Faith Fighters For Christ

Christian Martial Arts Ministry

Martial Arts Ministry As Small Group Ministry

Hanging out your sign with a Christian emblem or name does not a martial arts ministry make. Martial arts ministry happens when Christ is at the center of all that happens within the group of people in your school. One manner of doing this is using the small group concepts that are utilized within churches to help cement relationships of the group members with the Lord and with each other.

Small group ministry, also called cell groups, is an extended ministry of your church. There are several types you may be able to think of, such as recovery groups, prayer groups, home Bible study groups, discipleship groups, etc. These are considered a direct ministry of your church because they either happen within your building or are located off-site, but have the same accountability within your church=s administrative structure. Indirect ministries of your church are the ministry of individuals from the church, but are not official ministries of the church. Such things as a prayer and Bible study time during lunch at work, Moms in Touch, and other small groups lead by individuals and/or couples by the leading of the Holy Spirit are indirect small groups.

There are different ministry goals of small groups. Recovery groups are specialized to meet very specific needs of the group members. They also remain confidential in their discussions, which means that "what is said there stays there" for the protection of the members. No one new is allowed to come in after two or three weeks. There are also less specific groups where the focus is Bible study and prayer, as well as a good time talking with each other. They are not usually confidential unless someone specifically asks for something to not be shared outside. More general groups do not officially close, allowing new people in either anytime or at intervals. Human nature has a tendency to close a group because of the comfort level, but will begin regrouping and gaining a different identity over time. Small group dynamics are based around building strong bonds within the membership.

There are elements that are specific to small groups making them relationship-building ministries. The aspects of small groups that are present at every meeting are: Prayer, Bible Study, fellowship, service, leadership-mentorship, multiplication, and guidelines for effective operation. Those things that build relationships with God are: prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and leadership-mentorship. The ones that build human relationships are: Bible study, fellowship, service, leadership-mentorship, multiplication, and guidelines for effective operation. The focus of the group determines how much of each of these is utilized. For example, with a prayer and Bible study group, prayer and Bible study get the majority of time and attention, even though all the other elements are present. Recovery groups are primarily focused on service and Bible study, but again the other elements are still present. They just do not get equal time and attention. One of the most important factors in all of this is that everyone who has the need for the focus of the group is welcome. The only thing that could cause them to be put out of the group is breach of trust. All of the aspects of small groups must be in use or the group will fail.

Martial arts is a natural setting in which to place the small group ministry aspects. Since traditional martial arts, operated like that of the Asian countries, is primarily based on Zen and Taosim, most of the small group aspects are all ready there, but with Eastern religion. There is order and structure with rules for belonging to the group. There is a defined leadership set-up.

Martial arts ministry is more than teaching techniques. Unfortunately, balance is not always kept in martial arts ministry. It does not matter whether your school is in a church, a commercial school, or study/fellowship group after karate class in a secular school, keeping balance with the techniques as well as the ministry aspect is of primary importance. Remember, most of us practice arts that were originally intertwined with Zen, Taoism, and/or Shintoism. There was balance for them because their belief system was a part of all they did in life. Unfortunately, American Christians compartmentalize different aspects of their lives. This sort of lifestyle makes balance difficult. Our entire workout time in class should be a form of worship to God. There should be an aspect of thanksgiving and praise to God internally as we punch, kick, block, etc. When we invite God into our classes, being an integral part, then can we begin to balance ministry with our training. Our first focus is on God, then on others, and finally self. This order must be kept for effective ministry.

There are several types of martial arts ministry: church-based, commercial school, outreach/support in a secular school, associations, and tournament circuits. This article is focused on the first three types because this is in our realm of understanding and small group ministry needs consistent, regular meeting times. If you have figured out how to use small group ministry through associations and tournament circuits, let us know. Each group will be different because it will reflect the personality differences and spiritual gifts of the leadership.

The church-based or youth center-styled martial arts ministry is actually the easiest to set up in small group format. The primary group of people who will have an interest in Christian martial arts in a church are Christians. The main ministry focus becomes discipleship, even though evangelism will be greatly emphasized. Many of the church-based groups are either family-oriented (ours runs ages 10-adult) or youth-oriented (a friend has his aimed at ages 12-18). There is structure set with the protocol and heirarchial structure that is found in martial arts classes, but some things may be different like a salute rather than bowing, using Mr. or Mrs. instead of Sensei or Sifu , and bowing to the room or pictures may be deleted. Usually there are devotions or Bible study as a break from intense physical activity. Fellowship time occurs before and after class as students gather and part. Outreach happens when new students come in, but mostly through demonstrations and seminars. One problem in the general martial arts world is that these types of groups are seen as having substandard skills and believe there are too many inadequate black belts coming from these settings. Reality is the majority of ministry instructors are very conscientious about the art they pass on to their students. We have found that it is very difficult to get Christian students to be bold, developing a reasonable amount of aggression because of fallacies passed down through well-meaning Christians. This is quite a challenge for this type of instructor to work with. (In our opinion, secular martial arts classes are a problem in the church. They should not be allowed to use the church space. These tend to add confusion in the church's teachings.) There should only be Christian-based teaching in the church, which the small groups ministry format can aid.

Many instructors use the commercial school to reach people for Christ while they pass on the benefits of their systems of martial arts. This is the environment in which they have come to know and love karate, judo, jujitsu, kempo, and others. But this is more difficult setting to bring in small group ministry aspects. However, it is not impossible. Some schools have Scripture verses to memorize, others use creeds to remind the class whom they serve. Some pray as a group. Yet others offer Bible study and fellowship time after or between classes. Some instructors have parties, fellowship times in the evenings after classes, or special gatherings. During the instruction time, the students learn how Christians should respond in confrontations, whether or not to use lethal force, or the wonders of God's creation of the human body. There are always rules and guidelines to be followed with the consequences for those who choose not to cooperate. These things are all aspects of small group ministry in a commercial martial arts setting.

Christians in secular schools do minister to other students in their classes. They usually are able to reach out because of instructors who are willing to accept that these students have problems observing some protocols and teachings. Their witness is a relationship-based evangelism. Some obtain permission from instructors to hold Bible study and prayer after class. These become a small group since they meet the needs of other Christians in the class for fellowship and prayer support. They reach out to non-Christians by acceptance in the group, giving them an opportunity to learn about the Lord. Small group ministry for martial artists in secular schools, although we do not have experience with it, many others have told us is a growing trend in ministry.

Follow link for application of the concepts in the list.

• Prayer
• Bible Study
• Fellowship
• Service
• Leadership Development
• Growth

The first place to begin is with your own life. It is impossible to minister effectively if your own spiritual life is anorexic. Martial artists who come to Christ after they have been in training tend to have more trouble integrating Christian teaching into their art. People like ourselves who come into martial arts after having been Christians for a while have less trouble because the secular teachings are scrutinized through Scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Some things will come through from their secular training, but these martial artists are also more open to constructive criticism. Be sure to participate in Sunday school and worship in a vibrant church. Some churches offer lay leader training that may be beneficial to you. Prayer and devotional time is your intimate time to converse with the Lord. It becomes a two-way communication that flows, permeating your entire life. It is also very important to have the majority of your close friends, especially for martial arts that some are Christian martial artists. You can share common cares and concerns as well as help each other with problems. If you do not have this type of relationship available, Christian associations can help fill that area for you. A healthy Christian lifestyle will be reflected in your ministry.

The next natural step would be housecleaning your system. Most martial artists teach as they have been taught. This is true in ministry as well. For example, our instructor had transliterated the Bushido concept as the way of the Christian warrior. A wise Christian brother in our church who had been in Japan during WWII came to us concerned about this term on a newsletter we put out. When he explained the Bushido mindset he encountered first-hand in Japan, we realized that we needed to examine what we had been taught more closely. Our instructor had been teaching us from a Christian perspective, but he trained in a traditional secular school before he was a Christian. This was some baggage he passed onto us, which we needed to examine. You can get help with housecleaning from our article "A Little Bit of Sin is Never In". Also, talk with others who have been ministering for quite a while. They can help you, too.

The last step of the process is to build a Small Group Framework. Write out your class format step by step. List the elements of small groups and prayerfully examine the two in order to determine how this will work for your ministry. For secular school students, simply check for interest level and find an appropriate Bible study area and curriculum. Get permission from your instructor to hold such a group after class. If he will not agree to this, you may want to start a small home group for classmates. Then just begin. Your pastor or a Sunday school teacher may be able to help you with either of these types of groups. Get the resources you need, whether it be Scripture memory cards, web articles, or study guides. Gather ideas from others as your go and share your successes with others in martial arts ministry. The Lord will bless the heartfelt, Spirit-led ministry you do.

Resources: Turbo Small Group Leadership Training Manual, Getting Together by Em Griffin, and Small Groups class at Winebrenner Theological Seminary in Findlay, Ohio. There are several fine books in small group ministry at your local Christian bookstore.

Special thanks to Royal Reynolds, President of Koininia Fellowship of Martial Artists; Fred Murphy, President of Black Belts of the Faith; Lou Blizzard, head instructor of Lion Fist Kempo; Jeff and Diane Goodwin, head instructors of Family Martial Arts and Fitness; Rick and Pam McDowell, head instructors of Defiance Christian Martial Arts; Dr. Daryl Covington, founder of Wha Moo Do and Hall of Fame inductee in the United States Martial Arts Association; Herschel Schenk, Head instructor of Awase Kenpo Kai; and David Clinard, President of Fellowship of Christian Martial Artists. We also thank the many brothers and sisters in Christ who e-mail us, sharing with us how the Lord is using them in martial arts ministry. May the Lord bless you abundantly!

copyrighted 2000 Donald Engelhardt and Charlaine Engelhardt all rights reserved