In its first outreach event of 2026, SportsLife’s ministry to the CrossFit® community, Faith RXD, maintained a daily presence at Gymreapers Wodapalooza from March 12 to 15. Wodapalooza is a 14-year CrossFit® festival and competition held annually in the Miami, Florida, area with this year’s event taking place on Miami Beach.

While spending most of their time at a vendor booth, Mike McDonald, Executive Director of Faith RXD, and Carl Perry, Chief Sport Officer for SportsLife Leadership, had access to more than 40,000 attendees, which included more than 2,000 athletes competing in 55 divisions.

“It was a really great time to connect with some of the people that have been part of Faith RXD over the years and introduce Faith RXD to people that didn’t know it existed,” McDonald said.

“We also had a number of inquiries about how to start a chapter. That’s what excited me the most. There was genuine interest and enthusiasm about what Faith RXD is doing.” – Mike McDonald

For McDonald, it was his first opportunity to attend an event since taking his role with Faith RXD, but it wasn’t his first time to attend Wodapalooza. His daughter competed in 2018, he attended to support friends who were competing in 2019, and he competed in 2020. McDonald’s familiarity with the event and the participants paved the way for meaningful interactions.

“This event it near and dear to my heart,” he said. “It’s all about the power of presence and reconnecting with people. There were several interactions with people that have gone through some hard times and Faith RXD was part of their healing process—stories like the man whose wife passed away and how his Faith RXD chapter helped him deal with his grief. That’s one of the most powerful things I’ve been able to experience as part of this organization that Becky Conzelman started.”

Over the course of three morning sessions, Faith RXD partnered with Vessel Training Company, a Christian-owned apparel group, and Mayhem Faith, another CrossFit® ministry, to host a coffee and fellowship gathering that included a short devotional and a time of prayer.

“Instead of multiple groups doing the same thing, we thought it would be more effective to have us join together and minister to the CrossFit® community through these morning devotionals,” McDonald said.

“We decided to act as a unified front and put aside our organizational labels. It’s not about Faith RXD. It’s not about Mayhem. It’s not about Vessel. It’s about God.” – Mike McDonald

McDonald and Perry spent the rest of their days on the beach meeting people, hearing their stories, and praying for them at the booth. Faith RXD also handed out hundreds of “Faith Workout of the Day” devotional books, wristbands, and an event-specific t-shirt.

“The cool thing with CrossFit® is that we don’t have to chase people,” Perry said. “We can show up to events like Wodapalooza and have sports leaders coming to us. It’s very powerful. Ultimately, we don’t just want to go wide. We want to go deep. That’s something we can effectively accomplish within the CrossFit® space. At these events, we’re able to spiritually encourage them simply because we’re there and we’re available.”

As SportsLife moves forward, its commitment to staff growth and the certification of SportsLife Leaders will play a crucial role in reaching the CrossFit® community. By equipping individuals with the tools and training needed to lead, SportsLife aims to develop a network of passionate leaders to serve and support athletes on their walk with Christ. This strategy strengthens existing connections and lays the groundwork for new chapters.