Christian Testimonies

One One of the goals the Defenders of the Faith Ministries have is to develop students who will become bolder witnesses for Christ.  By teaching Respect, Discipline, Character, Christian Principles, Trust, Honor, Self-Esteem, Self-Confidence, Self-Control, along with good morals, one can see taking the martial arts is much more than self-defense alone.  Yes, many physical benefits can be obtained from participating in the martial arts, but so many other areas of benefit are there to obtain.

Recently, I held a promotion test at one of my martial arts schools. One of their requirements was to write a paper on what the martial arts meant to them. I want to quote some of their responses.

“I feel that one day through this class, I will find myself. I will learn peace, patience, sense of control, and peace with God. I hope to grow closer to Christ in this Christian based class.”

26 yr old Mother of 4

“ I learn to pray in class without being too scared.”   

9 yr old

“ When I learned that there was a Karate class that was Christian based, I knew this was an opportunity too good to ignore. Because of my religious beliefs and the origins of Karate from the Middle East, this was in direct conflict of my own personal convictions. To me, the opportunity to learn Karate and how it can have an impact on one’s daily walk in life is reason enough to pursue this art form. Karate is an art form I can learn together with my family, cementing the ties that bind us as a family.”

42 yr old Father of 3

" This is helping me to be more obedient to my parents and around the house."

10 yr old

“ Karate to me isn’t just the physical movements. It’s also a way for me to help the Body of Christ. With the knowledge I am gaining, I’ll be able to protect the Body of Christ. There is still a Devil and this is still his world. So why not be prepared?”

14 yr old

“ I enjoy spending time with my brother, my sister, and my Dad. I enjoy learning new things like bible verses.”

12 yr old

“ I can learn how to throw the instructor. I can be the next woman version of Jackie Chan. I can be a Tae Kwon Do stunt person. When I am kicking or punching, I think of future boyfriends who try to hit me or hurt me, or the Devil for being mean to me. I can learn more about God’s word. It helps me deal with my anger.”

13 yr old

“ I can see that learning this self-defense is so good for me. I keep thinking “If I had only known this in high school.” Like many, bullies targeted me for being small. I was also targeted for being a Christian who was willing to share my faith.  Through the martial arts I can see that kids can overcome this kind of treatment. My training is also a way to overcome my everyday stress, anger, and frustration. More personally, learning Tae Kwon Do is a way I can show affirmation to my son who is also taking this class. Every son needs a Father in his corner in his life and this opportunity gives me a place to affirm his importance in my life. I think of Proverbs 4:1-4. In learning, I help my son learn. He often mirrors the way I learn and I know he is watching me.”

Pastor Paul Martindale, Christian Union Church

        “I looked forward to the idea that I could be physically fit and flexible at my age. I also liked the idea that I could defend myself in a dangerous situation if I ever needed to. I never dreamed I would learn so much about myself. This is where I have learned the most, because I have to be honest with myself and also realistic. Recently, in one of our classes, I was struggling and one of my classmates came up to me at break and told me how much they admired me. At that point I was so discouraged that I was ready to quit, but this gave me encouragement to keep going. God gave me a message through this student.  Now made it this far. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Like all aspects of my life, if I trust in Christ to help me carry the load I can do anything. I don’t know if I will be able to do all the things asked of me, but with God’s help, I am at least willing to try.”

53 yr old woman student

These are only inserts of many papers written but they speak for themselves.  You can see what we are accomplishing with God’s help in teaching the martial arts. I only want to be obedient to God’s calling and to serve Him with all my heart.

Contact Grand Master Engard and he will send the details