Jack LaLanne, 1914-2011

You work out because of this man.

The muscular Christianity era had petered out by the time Jack LaLanne, a flabby 15 year old, heard a presentation on physical health that would transform his life.  He became obsessive about it, going on a strict diet, lifting weights – and teaching everyone else to do the same.  He recorded over 3,000 television shows encouraging everyone from kids to geriatrics to exercise routine.  He pioneered the juice bar and the fitness club.  Yes, he even got your sorry butt in shape.

Mr. LaLanne died on Sunday, January 23, at age 96.  For more on this remarkable man, the New York Times has written a lovely eulogy.

What Ever Happened to Bill McCartney?

Remember Bill McCartney?  The celebrated football coach of the University of Colorado and founder of Promise Keepers was everywhere in the 1990s, the heyday of the men’s movement.  “Coach” McCartney, loved or hated, was a force within modern Evangelical Christianity.  Even after the beginning of the death spiral of Promise Keepers began in the late 90s, he hung on the organization, and left only in 2003.  Over the next five years he founded The Road to Jerusalem, a dispensationalist parachurch organization getting American churches to support messianic Jews in Israel in order to hasten the second coming of Christ.  Then, in 2008, he returned to Promise Keepers as chairman of the board, though no real signs of life have come from the organization.

Just last November, at age 70, Coach Mac made it known that he was interested in heading the University of Colorado’s fledgling football program again.  That made a stir, including among some vocal college employees, who protested the hire of a “homophobic” and “sexist,” referring to several comments McCartney made over the years as an outspoken Evangelical.  The university ended up hiring Jon Embree.