CHRISTIANS AND THE YMCA

Victor M. Eskew

 

            As the people of God, Christians must be very careful when it comes to fellowship.  They are in no way to fellowship and support those who are teaching and promoting error.  The church at Corinth was infiltrated by false teachers.  In II Corinthians 6, the inspired apostle Paul instructed them as to how to deal with these proclaimers of falsehood.  This is what he wrote:

 

                        “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship                                            hath righteousness with unrighteousness?  And what communion hath                                                             light with darkness?  And what concord hath Christ with Belial?  Or what                                                        part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  And what agreement hath                                                  the temple of God with idols?  for ye are the temple of the living God; as                                                       God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their                                                    God, and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come out from among                                                       them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing     ;                                               and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my                                                     sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.  Having therefore these                                                   promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of                                                           the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (I Cor. 6:14-7:1).

 

Listen to all of the phrases the Holy Spirit uses to instruct this church to be separate from the false teachers.  “Be ye not unequally yoked together.”  “Wherefore come out from among them.”  “Be ye separate.”  “Touch not the unclean thing.”  “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit.”  God wants His people to be holy.  He does not want them tainted by error, falsehood, and sin.  To perfect holiness in the fear of God, Christians must keep themselves apart from false teachers, ungodly sinners, and workers of iniquity.

            With these thoughts about fellowship in mind, we ask:  “Can Christians associate with the YMCA?”  The reason this is being considered is because of the actual name of the organization, The Young Men’s Christian Association.  Since it has the term “Christian” in its name, what is its religious affiliation?  What doctrines does the organization teach?  Is the group in opposition to the precious church of our Lord?  Can a Christian support the works of this organization and be pleasing to God?

            The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) began in London, England in 1844.  It was founded by a business man named George Williams.  Mr. Williams knew the cities were very wicked and ungodly places for young men to work.  At the time, he was a Congregationalist.  Therefore, he and eleven of his friends began the YMCA, “a refuge of Bible Study and prayer for young men seeking escape from the hazards of life on the streets” (www.ymca.net, “History- Founding).  The organization was successful because it met a social need of the time and “its openness to members crossed the rigid lines separating English social classes” (Ibid.).          

            As others learned of the YMCA, they established them in various places.  The first YMCA in the United States was placed in the Old Boston Church in Boston, Massachusetts on December 29, 1851.  Captain Thomas Valentine Sullivan was the founder of this group.  He wanted a place for sailors and merchants to be able to escape the evils and immorality associated with work on the seas.  Other also followed suit, tailoring their YMCAs to various groups of people:  blacks, Asians, Native Americans, railroad workers, families, and those with disabilities. 

            As the YMCA spread across the country, the emphasis on Bible teaching and prayer diminished.  The YMCA evolved into more of a secular organization even though they kept the word “Christian” in their name.  The focus of the group differed from place to place.  Here is a list of some of the things the YMCA focused upon throughout their history.

 

1.      1856, Leadership, Cumberland University, Lebanon, TN

2.      1856, English as a second language for German immigrants

3.      1860s, Housing

4.      1885, Camping, the first camp was called “Camp Dudley”

5.      1889, Christian character, Kansas YMCA

6.      Sports:  Basketball (1891), Volleyball (1896), Swimming and Diving (1909), Racquetball (1950)

7.      1893, Vocation and higher learning, evening classes

8.      1903, Refugees services

9.      Moral and welfare services in WWI

10.  1936, Understanding government

11.  1967, Academic and career success

12.  1970s, Public policy

13.  1992, Health

14.  1998, Arts and Humanities

15.  2008, Childcare for the military

16.  2010, Diabetes

17.  2011, Childhood obesity

18.  2011, Child hunger

19.  2014, Neighborhood programs that focused on social issues

 

Notice that there has been a shift in emphasis from Bible and prayer in the early days to social reforms and secular needs of people in various societies.  Today, the organization does not mention Christ, the Bible, or prayer to its members.  Their mission is summed up in these words:  “We believe everyone deserves opportunities, no matter who you are, or where you’re from.  From early learning to job training, the Y offers programs and services that meet the needs of communities across the U.S.” (Ibid.).  Their commitment is to “help everyone reach their potential” through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility (Ibid.).  It is interesting that today, they are more commonly known by the name “The Y” rather than YMCA.  In 2010, they accepted this reference much like Federal Express changed its name to FedEx.

            Other than the term “Christian” in their name, teaching good morals, focusing on the family, and engaging in good works in communities, there is nothing really spiritual about the YMCA any more.  They promote no religious ideology.  They have become a secular organization.  They have also become a political force that lobbies our government about certain issues regarding health and wellness.  If a Christian becomes a member of a YMCA, he is not supporting a religious institution.  Their website does not set forth anything about Christ, the Bible, the church, or other religious doctrines.  In this writer’s opinion, a person’s joining the YMCA is like joining any other social club such as Rotary or the Lion’s Club.  Each Christian must participate in harmony with his knowledge of the Word of God and the approval or condemnation of his conscience.  If a person has any doubts about his fellowship with this group, he should join another gym or wellness center.  There are plenty throughout the nation.  Too, all of us must remember that whatever we do we will give an account thereof in the Day of Judgment (II Cor. 5:10).  If we participate in the YMCA, we will have to stand before God about this matter in the last day (Eccl. 12:14).