Northwood Hike and Bike: One way to spiritual and physical fitness!

Explore the road less traveled to health and fitness for your congregation to enhance their spiritual and physical growth.

Every fourth weekend or so, the hiking and cycling enthusiasts of Northwood Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, Texas experience God in a hands-on fashion. If you've been to a hike or bike event, you know what that's like. The leaders of Northwood Hike and Bike present the wonder of God to hikers and bikers in a high-energy, enthusiastic and down to earth way.

Our goal is to minister to the body of Christ not only spiritually, but physically as well by building on esprit de corps, motivation and through a learning and teaching component to improve our individual training.


In the epistle of Paul to the Philippians Paul begins by sharing even the letter writing of this epistle with his fellow bond-servant Timothy showing that we do not do what we do alone, but with the body of Christ. Early on in the first chapter, Paul shares, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (NASB) In chapter two he gives us four appeals for unity in the Christian life. "If therefore there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and, I make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in Spirit, intent on one purpose." In chapter three verse thirteen Paul adds, "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Imparting secrets that not all consider to be facts, but we know to be true has a great impact on the lives of those who come in contact with the hike and bike. I remember being out in God's creation as a young boy, son to missionaries serving Brazil how much fun I had putting my body, God's vessel to physical tests. What I leaned as a child is still with me today, and it has had such an influence on the person I have become in Christ Jesus. If we teach the body of Christ how to perfect God's vessel in their hearts now, they will be able to take it with them through their whole life.

Every fourth Saturday or so, we enter into God's presence in an awesome and different way. What an amazing feeling and unimaginable sight! The energy on the road or trail is indescribable. When you look down the line, you see mothers and sons working their hearts out on the trail or on the road, others surrender to the challenge placed before them and some are just taking in the awesome sight of God's beautiful creation. They are brave and show their love and respects for God's green Earth.

In the Northwood Hike and Bike we teach our members the importance of hydration at an early stage. Just like the Spirit cannot be sustained without regular infusions of the word, prayer and fellowship so too the physical body, the vessel, cannot be sustained without water, nutrition and rest. It is such a blessing to witness the accomplishment of a brother or sister in Christ achieving a feat some only dreamed of accomplishing. They are excited to give back and have a commitment to strengthening the body of Christ not only spiritually, but physically as well. Whether it is 1 mile or 15 miles we know the importance of proper fueling to hold our bodies "a living sacrifice." in more ways than one. Through group hikes or rides, short or long, to magnificent sights, through God's pure country side, we show the magnificence of God's creation. The group hikes and rides are creative ways to get the body of Christ, individually vessels active by doing things "hands-on." By showing through example or being guided in a personal experience, the gain comes alive. One of my favorites is, the San Antonio Mission Trail. We use an easy out and back course away from traffic, with plenty of potty stops and water as well as draw bridges and the San Antonio river to show the fact that when you get out and do, positive things will happen to you. Get out, click-in, and get fit.

In Northwood Hike and Bike our events are truly one of a kind! We are blessed in Texas to have wonderful natural areas close by that a group can travel to and get out and do easily. Our leaders and other interested folk get together and brainstorm events that are sure to draw families and individuals alike adding quite a few smiles along the way! Whether it be a hike through a multi-colored sea of leaves such as Lost Maples or the sight of the magnificent dome rock at Enchanted Rock or perhaps a peaceful excursion on hill-country roads with a glorious meal for further fellowship at the end. These events are designed to encourage all of us.

What we are able to accomplish together and in Christ is much more powerful than the solo romp on a lonely road in the hellacious heat and humidity of South Texas. In between events the cohesion of the group is maintained via email lists, websites and blogs. Events are reported upon as encounters and pictures accompany details such as "a crowd of eighty thousand joined a core group of 25 hike and bikers at the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. freedom march in San Antonio." (Nikki Roberson) Besides encounter reports, training tips, periodization, weather reminders, etc. Are passed-on weekly by the Northwood Presbyterian Church "P.E. Teacher." (Coined because a mailer was sent to the church for P.E. Equipment and the closest thing to a P.E. Teacher the church had was the walker/runner/hiker/swimmer/road biker/mountain biker who also teaches Choir and Spanish at the middle school level, yours truly, Mr. Sharpner).

By working on these as the body of Christ we create a chain reaction that is linked between members that is stronger than that which is found in cycling/running or walking clubs. By doing it as the body of Christ the accomplishment always feels greater! We also have special encore recitations of the P-Clr speech that has been heard at many mission trips across the border, South Texas, Arkansas, and even South Carolina emphasizing the importance of always managing your hydration as well as nutrition during prolonged bouts of exercise whether at a work camp or hike and bike event.

Acquiring medical dispensation for the exercise program is imperative when taking on a new or different exercise routine. All responsibility is assumed by the participant and done at their own risk. As always if one does not want to be included in further e-mailings one can always reach out and touch the delete key or unsubscribe. We hate to see any one of us leave but we will try to understand and you will be missed.

Our mission teaches participants to go out and do.

Being a person that goes and and does in God's kingdom means passionately going out. True doers in God's kingdom are die hard, when they're on the route, they stay on it, and run/ride/hike hard to catch Him and encounter in our Father's kingdom. Down deep inside, they're out there to find Him. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one gets to the father, but by me." When you are a doer in God's kingdom you are willing to set everything aside and follow the straight and narrow (you know you can't be too wide for the straight and narrow - but that doesn't mean we stop caring about how wide we are), not because you are supposed to, but because we love Him more than anything else. A cared for body or vessel is a natural outgrowth of that love. You set yourself apart from the rest and present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God.

Any hike and biker will tell you one of their favorite things about the Northwood Hike and Bike is the Mission Trail! For over a year it has been a rallying point! When our event is at the Mission Trail, that has been recently refurbished by the City of San Antonio, one enjoys shaded byways with suspension bridges ever so often over local creeks, passing Acequia Park, the aqueduct and the beautiful turnaround at Mission Espada said to be, "One of the most unique of the five missions!" You have the luxury of fifteen unobstructed traffic free miles with regular rest stops with the option of going over twenty miles if you want to make your way through the urban jungle to the Alamo. Remember the Alamo! It is a great way to get your feet wet in safety, interact with other hike and bikers and be able to concentrate on hydration and nutrition.

There is no limit to the fun they can have with their brothers and sisters in Christ when they are in the zone! (The elusive point where as Lance Armstrong describes it as riding with no chain). Hike and Bike events are open to all-comers. Northwood has a tradition of ecumenical activities with the fifteen other community churches, plus Northwood tends to do many of the church's activities inter-generationally. We encourage the member to bring their friends since it is a great opportunity to get them excited about going out and doing in God's creation.

Once a year we have our annual Northwood Hike and Bike retreat (mega-encounter/over-nighter) up in Vance in the off-season at a hunting lodge. For two nights and two days they experience the awesome presence of God in fellowship in a whole new light. With hiking, road biking, mountain biking, exploring and rock hunting in the nearby Nueces topped off with a huge meal, a friendly bonfire and a warm glow from the activity and the fire settles on all those involved or is it just the smores that are enjoyed? It is one of the best events in the Hike and Bike year that is also used as a planning for the end of the year and the upcoming year and its events!

Some of our other favorite events besides the MLK March include the MS 150 Bike to the Beach sponsored by HEB Grocery Stores, that one of our brave members concluded with thousands of her closest friends from the area, hiking when the leaves are changing in Lost Maples, and climbing the rock at Enchanted Rock.

There are several ways for those looking for a supportive group, or those that need the extra little push of working on a fitness program in the company and safety of others to get connected with the Northwood Hike and Bike events. We have a lot of fun in everything we do. God has blessed us with a welcoming and encouraging, but most of all low pressure ministry to in-reach and out-reach in fellowship in a way we can all easily relate. In the Northwood Hike and Bike we are learning about bodies, growing, and fellowshipping while on the road or trail. We are striving for deeper relationship with Christ in more ways than one; not just the spiritual, but the physical as well. Doesn't it make you want to get out there, click-in, whether it be with cycling cleats or hydration packs and get fit? Inquiries on starting your own group are welcome.

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