A Little Theology of Exercise: Enjoying Christ in Body and Soul

by David Mathis

A Pastor Looks at Physical Exercise and Its Potential to Serve Spiritual Life

We live in an age dominated by screens. For many, life is sedentary, and it’s become increasingly difficult to prioritize physical activity. Quietly conformed to this new normal, they feel sluggish and unmotivated. Others, however, have become entangled in a fitness culture that prioritizes the self, fuels pride, and coddles idolatry. Is it possible to make exercise holy?

A Little Theology of Exercise explores how stewarding our bodies can serve the soul, honor God, and serve others. Combining biblical texts with practical guidance, pastor and author David Mathis encourages readers to embrace moderate exercise as a way to deepen their knowledge and enjoyment of Christ and reflect his love in the world. By placing Christ at the center of physical training, readers will discover a greater joy in exercise and an even deeper joy in their relationship with God.

Christ  Demonstrates how effective body stewardship serves the soul, including knowing and enjoying Christ better   Helps readers embrace new healthy habits while navigating the challenges of non-Christian motivations   In our sedentary age, this resource spurs physical movement and enhances spiritual joy Written by David  Bestselling author of Habits of Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines

Genres: Theology, Christian, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christianity, Faith

129 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2025

About the author

David Mathis (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary Orlando) is executive editor at desiringGod.org and an elder at Bethlehem Baptist Church in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. His seminary experience includes Reformed Theological Seminary and Bethlehem College & Seminary, where he now serves as adjunct professor.

Reviews

[Christabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short & sweet of it: God is most glorified when we are satisfied in Him, and a lot of that happens when we’re able to enjoy life. Enjoyment of life is aided by tending to our physical, mental, and spiritual health, and exercise actually positively affects all of those things.

Mathis makes a biblical case for the importance of moderate exercise, with both references to Scripture, as well as from his (and other pastors) experiences in regards to the link between physical and spiritual vitality. I really appreciated his footnote on those living with disabilities, also!

Personally, as one who is a modest enjoyer of physical activity, this read was refreshing & a great reminder of why I do what I do. Bettering one’s quality of life linked to movement & physical appearance aside, I’m met with the challenge to consider specifically how it all ultimately is to God’s glory. That comes first, then the rest follows as wonderful side effects.

So whether you’re one who already enjoys exercise in some way, or are perhaps one who lives in a more sedentary fashion for whatever reason, read this! It’s worth the conviction either way.

[Ryanne Molinari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent - actually listened while on a morning run. :) Loved the reminder that “fitness” implies that we are fit for something—and for Christians, that is good works and worship.

[Tim Michiemo · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8 Stars

David Mathis’ A Little Theology of Exercise is an excellent book on the Christian body and exercise. Mathis’ thesis is that we should enjoy God not only through our spirituality but through our physicality as well. He teaches in this book that strenuous exercise is a way we glorify God and enjoy Him more fully. Particularly striking to me was the encouragement that God designed our minds to work better when we are physically active, and that mental clarity and energy allow us to focus more on God and be more active in doing good. This was a well-written book and an excellent reminder to resist the worldly urge toward sluggishness and laziness, and to be active for the glory of God. Great read!

[Aneurin Britton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This could be extended, because I really enjoyed it. I think the arguments display a great introduction into a subject of Christianity not often spoken of! Hopefully, this book will lead to a greater discussion of how exercise is beneficial to us, not just physically but spiritually!

[Kay’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Little Theology of Exercise by David Mathis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was a really solid, quick read! It’s approachable, easy to follow, and written in a way that makes biblical perspectives feel practical rather than overwhelming. I especially appreciated how clearly the author’s train of thought came through as it felt intentional and well-structured from start to finish. ☺️

What stood out to me most was the emphasis on how sedentary modern life has become, especially when God designed our bodies to MOVE!! This book encourages readers to think biblically about exercise, and I felt that it delivered exactly that. While it wasn’t a life-changing read for me, it offered a lot of thoughtful and convicting points that reframed how I think about physical activity. 🏃‍♀️

One of the core messages is that exercise is a form of stewardship - caring for our bodies not for vanity, but for the sole purpose of glorifying God and loving others well. I loved that this book blends Scripture with science, which made the arguments feel both grounded and accessible.

This book was a helpful reminder that our bodies are temples and vessels meant for God’s glory. It challenges the mindset that exercise is primarily about looking good and instead reframes it as a way of doing good. Bodily training becomes far more valuable when it serves godliness rather than self-promotion! ❤️

These five reasons for why Christians should exercise were especially impactful to me:
1. It brings joy to the soul
2. It glorifies God as image-bearers
3. It conditions the brain and supports the mind
4. It develops willpower and discipline
5. It enables us, out of love, to better serve others

The author also thoughtfully addresses how God commends good and hard work, and how laziness can be both a physical and spiritual danger. I really appreciated this perspective and the balance the author strikes throughout the book 👏

Overall, this is a great read if you’re looking for a biblical framework for exercise without guilt, legalism, or obsession - just a call to faithful stewardship and purposeful movement. 🙏

***
Note: I received a free copy of this book from Crossway Publishers for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own! Thank you, Crossway!

[Gabriella Da Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convicting, encouraging, and glorifying.

I have a lot to reflect AND take action on after this reading. I confess my heart posture is very different to what is presented here. Much of what he explains, I have never even considered before.

Small but packed with wisdom. Highly recommend!

“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Cor‬ ‭6‬:19-20‬ ‭

“The Christian life is an embodied life. God doesn't free us from our bodies at conversion, as if they were prisons. He leaves us in them-glorious and broken as they are. The Christian life, growth, ministry, and love happen in the body. This is our tent for life in Christ in this age”.

[Alex Dunkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christians should exercise… or at least go for walks.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I start to write a review for this great little book, I keep getting off track wanting to tell you what a gift from the Lord exercise has become for me in the last year or two. That’s another story for another day, but suffice it to say that David Mathis has beautifully summed up what I want everyone to know! God is pro-body, and in his great wisdom designed our bodies to function best when we are taking care of them holistically. Moving our bodies is good not only for our physical health, but for our mental and spiritual health too.

If you’d like some positive motivation to get moving without shame, pick up this little book and be encouraged.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Crossway for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

"The health of the soul being ultimate doesn't mean that the health of the body is insignificant or marginal."

[Natalie Knopp · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first audio book! A quick listen but so rich in content. Mathis helps readers understand how the body is created and viewed by God and when we discipline ourselves to exercise, that then spills over into disciplining ourselves with other Christlike practices. In biblical times, they didn’t have to necessarily think about moving their bodies every day as they had to for travel and daily work. But for us today, physical exertion is a conscious effort that is stimulates our brain and helps our bodies be vessels of good use for the kingdom. A good read!

[Abby Litrenta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is generally geared towards people who struggle to make exercise a habit or who don’t really see the value in it, so it wasn’t as helpful as I thought it would be (as I’m more prone to excess here). However, there were a few really great takeaways for me: (1) the discipline exerted in consistently exercising often reinforces discipline in other areas; (2) prevent exercising for shallow reasons by consecrating each session to the Lord, praying and thanking God before and throughout exercise; (3) it’s an incredible gift to have a body that works—use it as the resource it is!

[Gina Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mercifully short but packed full little book. I actually think I’m going to add this to my high schoolers’ required reading. As someone that has exercised (mostly regularly with some breaks) for the last 20+ years it wasn’t just more “work out so you’ll feel better.” It presented what I’ve articulated a few times but really flushed out the idea, that we exercise to be able to serve better. For our joy in glorifying God even with our bodies. Lots of scripture and easy to read.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very convicting and just what I needed to guide me into taking care of my body.

[Lauren Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short read about a topic that has not been talked about much in Christian spaces. Especially not in spaces women occupy. I’ve been chewing on this idea a lottt since 2023 (iykyk👩‍🦽‍➡️🤭) and felt like it put words to many thoughts. Get out there and move for the glory of the Lord and the health of your mind!!!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and straight forward work that will make you want to work out. I appreciated how theological and biblical this book was. It probably won’t introduce anything new, but it will help you think biblically about exercise. It is less a call for serious devotion to fitness and more of a call to honor God with our bodies.

[Emma Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but impactful look at how to steward our bodies and their exercise from a biblical viewpoint. Mathis goes over how salvation history has affected our bodies, how societal norms and technology are actually discouraging exercise, and biblical motivations for exercise as a means of glorifying God, all while sprinkling in fascinating facts about our bodies that pointed me in awe to our Creator. Directed toward both believers with a more sedentary lifestyle as well as those who have a regular habit of exercise, I would *highly* recommend this to anyone with a body seeking to steward it well.

(it's available as a little over 2 hr audiobook on spotify premium ✌️)

[Carly Weems · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS SO GOOD. such a quick read- took me less than an hour so everyone should read this! Honestly such a good book on identity as well. I LOVE David Mathis and him and his John Piper influence always make God so beautiful!!!

[Brenden Wentworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for any Christian looking for biblical and natural reasons to pursue physical fitness and discipline!

[Kevin Halloran]

A helpful little ditty on exercise for the glory of God and benefit of man (so we can better enjoy God).

His appendix "Get Shredded in Five Days with This One Simple Trick" surprised me. (Kidding)

[Peter Yock · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid read. But with a few blind spots, and it left me wanting more.

By his own admission, David Mathis is a disciple of John Piper through and through. His devotion to John’s teaching and the ‘Desiring God’ mindset and framework are both a strength and a weakness - a strength for its Jesus-loving gospel-centredness. A weakness, because it just has a feel for being overly familiar, unoriginal. The same set of thoughts repeated on a different topic.

I loved how it majored on the primacy of the gospel, and how exercise helps us to glorify and serve god and people. Good stuff.

But it was a little weak on biblical theology. Sure, it’s true to say that Jesus and his disciples walked a lot more than we do today. And the workers worked in trades, in a much more physical way than most of us do today. But does that make walking lots godly? Does that make working in a trade more godly than at a desk? If Jesus were alive today, would he have walked as much as he did, or would he have used a vehicle? I’m guessing he wouldn’t have walked. Just because Jesus walked so much 2000 years ago doesn’t mean I need to walk from armidale to Sydney to be like him.

I also wanted to hear more detail on exercise. It was deep on theology but lite on specifics of how it plays out in different forms of exercise. For example, he said nothing about a common issue in Australia and many countries - the problem of both adults and children devoting themselves to team sports over and above church (and to practice over and above Bible studio or youth group etc). Something on idolising sport and exercise would also have been very helpful.

It’s good. But left me wanting a lot more.

[Dbsdos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good short read and enough for me to reassess my posture in my daily activities (or the lack of).

“In this chapter, I am waving a little flag for you to consider, perhaps for the first time: how modest, regular exercise might be a means of building and conditioning your brain for serious thinking by improving mental energy, focus, clarity, and stamina. That is, serious thinking in the service of Christ and Christian joy.”

“Exercise can train us to press through mild resistance in any difficult task and not quit—which is a priceless instinct to develop not just for life and work but also for the soul. After getting in shape as a runner, I learned to push myself in various ways, such as “leaning into the hill.”

“Once a runner has learned what internal rewards lie on the other side of a hill, “leaning in” can become the new default, an instinct to develop in the rest of life—learning the reflex to press through resistance rather than immediately backing off.”

“But in Christ, we have cause to move in another direction—to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of [our minds]” (Rom. 12:2) through the renewal of our bodies—to present them as living sacrifices (12:1). When in doubt, we don’t want to default to what’s easiest. We want to pursue what’s most important, knowing that such things are typically the most mentally, emotionally, and physically demanding.”

“When my life is joyfully active and less sedentary, when I feel strong—when it seems clear to me that a happier life comes from activity, not passivity—I’m more ready to spring into action to help others. I’m ready to move. Ready to respond. Ready to hear. Ready to help. I believe that exercise makes me a better servant of others—a better husband, father, pastor, and friend.
Regular bodily exertion not only assists our personal pursuit of joy in God and fights against joy-destroying sin but also readies us to move beyond self-focus and have our hearts primed to meet the needs of others.”

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

This book read a little clunky at times, and while it's intended to be for both those who are sedentary and those who idolize exercise, it does seem to lean slightly more towards the former group.

Nonetheless, Mathis lays out a lot of good, practical insights and truths (especially in the final few chapters) that helped deepen my understanding of exercise as stewardship and ultimately, a way to glorify God more richly.

Exercise teaches and reminds my body that exertion produces reward. There is often greater joy on the other side of greater work…Exercise can train us to press through mild resistance in any difficult task and not quit–which is a priceless instinct to develop not just for life and work but also for the soul.

…we want to adequately condition our bodies so that they are a help, rather than a hindrance, in the daily cause of love. We want our bodies to be an aid–not an obstacle–in readying us to sacrifice our own comforts and energy to do good for others at home and for the church and beyond.

God did not design and build our human bodies to be liabilities. They are precious gifts, crafted and sustained by God, to enable us to live and do good for his glory in our world.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

True to its name- I listened to the whole book (2 hours) in an afternoon! Short and sweet!

So many encouraging, helpful reminders throughout. It was a very balanced, God-focused perspective, and helpful for both sedentary people and those who regularly exercise. I loved the emphasis on being fit for good works- having the mental and physical strength to fight sin, serve others, focus on deep truths of scripture, and work diligently at the callings we’ve been given as believers. As a mom, I’ve definitely seen how much physical strength, stamina and fitness is necessary to bear children, manage my home well, serve the church, and enjoy adventures with my family. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to go for a run!

I also appreciated all the interspersed quotes on exercise from notable people in church history- Lewis, Spurgeon, Liddell and the like. A delightful collection!

Mathis’ voice in the audiobook sounds incredibly like a young John Piper. It was funny to hear how Piper has rubbed off on Mathis, even in his vocal inflections!

A short, easy, encouraging read that would be profitable to just about everyone!

[Katelynn O'Lessker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, its brevity and simplicity. In it, I found my own views of exercise reflected in the sense that I have learned over the last several years that I am most motivated to consistently exercise when I am doing it for the purpose of glorifying God in my body—training it so that I am physically fit to do my duties both now and, Lord-willing, long into the future. Mere vanity is not a lasting motivation, nor is it one that ultimately honors the Lord. Sure, we can exercise to lose weight; but to what end? This book does an excellent job driving home the point that exercise can help us be better equipped to glorify God.

I would classify it as an encouragement to exercise for the right reasons, more than it is a rebuke against slothfulness and inactivity. I’d imagine that your friends who already exercise would find this more impactful than your friends who don’t.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We tend to overestimate what can be done in the short run and underestimate what can be done in the long run. In a world of sin and tragedy like ours, it is wonder to have able hands, feet, and bodies. God made our bodies, the most remarkable objects in all of creation. And we are stewards of these priceless gifts that he designed and created and upholds for his glory, for our joy in him, and for the good of others through our acts of love.” | I love a concise, meaningful book on the Christian life. This short read provided incredibly helpful frameworks and language as to the place exercise holds in spiritual health. I perceive this book would be a helpful, light, rich read for anyone who cares about understanding the role physical movement in the life of a Christian!

[Audrey Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly loved and enjoyed every moment of this little book! I actually listened to this during a morning run (and finished during an evening walk) as a suggested reading (listen) from Spotify.

A great biblical case for exercising and at times pushing our bodies to do what they’re actually capable of, especially in our very sedentary society. A great reminder that we live to glorify God and enjoy Him and not ourselves — a good opportunity to check in with myself about my motivations for exercising— is it to glorify myself or God? We glorify God through our bodies and experience joy through Him.

[Rachael Seymour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last year, I felt convicted about how little care I show for the body God has given me. So, I started running in late July and though I have never been an athlete or one excited about physical activity, I have found running and pushing myself to be a deeply spiritual and worshipful experience. I am often moved to tears by the nearness I feel to Our creator doing this thing I never thought I could do (let alone ENJOY doing.) This book gave explanations, both scientific and scriptural, for so many of the things I’ve been feeling on my running journey but couldn’t quite put into words. “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

[Kennedy Froebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, simple. It’s sweet & encouraging the gift it is to be able to exercise and to glorify God in that! Overall this is an encouragement within moving our bodies to be done in a way that helps us to find our ultimate joy in Christ. That moderate forms of exercise can be used in holy ways to help us glorify God, keep our mind working well, and keep us from falling into laziness in other areas, we can utilize moving our bodies to help love/serve God & others better.

[Laurel Meijer · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5, no notes. listened to this as an audiobook for a few days when getting ready or driving to work- would love to order the physical copy. does a great job of connecting the scientific to the spiritual when it comes to exercise, and how regular physical movement- for those who are able- is a gift and a calling for believers, especially in the current age of physical (and spiritual and emotional) stagnancy.

will read again!

[Lexi Laginess · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s very fitting that I read this book while walking on the treadmill. I started it in August, but put it down for months and then picked it back up in December and couldn’t put it down! It's 100 pgs - but a helpful book to remind us that everything in life can be for our sanctification and God's glory - even exercising!

[Knox Wolsoncroft · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a simple book to go through as well as a simple concept, it created and challenged me with a different mindset. Mathis gave an incredible argument for why you should exert energy for the sake of having more energy to exert for God’s glory. One line especially challenged me: “the purpose of exercise is not to lengthen this life here on earth, but is to enable yourself to live more for the glory of the Lord.”