Welcome to the first GMAF Newsletter of 1999! We pray it will encourage you in your Martial Arts and Outreach for Christ.
"And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Jesus Christ
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God."
The Apostle Paul
The following is a continuation of questions and answers about developing a Martial Arts Outreach Program. We appreciate Master Ron Shively of "Karate for Christ" sharing his wisdom with us.
Let me answer that question with a question: "Why are there religious cults within the Body of Christ? Why are there co-dependent, dysfunctional, or abusive relationships within our churches, our denominations, and our families?"
If I say to you that the study of martial arts does not violate any Biblical principles or truths and you disagree, that is your right. It is my obligation to respect that right. We may agree on many things, but we are also bound to disagree on at least one thing. That's only human. However, if I fail to respect your right to disagree with my views, my philosophies, my understanding or comprehension of the Bible, then I have crossed the line. I have gone from being disagreeable to being abusive. If I go farther still, and I try and compel you to follow my beliefs and insist that you disregard what you believe in favor of my thoughts, my opinions, then I'm not just abusive. I'm now controlling and manipulative. I'm a Jim Jones or a David Koresh waiting to happen!
Controllers and Manipulators come in all shapes, sizes, and sexes. They are both educated and illiterate. But, they all have one thing in common. They respond to their ignorance with fear. This same fear breeds the bias and prejudice that has plagued the Church, the Body of Christ for so long.
Empty people will do almost anything to make up for the mistakes they have made in their own lives. Except what they really need to do, which is accept responsibility for their own actions. In a sense, they are their own worst enemy. In most cases, who or whatever they cannot control or manipulate poses a threat to their carefully ordered, well structured lives. This is why we have so many people quickly jumping to conclusions about anything that is outside of their own ethnic culture.
Often times people confuse ethnic or cultural rules and traditions for Biblical truths. It isn't the study of martial arts that actually has them concerned. It's the idea that people can no longer accept the limited view of life that they once subscribed to. We've become too universal as a people. Our national borders or boundaries are almost gone. Like it or not we are becoming a global economy, a global culture. We can't turn back the clock. Our time of innocence, of youth and immaturity is long past. Our time for final growth and maturity into adulthood has come upon us. Whether we like it, or not.
You don't go to a plumber to have a root canal done. You also don't go to a jewelry store to buy a hamburger. As a people, we want to believe in our churches, our institutions, our way of life. We want to believe that those whom we have chosen to lead and guide us are not prone to making the same mistakes in life as we do. We cannot accept the idea that they are human as we are. That they can and will make mistakes. Or, that inspite of their education or credentials, that they may not be qualified to lead. We have been taught that if we question these things then our beliefs, our way of life hangs in the balance. This is the great lie.
Many of the books, magazine articles, and discussions against martial arts on religious TV and Radio broadcasts are not much different than modern day TV talk shows and their diverse topics. Often times they are nothing more than fictional stories, and/or fabricated half-truths designed to prejudice the listener/viewer.
They cannot accept the obvious fact that there is no way that you can adapt, or modify a system or method of self-defense to cater to a particular ethnic group, religious philosophy, or culture within the world today. That systems, or methods of self-protection are nothing more than mirrored reflections of the culture that they represent.
In a peaceful environment, a stable economy, martial artists are farmers, fishermen, or merchants. They lead simple lives just like anyone else. The thought of personal combat is far removed from their day to day existence. Men only become warriors, martial artists when there is a potential threat to their families, their homes, and their way of life.
If I were to punch you in the nose right now, would it hurt? Of course it would. Therefore, if a punch in the nose in Peking, China hurts, then the same injury to your sinus cavity, your sense of smell will hurt just as much in Paris, France. Just as it would hurt much the same way in Peoria, Illinois. The same punch in the nose would hurt equally as much whether you were: Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, American Indian, etc. Regardless if your were Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Taoist, Buddhist, or an Atheist. The end result would still be the same. A punch in the nose is still a punch in the nose. It hurts, period.
The main point is that your nose, your central nervous system, is unable to register or determine the race, place of origin, cultural background, or religious beliefs of the individual behind the fist that's performing major reconstruction to your facial anatomy. When a particular religious doctrine, or philosophy is referred to concerning a martial art it often times is a reference to the beliefs of the individual teaching the art. It is not referring to the art per se.You don't have to be French to follow a recipe for French food. Nor do you have to be Italian to make or eat Pizza. The philosophy of an individual, is not much different than the wrapping paper around a gift. Just as the box a gift comes in is no different than its ethnic or geographical origin. Once you get past the paper and the box it comes in that's when you actually see the gift for what it is.
Generally speaking, all martial arts are physically the same. They require the same bone and muscle structure for bodily movement that's required for everything we do. It's just that the intention of the motion, the purpose of the movement is what makes it combative in purpose. The same rising physical movement that you use to reach behind you to scratch your back, or comb your hair is the same movement that you might use to hit somebody in the jaw with your bent elbow. It's just their specific order for training. Their method of doing things that make them special, different, or unique.
I am a man. One among billions. Made in the image of my Creator, my Father, my God. I am no different than any other person. Whether they are a Taoist, a Buddhist, a Christian, or a Jew. We all have the same physical needs. We all have the same mental thoughts. We all have the same spiritual desires. To live, to grow, to produce, and to continue on. Every physical thing we do here on earth demonstrates that man has a spiritual hunger. Our mental and spiritual desires are the same as well. We are naturally drawn as humans to one another. Seeking after our own kind. But our pursuit isn't physical or mental, but spiritual in nature.
When we as Christians can learn to recognize that each and every person on this earth hungers to learn of itself. That through this spiritual hunger we come to the realization that there is a God, a Creator, a Father of us all. For it is through this realization that man realizes that he is incomplete. That he lacks the one thing which will make him or her complete. That being a close personal knowledge, an intimate relationship with his Creator, his Father, his God.
For while this earth and the heavens around it contains all that man could ever want or dream of. He still wonders, he still lingers as to the thought of his individual purpose, his reason for being. For God in His infinite wisdom demonstrated through His creation that there would be nothing that should replace Him in man's life. For only when we come to the knowledge, the understanding, when we accept the premise that this craving, this desire, this hunger within us is God's way of saying:
"I AM HERE," "I DESIRE TO KNOW YOU," "YOU NEED ME TO BE COMPLETE".
Only then do we come to the full knowledge and reasoning that what we say, what we do, what we strive and work for, that what we desire to own, to possess, or to learn is nothing more than our way, our method, our means of trying to reach out to Him; our Father, our Creator, our God.
Each and every one of us knows in our heart, our spirit, our inner man, our being knows that all of this here on earth is nothing more than a shadow of Him. That proves to us in the smallest, most minute way that He exists. That if God truly existed He would be not flesh or soul, but spirit. For only by spirit could He not be limited to just one place, just one time, just one people. For if He was the Father of just one, He was the Father of us all. Not only some of us. Not just to a few of us at different times in history. Or at different geographical spots on the globe would we be able to experience God. If He we were merely a creature of flesh, or a soulish mind, then that would be true. However, this is not the case. For our desire, our hunger to both know and understand Him, our Father, our God exists in each and every one of us. It is evidence enough that He is, always has been, always will be spirit. Not flesh, not soul, but spirit.
Next Month: Occultic influence within the Martial Arts
Master Ron Shively (5th Dan) is President of Yeshua Ministries, Ltd. He has more than 25 years of Martial Arts training, with belt and instructor rankings in T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Hsing-I Ch'uan, Pa-Kua Ch'ang, Northern & Southern Shaolin, as well as Chinese/Shaolin Kenpo Karate. Mr. Shively lives in Richmond, Virginia.
Master Kanei Uechi developed a series of warm-up exercises to help his students prepare for the rigors of training in Uechi-ryu Karate. He taught that the purpose of the exercises was to help them limber and stretch, strengthen their bodies, develop coordination and reflexes, and learn beginning self-defense techniques. Many of the exercises are done using dynamic tension and many repetitions.
Uechi-ryu has 22 warm-up exercises. We introduced ten last month. The next twelve exercises will develop blocking, striking and kicking abilities.
Next Month: Kung-Fu Warm-Up Exercises
We would like to include some of your favorite training tips in our Spring newsletters (March - May). Please send your Training Tips to Mark McGee.
The Sword Arts of Japan are renowned for speed and power, peacefulness and beauty. They are also known for a spirit of calmness and inner peace. The primary arts are Kenjutsu, Kendo, Iaijutsu, Iaido, Batto-jutsu and Batto-do. They all had their birth with the Samurai (warrior class in feudal Japan).
Samurai warriors trained in Kenjutsu (sword art) to prepare them to use their katana (long sword) in battle. Kenjutsu began in Japan more than 1,000 years ago. Kenjutsu was an offensive weapons system that concentrated on fighting with the sword unsheathed. It emphasized cuts, thrusts and parries, similar to European fencing. Kenjutsu had clear target areas and practioners took pride in being able to wound an opponent in those areas. Practioners of Kenjutsu considered it unworthy to wound an opponent in a non-target area. Kenjutsu was outlawed in Japan in 1876.
Modern Kendo (way of the sword) developed from Kenjutsu. Kendoka fight each other with a bamboo sword (shinai). Some kendoka practice with a wooden sword (bokken). They wear armor to protect themselves from blows from the bamboo swords. The armor includes a waist and groin protector, breastplate, facemask, headband and gloves. Target areas include the head, side of the body, throat and wrists, which the armor protect. Kendo became popular in Japan after Kenjutsu was outlawed.
Iaijutsu (sword drawing art) is a more defensive sword art than Kenjutsu. Iaijutsu emphasized quick, fluid movements. Drawing of the sword was as important as striking an opponent with the sword. It was used in real combat situations beginning in the mid-16th century. "Pure Heart" and "Straight Mind" were primary goals of Iaijutsu. Winning a fight was important, but more important was stopping the fight before it began. This came from developing a mind and spirit that won the battle before it began. It meant ridding oneself of anger, fear, hatred, jealousy and selfishness. The highest principle of Iaijutsu was to win without having to fight.
"Kachi wa saya no naka ni ari." ("Victory comes while the sword is in the scabbard.")
Eishin-Ryu Iaijutsu
Iaido (sword drawing way) is the defensive art of an Iaidoka drawing the sword from the scabbard quickly (nukitsuke), the ceremonial killing of an imagined opponent with one cut of the blade (kirioroshi), removing blood from the sword (chiburi), and returning the sword to the scabbard (noto). This is done while in a state of calmness and inner peace. The goal is a serene mind at all times. The motto of one Iaido system is:
"Iai does not enable one to kill people, it is not meant for taking lives. It is expressly for the purpose of putting one's own life on a peaceful course."
Eishin-Ryu Iaido
Iaidoka train with three types of swords: bokken (wooden sword), iaito (practice sword), and shinken (live sword).
Batto-do and Batto-jutsu are sword drawing arts similar to Iaido and Iaijutsu. The name means "sword drawing art." Most schools practice cutting rolled straw targets. They also practice one and two-person forms. Batto-do emphasizes defeating an opponent through quickness in unsheathing the blade.
All forms of Japanese Sword Arts include a detailed etiquette (reishiki) and moral code of conduct (bushido). The purpose is to instill discipline in the sword practioner. Its purpose is "learning to sense what is correct, and developing an aptitude for doing it."
For more information about Japanese Sword Arts, visit The Iaido/Kendo/Batto-do Menu Page.
Next Month: Chinese Kung Fu
Please send information about your Martial Art to Mark McGee.
We would like to share a portion of e-mail from Master Joseph Lumpkin. We asked him about how his new martial arts ministry is doing in North Alabama. We were excited by his response! Many of you have written to express an interest in starting a martial arts minitry in your community. I share Master Lumpkin's note as an encouragement to do what the Lord has placed on your heart to do.
"The class is going extremely well. The enrollment is at about 170, although attendance has dropped off due to vacation. We are down from 80 or 90 to about 65 or 75 per day. We are still having classes 2 times a week with occasional meetings on Sat. We have set the belts for the children's class as white, yellow, orange, green, blue, red. They can not progress to brown or black until they go the adult class. The adult belts are white, yellow, green, brown, black. We have set are requirements on paper and the requirements will serve to keep satellite classes on the same sched as the parent class. Class has now been going on for 3 months and 1 week, I believe. It is time for the first promotion of the children's class. They are very excited. We are still starting and ending in prayer. We have someone speak for about 10 min. before each class. Pastors come to invite the kids to their churches and laity come to tell the kids what they do for a living to give them a sense that all thing are possible. We have police, firemen, teachers, NASA people from Huntsville space center and all between. As it turns out, the most exciting and amazing thing is what it is doing to the church body. Some are changing before my eyes. From rigid, traditional suits, to loving, giving people with hearts of Christ."
Our thanks to Master Lumpkin for what he is doing through the Christian Hapkido Federation of North Alabama. Our prayers are with him, his instructors and students!
Master Jim Mahan is a 6th Degree Black Sash in Filipino Kali~Silat. He is Mataas Na Guro - Head of Family - Wagi system of Kali~Silat. Master Mahan has two clubs and is starting a third in Arkansas. He lives in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and is interested in starting a Christian martial arts ministry in his church. You can e-mail Master Mahan at Knife1@aol.com.
Jeff Tam lives in Hong Kong. He studied Shotan Karate at the University of Toronto and later studied Tae Kwon Do and Judo. He received Christ as his Savior several years ago and is studying theology at a seminary in Hong Kong. Jeff is interested in using the martial arts to share the Gospel. If you know of other Christian martial artists in Hong Kong, please contact Jeff at wendy123@netvigator.com.
J-B Jaeger is majoring in theology at Mount Saint Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He trained in Tae Kwon Do and Wrestling for nine years. He also trained in Shorin-Ryu Karate, Jeet Kune Do, a form of kenjutsu, as well as military H2H. You can e-mail J-B at saint_ronin@hotmail.com.
John King is a member of the United States Coast Guard. He studied Okinawan Kenpo Karate & Kobudo while stationed in Hawaii. He studied with his young son. John earned the rank of Shodan while his son earned the rank of Ikkyu. John started his martial arts training six years ago. He is now stationed in Elizabeth City, North Carolina and is studying Shito-Ryu Karate. John trains with fellow Christian Dai Shihan Tola Lewis. You can e-mail John at jking@albemarlenet.com.
We welcome Master Mahan, Jeff Tam, J-B Jaeger and John King to Grace Martial Arts Fellowship!
We appreciate your Fellowship in the Gospel. 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. If you would like to join Grace Martial Arts Fellowship ©, contact Mark McGee.
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