Martial Arts as an Evangelistic Tool

The Gospel & Martial Arts

By Dave Heuthe

In our society there are many options competing for people’s free time. One of the challenges of the church is how to find ways to share the gospel so that people will attend the event. Right off the bat let me say that I’m not talking about altering the gospel in any way.

The gospel of God is that man is basically sinful, completely unable to save himself and so in desperate in need of a savior. God has graciously provided that savior in the person of His own Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross as a substitute for sinful man. When God opens a person’s eyes to see this and gives him faith he then repents and believes and is saved. That is the true Gospel. The method of communicating the gospel can vary as long as it doesn’t violate other principles found in God’s word.

Now when most people think of martial arts they think of fighting, monks and Bruce Lee kind of stuff, but I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about self-defense, learning how to be safe in a dangerous, sinful world.

We can serve the community that God has placed us in by helping them better deal with the world they live in. In this way the gospel and the concept of self-defense are compatible. The reason I can say this is because self-defense is all about staying safe. True self defense teaches you to avoid conflict whenever possible. The scripture states that we are to live at peace with all men as much as it lies with us. There are times however when conflict cannot be avoided.

By offering a community self-defense course you could draw people into your church that might never set foot there. You would offer them something they would see as of value to them and their family and weave the gospel into the course which could bring them the one thing they really need, salvation. This could be done as an after school program. You could teach the children and then have a graduation/demonstration program and end with a gospel presentation. You could do it as an Adult Ed program at night. Many school districts offer courses the difference would be you would be offering something far more valuable, the gospel.

The scripture teaches us that we are to serve people’s natural as well as the spiritual needs this type of program would do both.

Published by: Dave Heuthe, American Kobe Jiu Jitsu Federation Black Belt & Certified Instructor. Dave provides group personal defense classes where lessons are taught in various locations, privately, at Bob Malvagno’s School of Self Defense, and through in-house work programs (e.g. -Fire Department, employer, churches & synagogues, community centers, etc.) in the Nassau County and Sufflok County, Long Island (LI), NY area. Dave’s business is to provide programs that help his students (adults, seniors, teens & children) master self defense. BECOME A CLASS MEMBER TODAY!

Share Self Defense Classes w/ Your Friends

Close Bookmark and Share This Page

Save to Browser Favorites / Bookmarks