be exchanged as a sign of marriage? Or did Christians invent the cross as a symbol of their faith? Hardly! The cross is a symbol of ancient Roman capital punishment which was used on Christ and then continued to be used after him. These things have become signs, symbols, and practices of our faith because we have made them so and have imbued them with faithful meaning. Just because millions of Buddhists put out small bowls of rice as food offering doesn't mean that I can't eat rice. What was Peter's vision in Acts 10? A vision that God has made all things clean, that God is no respecter of persons (sorry, I got so worked up I slipped into a bit of the King James there). Why does Paul quote from contemporary poets when he preaches on the Areopagus in Acts 17?

Could it be that those making the argument against yoga (and many other things) are the ones who believe that there is a "christian culture" that needs to be defended and protected and kept pure when the teaching of the Bible is that there is a "kingdom" and that God himself protects and preserves it and causes it to grow? We need less book burnings and more burning hearts filled with the Spirit of God that is reaching out to people with the Gospel.

• Who is offering this yoga class?

A qualified and trained yoga teacher who is a Christian and a member of the Church of the Covenant (full disclosure - she's also my wife).

• What should I bring?

Bring "yoga stuff" - like a mat, comfortable clothes, a foam brick or strap if you'd like. We'll try to have extra mats available so even if you don't have yoga stuff, just show up and we'll wing it.

• I have more questions, who do I contact?

There's a link to the right that says "Contact Pastor Noah." That'll give you my email address. You can also look up Church of the Covenant and call them. If you ask nice, they'll probably give you my phone number and you can call/text me directly.