Welcome to the GMAF Newsletter! We pray it will encourage you in your Martial Arts and Outreach for Christ.
"As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world."
Jesus Christ
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
The Apostle Paul
"Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."
Solomon
One of the great things about being a Christian is that we have millions of brothers and sisters all over the world. One of the main reasons Grace Martial Arts Fellowship has been great for many of us is the "Fellowship of Believers."
"Fellowship" (koinonia ) is a sharing together between people because they have something in common. People who fellowship participate and communicate with each other. Paul spoke to the Philippians about "your fellowship in the gospel." He also wrote them about the "fellowship of the Spirit." Paul said he wanted to know Christ and the "fellowship of his sufferings." Paul wrote the Corinthians about "fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord." John said that "truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." Our fellowship is built on a mutual participation in the Gospel of God's Grace, in the Spirit of God, in the Father, in His Son Jesus Christ our Lord and in His sufferings.
What does fellowship mean to you? The way you and I define fellowship will define the depth of our sharing together in Christ. God reminded me of His definition during a recent study of the relationship He wants His saints to have with each other.
Fellowship is not easy. That's why Paul defined it specifically and mentioned often. He knew human nature. He knew that even God's children can be jealous, petty and unloving. He knew the saints wouldn't always be saintly toward each other.
We have something in common that is larger than ourselves. It is larger than a church. It is larger than a denomination. It is larger than anything we can make or imagine. It is the "fellowship of the saints." God has made us "one in" Christ and "one with" each other.
Our prayer and deepest desire is that you will receive great support and encouragement through Grace Martial Arts Fellowship this coming year. Your fellowship is an awesome force in a world that so desperately needs to know the Love of our lives, Jesus Christ our Lord.
In a baseball game, you cannot reach second base without tagging first base. The same thing is true in the Christian life. Nobody can truly join the Church without first being joined to Jesus.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1
What is Christian Service?
Christian service is releasing the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The ability to give does not come from our own strength. It comes from the Holy Spirit Who lives within us. Christian service grows out of the experience of being a part of the Body of Christ. As we grow in our relationships with God and His people, we are able to give. We can then serve our Lord because He is motivating us and energizing us to do the works He has planned for us to do.
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10
As we grow in our relationship with the Lord and His people, we find thta we are able to give.
Christian service is not intended to be used in order to feel good about ourselves or to gain the approval of God or of others. We do not need to serve in order to earn or maintain our salvation.
We serve the Lord in response to the magnificent love He has brought to our hearts. This love fulfills all of our deepest needs for security nd significance, and it is given freely in Christ. True Christian service comes as the abundance of comfort we have received overflows into the lives of those around us.
Christian service is never the root of our salvation. We are saved by grace, and grace alone.
(Next study: How can we serve the Lord?)
We would love to share your inspirational thoughts with GMAF members. Please send your studies, essays and other writings for publication to mmcgee@gmaf.org. We will include them in future GMAF Newsletters.
You'll find every GMAF newsletter at http://www.gmaf.org/gmaf_newsletters.html . These newsletters are a gold mine of information about Christianity and the Martial Arts.
Many GMAF members have told us their favorite part of the monthly newsletter is Fellowship News. It's wonderful to see Christian martial artists praying for each other across the United States and around the world. No distance is too far for Christians. The instant we pray, God hears. We can impact the lives of our brothers and sisters through our prayers. God answers prayer. It is pleasing to Him. Thank you for caring so much for each other!
Here is a holiday greeting from our dear brother, Vasile Filat.
"We are glad to wish you a Merry Christmas. May our Lord bless you and all who you love.
We will celebrate with our family today Christmas and tomorrow we will go to Ribnita where have to teach a seminar for instructors of Taekwon-Do Club "Stolas Leukas" and for teachers who evangelize teaching English from the Bible. Thank you for your prayers.
With love in Christ,
Vasile and Nastica Filat"
Here are two greetings from Master Joseph Lumpkin of Karate for Christ.
"Karate for Christ wishes you a Christmas of the heart. May the Christ of Christmas Live in your heart, always.
I can not express deeply enough
my thankfulness and gratitude of all you have done for us, for
your communities, and for the those who you have touched with
your gifts of teaching and sharing Jesus.
What you have done for Karate for Christ is simply astounding.
In such a short time we have grown to a true world wide ministry
with teachers and members in many countries serving thousands
of students. Many lives have been touched and changed. Many have
written telling of changes in their lives and the lives of their
children.
We have presented to you a new style run by Christians for Christians and focused on ministry. Our Shinsei System was so well received that we are now experiencing growing pains of a most blessed type.
In Jan. [18-20] we will be playing a part in the first of many seminars to present our new style. Already there is discussion of holding a summer seminar in Atlanta.
Please accept this card as a meager but warmly felt thanks from an old man who never dreamed this was possible. God has once again shown me that he will do anything he wants to do... in spite of my limitations He is unlimited.
May the peace and glory of the Lord be with you and in you.
Joseph Lumpkin
President of Karate for Christ
P.S.
I am passing along the note from our host of the Winter Camp,
Mark Barlow, head of Akayama Ryu Jujitsu sent today.
It looks like the meet in Jan,
2002 [Orange Beach, Alabama] is shaping up to be a BLAST! Please
attend if you can. We have already sold out of the first block
of 50 rooms and have ask the hotel to set aside another block.
These are beginning to be used up as well so call for your reservations
as soon as you can.
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From Mark Barlow of the Akayama Ryu Jujitsu system:
I'll have an information packet at the Hilton front desk for everyone as they check-in. Camp schedule, local points of interest, directions to where we'll be eating, etc.... I've reserved a room for Friday at LIVE BAIT for 7:30pm, a fun local restaurant with very reasonable prices and for Saturday at the State Park at 7:00pm which has a great buffet and a great view of the Gulf. "
"Greetings and Merry Christmas from the Karate for Christ Family."
Many of you have requested information on ranking in the Shinsei system. We would love to have every Christian Martial artist ranked in this Christian system. We believe it to be a wonderful Martial system and a beautiful way to teach Jesus to the lost warriors of the world.
You will find a list of techniques and requirements for ranking posted on our website at www.karateforchrist.com on the "Style" page.
The process of obtaining rank begins with an assessment process consisting of a clinic of a minimum of 5 hours with someone on our advisors board. This will allow us to view your abilities and set your rank an direction of study. You may want to schedule a seminar for your entire class or come to one of the seminars we teach in throughout the year.
If you are planning to attend the seminar listed below and have not done so please e-mail Mark Barlow or myself ASAP. If you plan to attend and wish to be considered for obtaining rank in Shinsei please respond with your name and complete martial arts and personal bio.
It is our wish to maintaining a high standard of martial ability within our membership and have the Shinsei system one of recognized excellence both as a martial arts system and a vehicle of Christian evangelization. For this reason we ask your patience as we work through this growth process together.
Joseph Lumpkin
President of Karate for Christ
Coming up in January, 2002!
Winter camp is being hosted this year by Mark Barlow, Grandmaster of Akayama Ryu and regional rep for the United States JuJitsu Federation. In lieu of expensive insurance and membership fees we are asking all attending the winter camp to simply fill out the form below and send it to Mark Barlow at the address indicated.
Remember, there will be a fellowship supper for all Karate for Christ members and guests on Friday, 1/18. We will meet in the lobby and go out to a local eatery. We will go "Dutch". We will eat together again on Sat. evening. On Sunday morning at 8:00AM we will meet for prayer before beginning class that morning.
Thank you for all of your wonderful support.
Joseph Lumpkin
Akayama-Ryu Winter Camp 2002
Saturday & Sunday, Jan. 19 & 20, 2001
Hilton Beach Garden Inn, Orange Beach, Alabama
The phone number to register at the Hilton Beach Garden Inn. It is 1 (800) 445-8667 and use code ARJ. Singles are $45.00, doubles $54.00.
We have many dojos participating
and it promises to be an outstanding weekend of training and fellowship.
Hosted by Akayama-Ryu Jujitsu, http://akayama.topcities.com
All styles and ranks, 12 yrs of age and older, are welcome.
INSTRUCTORS in order of appearance:
Saturday
Joseph Lumpkin Sensei, Grandmaster of Shinsei Jujitsu
Chris Magyar Sensei, Birmingham Sombo Club
Greg Faulkner Sensei, ASU Aikido
John Stump Sensei, Shorinji Kempo
Mark Barlow Sensei, Grandmaster of Akayama-Ryu Jujitsu
Sunday
Daryl Covington, Grandmaster of Wha Moo Do Hapkido
Larry Hartsook, Grandmaster of Tae Kwon Jutsu."
FEES: $60.00 if paid before Dec. 31, 2001, $75.00 if paid at the door.
Send fees and application to: Mark Barlow, P.O. Box 2062, Orange Beach, AL 36561
I release Akayama-Ryu Jujitsu, instructors, students and guests from any and all liability in the event of my injury or death before, during or after the Beach Camp.
Name________________________________________________________ Date__________________________
Dojo_______________________________ Rank_________________ Instructor__________________________
This note is from our friend Connie Gulick.
"Major changes have been happening in my life. It's been hard, but seems like God has made good from it.
I was struggling to be the mom that my teenagers needed while at the same time operating a dojang -- Mountain Pine Songahm Taekwondo -- (this, in addition to a full time job), and I was doing neither one very well. So when I got a letter from the landladies saying pay the back rent or get out, I saw this as an opportunity to close down the school.
Identity crisis! While I had always seen myself as at least a martial artist, if not a martial arts instructor, all of a sudden, I was neither. Suddenly, I was *just* a mom. (Consciously, I knew the incredible value of being a mom, but heart-wise, the role didn't feel that valuable -- is this from upbringing and social attitudes?) I even shaved my head to symbolize the major changes in my life. It just felt right.
Eventually, my family encouraged me to take a martial arts class where I could be a student (allowing my family to remain my priority.) So I'm now a white belt in a Kajukenbo class. In the meantime, I'm able to be available in the evenings to set boundaries for my teens and help them make decisions. I have only two more years to guide my older (she's 16) and four more years for my younger (he's 14.)
Financially, we are on the brink of bankruptcy, but hanging on. We'd rather pay our bills than declare bankruptcy, and this means no presents this Christmas -- thank God! Now our kids are appreciative of what we do have. Their attitudes are changing from "gimme" to "thank you." This doesn't mean we won't have a Christmas. We have a tree we cut from our land, decorations from years back or what we can make, and each other. We are not destitute -- we are rich!
I'm praying that my closing the dojang also has positive effects in the lives of my students -- either that they appreciate more the chance to train and work out, or that they find another school that can give them what I couldn't. A student I had maybe 10 years ago in another town has written to tell me the blessings that God has provided him through his being in the martial arts, and it started with my class. That is the reason I taught Taekwondo, but I neglected my family to do so.
I've heard that an old curse
is "May you live in interesting times." I truly believe
that "interesting times" is the catalyst of our growth;
it's the fire we go through to separate impurities from pure metal.
Thank God
for interesting times (grin).
Connie Gulick
white belt :D"
Here is a holiday greeting from the wife of our dear friend and GMAF co-founder David Havard with information about a big change in David's life.
"Well, it's another Christmas season.
It's always hard to believe how quickly this time of year comes
around again. As usual, there are more changes at the Havard household
- but then, those of you who know David
won't be surprised at change since that seems to be his middle
name.
The big change this year is that David has had another job change. Some of you know that he has had an interest in law enforcement for a long time. A couple of years ago he joined the reserve police force here in Grafton. Then he applied for the Fond du Lac police department in December 1999. That process took until May 2000 when he was put on their eligibility list which lasts for about 18 months. Well, this March he got a phone call asking if he was still interested. He said yes, and after some more testing (psychological, physical, drugs, etc), he was hired by the department in May. He resigned from the Bible society and went to recruit school for 10 weeks. He had the "honor" of being the oldest recruit in the class. After recruit school he went to the department where he also had the distinction of being the oldest rookie on record. Once at the department he spent 12 weeks in field training. He completed field training and begam solo patrol in mid-November. He has been on his own for about a month now. It continues to be a learning experience and a challenge for him. There is a lot to learn. He said that most days he is happy with the change, but admits there are some days when he wonders why he left a nice cushy day job to do what he's doing now. Still, he figures that it would be easier to make the change - for better or worse, than it would be to not make the change and wonder about "what if."
Of course, the events of September 11th have made us all reevaluate our priorities and realize the transcience of life. In many respects this has been good because it has made people more open to spiriutual things as they think about what really matters. This is especially good during this time of year when we reflect on what the Christmas season is supposed to be all about - the coming of Jesus Christ to earth. While Christmas focuses on the birth of the baby Jesus, most people don't want to think about why He came. They don't want to think about His death and especially His resurrection. Jesus came to earth to provide salvation for mankind. He proved that He was who He claimed to be by resurrecting from the dead.
We hope that you have experienced the reality of the living Christ in your life. He IS the reason for the season and the source of our hope in these troubled times.
We hope that you truly have a Merry Christmas."
Here is a note from B.T. West. Please let him know about Christian martial arts in the Las Vegas area.
"While looking through your members listing, I found another Christian MA (of whom I've received no response from yet) here in Nevada, but not in Las Vegas, where my family and I now live. We've been here for about six months now, but I've not yet found any other Christian MA brethren or ministries. Do you know of any in this area? "
(I know you will join us in praying for each of these Christian martial artists and their ministries.)
Please let us know if you have moved, changed jobs, received a belt promotion, started studying a new martial art, started a Christian martial arts ministry, etc. We want to be sure your listing in the GMAF Internet Directory is all you want it to be.
We welcome Master Larry Martin to GMAF membership. Master Martin began his martial arts career in 1964 as a Moo Duk Kwan Tae Kwon Do student of his father and Master Richard Chun. He studied Shotokan Karate (6th Dan) with Sensei Ernest St. Lurent, Sr. and AikJuJitsu (4th Dan) with Master Toshihizo Obata. Master Martin was also the highest ranking student (7th Dan) of the late Grand Master William Gregory of the Kajukenpo Pai Lum Family. Master Martin is Soke of his own Ryu called ShojuKempo. He is President and Founder of the All Tora-do Ryu Karate Association and is Chief Instructor of Bill Gregory's KajuKenpo Martial Arts Studios in Pawtucket and Central Falls, Rhode Island. Master Martin and his family attend the Assembly of God Church in Providence, Rhode Island. I know you'll join me in welcoming Master Larry Martin to Grace Martial Arts Fellowship.
We welcome L. Bacerra to GMAF membership. He is a 1st Dan in Matsubayashi-Ryu Okinawan Karate and a Level 7 (Full Instructor) in Progressive Martial Arts Bacerra Method. He also has experience in Balintawak Arnis Cuentada, Brazilian Capoeira, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Jeet Kune Do Concepts, Chinese Wu-Shu, T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Pencak Silat. He teaches Progressive Martial Arts Bacerra Method to a small group of college students in Cedarville University and is in the process of developing an after school martial arts ministry. He is also an e-commerce business developer. I know you'll join me in welcoming L. Bacerra to GMAF.
We welcome Kristen Schmalz to GMAF membership. I know you'll join me in welcoming Kristen to the fellowship.
"My name is Kristen Schmalz
and I'm from Fort Erie, Ontario in Canada. I started taking WTF
style Taekwondo and Hapkido last January but when I moved back
home from school in May, I joined another Martial Arts school
that only really focuses on Taekwondo. I have just recently completed
my Master's Degree in Communication Studies/ Public Relations
and am currently working for a non-profit employment agency
in Hamilton Ontario that helps persons with disabilities. I have
been a Christian since the age of eight and I am looking to correspond
with some other Christian martial artists. I think that eventually,
I would like to get involved with a Christian martial arts ministry.
I really have no idea how that would work yet but I am seeking
the Lord's direction."
We welcome Marcos Reinof to Grace Martial Arts Fellowship. Marcos is a missionary in Brazil and practices Capoeira. He uses the martial art to preach the Gospel of Christ. He asks for our prayers for the ministry of TeamXtreme.
We welcome Allen and Karen Sapp to GMAF membership. They have been involved in Judo for 40 years.
We appreciate your Fellowship in the Gospel of the Grace of God. We are praying for you and your opportunities to serve Christ. Please let us know about ways GMAF can help you in your service. If you know of anyone who might be interested in receiving this monthly newsletter, please ask them to e-mail Mark McGee. We'll be glad to put them on our monthly mailing list.
You are invited to read previous GMAF Newsletters.
If you would like to join Grace Martial Arts Fellowship ©, contact Mark McGee.
Grace Martial Arts Fellowship is a service of GraceLife Ministries.
Taking God's Grace to the World!