MOUNTVILLE, Penn.
– As a child, Ron Wilson dreamed about one day growing up to be a martial arts
instructor. What began as a simple interest in learning to defend himself
against bullies developed into a deep-rooted passion for the skill and practice
behind martial arts. Wilson dedicated himself completely to the study of
martial arts, striving to carryover his passion into adulthood and a career in
the field.
God took Wilson’s passion for the martial arts and
transformed it into a passion for telling others about Jesus Christ. Kung Fu
became God’s vehicle to carry Wilson and his wife, Angela, from city to city
before landing them in Mountville, Penn., to serve as church planters. Martial
arts remain a huge aspect of their ministry at their church plant, The
Connection. “People come in
to take Kung Fu classes, and we start building this relationship, this trust,”
explains Wilson, a Mission Service Corps missionary for the North American
Mission Board. “After a period of time, they’re willing to listen to what you
have to say and as time goes on, I’ll invite them to church. There’s a trust
factor. “And that is basically what church
planting really is — it’s building relationships with people.” Wilson
always wanted to be a martial arts teacher, but he never thought it would be
possible. “I went back and forth with my parents and it was always the same
thing: I needed to get a real job.”
In his early 20s, Wilson
left behind martial arts and went to work in a chemical plant. Just one year
later, he was unexpectedly laid off. His days were suddenly filled with hours
of free time bookended by driving his wife, Angela, to and from work each day.
Like many in his situation, Wilson was left wondering if there was any
sort of plan or purpose for his life.
“Being laid off work I would just watch TV when Angela was
at work,” Wilson said. “And one day I happened to flip to Pat Robertson
and the 700 Club. He was talking about Jesus being our Lord and Savior and it
was like he was talking directly to me.”
Wilson dropped to his knees in his living room and asked
Christ into his life.
“I was crying out to the Lord, ‘Come into my life. Make me
into the person you want me to be. I lost my job … I don’t know what I’m going
to do.’”
BP Photo Ron Wilson began to see his work in martial arts not just as a career but an opportunity for evangelism as well. See Video. |
Within days, Wilson
began to see God answer these prayers. Angela returned home from work one day
with a story about two co-workers that found themselves in an unexpected
scuffle on their lunch break. She told them about Ron’s martial arts
experience and three weeks later, he received a phone call from the two men
asking for a few Kung Fu lessons.
Within nine months, Wilson’s Kung Fu classes had grown from
just a handful of men in his living room to nearly 45 people weekly. Soon, the
Wilsons decided the time was right to move forward with Ron’s long buried dream
of teaching martial arts and opened a Kung Fu studio in South Jersey.
“It was God,” Wilson explains, “I knew that He gave it to
me.”
Wilson began to see his work in martial arts not just as a
career but an opportunity for evangelism as well. He began having one-on-one
time with some of his students, studying the Bible and talking with them
individually after class. Inside the classroom, he incorporated scripture
memorization, designating a scripture verse with each Kung Fu ranking as well
as including devotions in the middle of each class helping to relate the
principles learned in Kung Fu to the truth of the Christian life.
“It ties in so great … once you accept Jesus Christ as your
Lord and Savior the Holy Spirit dwells in you and at that point, you have to
let go of resistance and let someone else fill you up,” Wilson
said. “This letting go, not resisting, is essential to the practice of martial
arts.”
God continued to grow in the Wilsons a passion for
evangelism, placing a call on their lives to move beyond simply teaching
martial arts and into a greater field of service.
“We just felt God calling us to take this to another level,”
Wilson said. “It felt like God didn’t want me just teaching Kung Fu anymore.”
Together the couple made the move to Michigan where Ron
enrolled in the New Tribes Bible Institute to further develop his knowledge and
skill for evangelism. After one year, they returned to New Jersey to continue
work in their Kung Fu school as well as beginning outside campaigns to reach
their community for Christ.
“I had this thirst, and I felt God giving me the ability to
go out there and really share the gospel,” Wilson said.
This thirst became satisfied when Ron met Pastor Norm
Blackaby. The two quickly hit it off and bonded over both of their past
experiences in Kung Fu and ministry. Blackaby saw Wilson’s
Kung Fu classes as a perfect outreach ministry and directed him to the North
American Mission Board (NAMB) for assistance.
“I came to NAMB and they helped me figure out how I can do
this as an evangelistic outreach program,” Wilson said. “I came up with my own
curriculum with Bible verses and using martial arts to tell people about Jesus
Christ.”
For Wilson, the life and career he has now have far exceeded
his childhood dreams. God carried him far beyond simply teaching martial arts
and into a life fully directed at sharing Christ with others. “A lot of times young people
think, ‘if I come to know the Lord, I won’t be able to do this or that.’
That’s not the way He works. He loves us and he knows us better than anybody.
And if you follow Him, He’ll give you the desires of your heart in a way you
never expected — in His way, to glorify Him.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE –
Shelton is a
writer for the North American Mission Board.)
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