Getting spiritually fit
Ancient Christian practices of strength, stretching, endurance, and teamwork
As I’ve delved into the practices of the earliest Christians, one thing that seems very clear is that they didn’t just believe in Jesus—they patterned their lives around their belief.
Their spiritual practices weren’t intellectual- they were embodied. Repetitive. Rooted in daily life.
And—like any real training—they focused on core movements that built spiritual resilience.
Maybe they didn’t think they were building a gym for their souls - but that’s what they did naturally.
As I’m creating an actual ‘gym for your soul’, I’m thinking about four key elements of spiritual health that correlate with how the first Christians practiced their faith:
1. Strength (Ischus)
Power through Worship and Discipleship
The Greek word ischus means inner strength—power that’s cultivated and sustained over time.
Early Christians built strength through:
Worship – Giving glory to God through reverence and praise.
Discipleship – Actively following Jesus in everyday life.
Spiritual strength helps us align our actions so they’re oriented towards God, rooting our identity in the Christian community, and strengthen our connection to the holy.
2. Stretching (Ekteino)
Flexibility through Prayer and Witness
Ekteino means to stretch forward—like reaching toward something with intent and purpose.
The early church practiced stretching through:
Prayer – Constant communication with God.
Evangelism – Sharing God’s love with others.
Spiritual stretching opens our hearts and souls to deeper relationship with God, and gives us courage to share the joy of this with others.
3. Endurance (Hupomeno)
Resilience through Scripture and Economics
Hupomeno means to stay, remain, and persist—especially through suffering.
Endurance was cultivated by:
Scripture – Reading and living into our part in God’s story.
Economics – Organizing households and communities, sharing resources, giving and generosity.
Spiritual endurance builds hope and courage — it is the foundation of a life of joy.
4. Teamwork (Koinonia)
Connection through Hospitality and Relationship
Koinonia means fellowship, partnership, and mutual participation.
Community was nurtured through:
Hospitality – Taking our seat at God’s table, and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
Relationship – Learning to love through marriage, family, friendship, community.
Spiritual teamwork reminds us: we aren’t made to do this alone. The Christian life is communal. Our lives are sustained by walking the Way together.
The earliest Christians didn’t think about what it meant to be Christian. They just lived their lives, transformed by the power of resurrection joy.
Trexo practices are designed to help us find that same power in our lives today - following the same activities as our ancestors in faith.
Join us.
Great, thanks you 👌