This morning, our ministry sempais and senseis took a large step outside of their comfort zone and led praise/worship at todays’ NHPC church service. What started as a passing thought when members were talking story after a training session some months ago, ultimately became reality, powered by His spirit and our obedience. In that fateful discussion, someone noted how most of our senior members played various musical instruments and enjoyed singing. We laughed about creating a “karate ministry worship band”…but the joke was on us. As I was talking with Pastor Nando at Men’s Ministry early one morning and shared our “joke”…he immediately invited us to do so one Sunday, and asked for a date. And so it evolved that we actually committed to leading P/W one morning, early in 2006…during the two-week window that Sensei Trish would still be home for winter break (we’d definitely need the first two weeks of her break (late Dec) to do some practice).
Sempais Doreen and Robert generously opened their home (complete with sound room) to our wannabe band and provided great snacks and hospitality. All band members were timely and tried to make it to practices during this holiday season. Everyone was united in the same task of trying to familiarize ourselves with the songs, timing, and each other in this new worship venue for us. Most of all, we tried to align our hearts with the direction that He wanted us to take. We had so much fun and fellowship during the practices…and amazingly, we seemed to make great progress with each meeting. Knowing that it wasn’t about performance, but about our hearts and trying our best…we all showed up at 7:00 am this morning, quietly excited and ready to give it our all.
I can only say that P/W far exceeded our expectations (ask any of your sempais)! We were fed, we felt led by the Holy Spirit, we truly felt at one with the body, and with Pastor’s message this morning…in one word, I would say that the time we spent at church this morning was exceptionally….joyful. I really feel that all of the positive things that happened this morning were a part of His blessings upon everyone for coming together in fellowship to praise Him. The many nice comments from folks saying how much they enjoyed the P/W makes me so happy that we stayed on course and helped give the Lord just some of the praise He deserves every day. Congratulations to our senior members for a job well-done. Great thanks to Pastor Nando for his invite and having faith in us. All of us had the opportunity to stretch ourselves just a bit, for Him this morning, everyone got to share His joy, and the karate ministry has been invited back to do P/W again, whenever we’re ready…what a wonderful experience!
When we do karate-do, it’s not just about kicking and punching. Similarly, when we do Praise and Worship, it’s not just about singing and playing musical instruments. These seemingly disparate activities involve leading with one’s heart and seeking excellence, not for oneself, but for His greater glory. For the sempais and senseis of our karate ministry, so used to being extremely competent in our usual Shotokan activities…we learned and gained so much in fellowship from this novel group activity. What remains unchanged, is that the spotlight is on Him, not us, in everything we do.
3 thoughts on “From punching and kicking to praise and worship”
I am so glad everyone involved gained so much from the experience. Donna, you make an interesting point about a dojo and ministry. One of the meanings of the word dojo, is “the place where the Do is taught/practiced”. In this case, Do may refer to the Way or Journey of Life that each of us must take as individuals. In our case, we may also liken this to learning to Walk with the Lord. At the heart of a ministry, whatever the activity may be, is the word, “minister”. A ministry strives to serve its members and to serve others. That’s why, as we continue the journey in our study of Karate-Do, sempais (or senpais) spend more and more time, sharing with and mentoring others…in other words, ministering to others. Ironically, when we did the P/W, during the practices, we certainly ministered to each other (about an area in which, most of us weren’t sure of ourselves)…most importantly, as the “karate ministry band”, we were given the chance to minister to the body, together, and in a meaningful way. I think that is why we all shared such a wonderful experience and felt like we were putting our ministry/fellowship to good use…Wes.
Honestly, this was truly a leap of faith for Sempai Wes and myself. My guitar had collected dust from YEARS of not playing. Wes and I had never sung onstage before and to go from zero to 55 in two weeks was quite a feat — but, of course, nothing is too hard for the Lord! We were blessed by the experience and learned to trust the Lord for all things — even to keep us from fainting right there onstage. 😉
This group is so much more than just a karate dojo — it’s a true ministry. Not only does the karate ministry help us grow stronger physically, but the spiritual lessons that we learn from one another are so valuable as well.
Boy, it was truly an honor to worship beside you all. It was a great time to learn more about one another and our relationship with the Lord. I believe many were blessed … which was the overflow of the blessings we have recieved prior to this morning. Thank you Robert and Doreen for being so hospitable and for embracing us all … we truly appreciate you. I am sure the Lord has been glorified … I pray we continue on that journey … love ya!!!