Podcast Summary: Church of the Highlands – "New Fitness"

Episode Date: January 12, 2025
Series: All Things New – Week 2
Speaker: Lead Pastor Chris Hodges
Theme: Embracing a New Kind of Fitness—becoming spiritually "fit for the Master's use" in 2025

Episode Overview

In this Sunday message, Pastor Chris Hodges continues the "All Things New" series, encouraging the congregation to see 2025 as a year of new beginnings. While retaining a warm, humorous, and direct tone, he reframes the notion of "fitness" to mean spiritual and soul health, not just physical well-being. His primary challenge: let go of old habits and become fit vessels ready for God's purpose.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Church Updates & Generosity in Action (00:00–04:00)

• Church’s outreach includes 26 campuses, partnerships with correctional facilities, and disaster response (e.g., LA fires).
• Encouragement to give regularly as donations already support crisis relief.
• Invitation to join "21 Days of Prayer and Fasting." Participation is open—even if you missed the start.

2. Theme for 2025: "All Things New" (04:00–07:00)

• The church believes God gives new beginnings continually, not just at New Year.
• Cites Scripture: "Behold, I am making all things new" (Rev. 21:5).
• God's heart is to forgive and delight in showing mercy.

  "He delights to show mercy—like it’s one of the best parts of His day when He can let you off the hook."
  —Pastor Chris Hodges (07:15)

3. From New Faith to New Fitness (07:00–11:00)

• Previous week: New faith—new attitude in Christianity for 2025.
• This week: "New fitness" is more than exercise—it's being fit for God’s use.

4. Biblical Framework for Fitness (11:00–16:00)

• While "physical training is of some value," spiritual fitness has much greater, lasting benefits.
• Unpacks difference between behavior for salvation (which is fully by grace) and pursuing godliness to fulfill our earthly purpose.
• God wants to "anoint" each believer—empowering them for purpose and overflowing into blessing others.

  “God wants to put His hand on your life for a purpose.”
  —Pastor Chris Hodges (14:45)

5. Sanctification & the "Fit Vessel" (16:00–24:00)

• Christians are "triune beings" (spirit, soul, body).
• Jesus cleanses your spirit at salvation, but the body and soul need ongoing sanctification.
• God’s anointing and blessing on earth require us to be usable—"fit for the Master’s use."
• Difference between being saved for heaven and being sanctified for purpose on earth.

  "You can go to heaven with every bit of your depression, anxiety, or anger—and never fulfill the purposes of God."
  —Pastor Chris Hodges (43:40)

6. Run the Play: Year of Complete Growth (24:00–28:00)

• Challenge: “Give the church a year of your life and go all in.”
• Church structures (i.e. groups, conferences) are pathways for holistic spiritual growth.
• Groups are vital for vulnerability and growth; friends hold each other accountable.

7. Spiritual Fitness Requires Self-Examination (28:00–35:00)

• We all have areas of addiction or “mastery” (habits we can’t break).
• Self-Reflection Questions:
  • Do your friends/family say it’s a problem?
  • Do you continue even though it hurts people?
  • Can you go a week/month without it?
  • Is it leading you to isolation or secrecy?
• If “yes” to three or more—“you’re likely mastered.”
• “If God’s going to give me a fresh start, then that ends in 2025. Right? It just ends. It’s got to, at some point.” (35:30)

8. Resisting Indulgence & Misplaced Identity (35:00–40:00)

• "Extreme indulgence" and chasing feelings over facts is not who we are.
• Challenges cultural narrative: “Just be yourself” vs. biblical call to "renew your mind.”

  “Your body’s not broken—your mind is... When your mind tells you something, change your mind.” (39:40)

• Cites historic "Just say no" campaign—need to rekindle personal discipline.

9. On Sexual Purity & Personal Holiness (40:00–45:30)

• "Porneia" (sexual immorality): Any sex outside biblical marriage.
• Emphasizes learning self-control over one’s body.
• Groups and church resources (e.g., Freedom Conference) are practical supports to tackle entrenched issues.

  “He wants to anoint you ... but He can’t do it if (your vessel) is not in good shape.” (45:00)

10. The Illustration of the Vessel & Krispy Kreme Box (46:00–49:00)

• God can only fill "empty and clean" vessels.
• Don’t disqualify yourself—God qualifies cardboard, not gold, if it’s available and clean.
• Practical analogy: a donut box is valuable not for itself, but because of what’s inside. It must be empty and clean to receive the blessing.

  “The box isn’t important because the box doesn’t make the contents. The contents make the box.” (48:00)

• Challenge: “What needs to be emptied from my life in 2025 so I can be anointed?”

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On God’s delight in mercy:
  “He delights to show mercy—like it’s one of the best parts of His day when He can let you off the hook.” (07:15)
• On self-examination and sanctification:
  “We are spiritual beings having a temporary human experience.” (17:00)
• On community and honesty:
  “Your life would be so much better if you had somebody watching over your soul. That’s a fact.” (27:20)
• On accountability:
  “All of us have that. I have something, you have something, we all have something that has taken mastery over our life.” (32:00)
• On transformation:
  “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is what worship really looks like.” (52:00)
• On hope for change:
  “If God’s going to give me a fresh start, then that ends in 2025. Right? It just ends. It’s got to, at some point.” (35:30)

Key Timestamps

• 00:00–04:00: Church news, LA disaster response, prayer and fasting reminder.
• 04:00–07:00: Series "All Things New" introduction, God’s forgiveness and mercy.
• 11:00–16:00: Defining spiritual fitness; God’s plan for anointing and purpose.
• 24:00–28:00: Importance of going "all in"; community groups and sanctification.
• 28:00–35:00: Personal inventory, dealing with life mastery and addiction.
• 35:00–40:00: Warning against indulgence and following feelings over facts.
• 40:00–45:30: Sexual purity and holiness; learning control, not just repentance.
• 46:00–49:00: The Krispy Kreme vessel illustration; being empty and clean for God’s purposes.
• 52:00–End: Closing prayer and invitation for salvation.

Final Takeaways

• God offers continual new beginnings and delights to forgive, but He also calls believers to deeper sanctification and fitness for His purpose.
• True "new fitness" in 2025 is about being an empty and clean vessel, ready for God’s anointing—this includes body, soul, and spirit.
• Real transformation requires community, honesty, and intentional action—beyond Sunday attendance.
• The message closes with a heartfelt invitation for listeners to surrender their lives fully to God, embracing both a fresh start and a lifelong journey of becoming fit for His use.

For further reflection:
Consider what areas you may need to "empty" or cleanse to be more available for God’s purpose in 2025. Engage in community, prayer, and self-examination. And remember: “It starts today.”