Martial arts team reaches unsaved

POSTED: May 22, 2010

By MICAIAH WISE BILGER Sentinel reporter mwise@lewistownsentinel.com

McVEYTOWN - Don't judge the Tae Kwon Do Yun Moo Kwan Yeonmugwan Association by its name.

The McVeytown association, which is connected to the Tactical Hapkido Alliance, is more than just a

program in the instruction of physical tactics, said instructor Rick Clark. The basis of the alliance is

Christianity, something people often do not associate with martial arts, Clark said.

Although martial arts began under the influence of Buddhism, it never set a conviction on its practicers

to follow the religion, Clark said. Some of its practicers were not religious at all, he said.

The McVeytown group takes the martial arts and uses it as a way to share their love of Christ with

youth and adults who may not otherwise hear God's Word, Clark said.

Grandmaster Barry Rodemaker, founder and president of the Tactical Hapkido Alliance, said he began

the organization eight years ago to reach out to people who are interested in martial arts.

"There are young adults who will never step into a church, but they will take free martial arts

classes," Rodemaker said. "A lot who take martial arts are seeking, and ... we can share the love of

Jesus with them."

Rodemaker, an eighth-degree Hapkido blackbelt and seventh-degree in Tae Kwon Do, said the

alliance has expanded beyond his home in Erie and now includes schools across the U.S. and Asia.

Clark is planning a special martial arts demonstration to promote the alliance during McVeytown's

Country Memories Days on May 29.

Pastor Chuck Edward and an Altoona team from the Tactical Hapkido Alliance will perform their art

from noon to 5 p.m. in the parking lot of the McVeytown Presbyterian Church. Along with breaking

blocks and boards, the martial artists also will give their testimonies.

Clark said his classes now are for adults, but he hopes to begin instructing local youth after catching

their interest at the May 29 demonstration.

Classes focus on Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido, but instructors also include biblical lessons and Scripture

in the meetings, Rodemaker said. Recently, the alliance began posting online video lessons that tie

martial arts concepts into the Bible, he said.

While the relationship between Christianity and martial arts itself is sometimes questioned, some also

raise concerns about the place that physical defense has in the faith, Rodemaker said.

"We are called to defend the weak and defend our families," Rodemaker said, noting that they teach

people how to defend themselves and their families from attack.

The Hebrews were a warrior culture for many years, he said, referring to battles in the Old

Testament.

"The God of King David is the same as the God of our time," Rodemaker said. "He does not change."

Rodemaker said Christians sometimes misinterpret the word "meek" to mean weak.

"Meek is power under control," Rodemaker said. "That's what we preach, and that's what we teach."

For more information about the Tactical Hapkido Alliance or the local school visit

mysite.verizon.net/vze12rz1k/ or tacticalhapkido.com.

"We're just a group of Christians studying martial arts," Clark said.
 
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