All In

When you step inside Hew Fitness in Woodstock, Georgia, you're not just walking into a gym, you’re stepping into a mission field.

For gym owner John Szarzewski, what started as a passion for fitness became a calling. And that calling led to more than just training athletes. It led to discipling men, serving schools, and building a gospel-rooted brotherhood.

“Fitness was always an outlet for me,” John shared. “It kept me grounded in college, while everyone else was out partying. I was waking up early to hit the weights.” That discipline would one day carry him through firefighting school, coaching roles, and eventually, the traumatic experience that changed everything: being attacked by a stranger during a shift at the gym in Florida.

“I woke up in the ICU with a brain bleed and a shattered face. But what I saw when I opened my eyes was powerful. The room was filled with members I had coached, hugging my wife and my family. That moment—that was God showing me this was where I belonged.”

With renewed purpose and a bold new direction, John and his wife sold their Florida business and moved to Woodstock. There, they opened Hew Fitness with a new mission: to create a space that strengthened not just bodies but souls.

From Dumbbells to Discipleship

It didn’t take long for God to orchestrate the next step.

During the gym’s early buildout, John met Josh Lanford, a friend-of-a-friend who casually joined a workout and asked if he could pray afterward.

“It was the first time I’d ever heard someone pray like they were talking to a friend,” John said. “It hit me different.”

Josh kept coming back. Every morning: workout, then prayer. Over time, that spiritual consistency grew into discipleship, and eventually, John gave his life fully to Jesus. And through that spiritual rebirth, an idea was born: a Wednesday night men’s Bible study inside the gym.

“Guys walk in here and get their egos broken down. They’re already in a vulnerable place. So why not go beyond the physical strength and tap into something eternal?”

Over the last three years, that group has grown into a community. Men from all walks of life come in—sweaty, unfiltered, and honest—and talk through real struggles. “We’ve had salvations right here on the gym floor,” John said. “It’s real.”

Burpees for the Kingdom

That grassroots ministry soon caught the attention of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Cherokee County Director, Steve Hyland. 

Josh, who had become a bridge between John and the local FCA team, invited him to help raise funds for an upcoming Tim Tebow event. As a brand-new business, John didn’t have much to give financially, but he had an idea: “I’ll do one burpee for every dollar donated.”

What started as a couple hundred dollars quickly snowballed. Members rallied. One business owner gave $500, and another matched it in cash. John kept doing burpees—1,000...1,500—until Steve Hyland showed up mid-workout, stunned.

That day raised over $1,500, but more importantly, it formed a friendship between John and Steve that would lead to a deeper collaboration. They began meeting regularly—Steve helping John grow spiritually, while John helped Steve physically.

“That’s what discipleship looks like in this world. It’s mutual growth.”

FCA & Hew Fitness: A Local Movement

Today, that connection has evolved into something even greater. John now serves as an FCA Ambassador for Woodstock High School. He partners with local coaches, student-athletes, and churches to bring the truth of the Gospel onto campuses and into sports communities. His gym continues to function as an FCA hub, open to the public for Wednesday night studies—welcoming anyone, regardless of background or belief.

“This place isn't just a gym,” John said. “It’s a platform God gave me to steward. And FCA helped me see that. Steve helped me recognize that this wasn’t just my business—it’s my ministry.”

Whether hosting small groups, praying with coaches and athletes, or getting invited to speak at local events, John lives out the FCA vision: to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.

“Gym owners, teachers, business owners—we all have platforms,” he said. “God didn’t call you just to run a business or win games. He called you to make disciples.”

And when you give God your business? “It changes the culture. It becomes a place where healing happens. Salvation happens. Community happens.”

Want to Get Involved?

Join the Men’s Group
📍 Hew Fitness, Woodstock, GA
🕢 Wednesdays @ 7:30 p.m.
👥 Open to the community

Support FCA Atlanta
FCA is working through coaches, teachers, and leaders like John to bring the Gospel to athletes across the region. Whether you give, serve, or simply show up—there’s a place for you.”