When I was a young girl my family and I attended a Bible chapel in Hazelwood. It was a small church where everyone knew everyone and for the most part everyone got along. It was an amazing church to grow up in.

I was influenced deeply by many members at my church in those early years. My family was best friends with the Pastor and his family, several of my Sunday school teachers were teachers at my elementary school and my parents were actively involved in church ministry. There was one person though who stood out among the rest. That person was “Aunt Ethel”.

“Aunt Ethel” wasn’t my real aunt, but that’s what everyone, even the adults at church, called her. I’m not sure how old she was when she was my 5^th grade Sunday School teacher, as at that age anyone older than 18 was old in my book. I’m certain she must have been in her 70’s as she had a full head of white hair and wrinkles that would show every time she smiled, which was often.

Although Aunt Ethel was my Sunday school teacher, it wasn’t the time spent in the classroom with her that most stood out to me as a young child, it was her love for the scriptures. That love carried over to the adults in the church. Every week before Sunday School and Church Service Aunt Ethel would sit in a room and listen to the adults recite their weekly memory verse.

The impression that Aunt Ethel made on me through the scripture memorization program was profound. Remembering how the adults in our church would wait their turn each week to recite their verse impressed upon me the importance of scripture memorization.

As a young child I was required to memorize verses at school and at church. It wasn’t until I saw the adults memorizing verses that I associated memorization with something I would choose to do. Now as an adult I treasure those verses I memorized as a young person.

Aunt Ethel’s legacy has stayed with me throughout my life and has inspired me, along with the Holy Spirit, to start a scripture memorization program here at First Baptist Church of Wentzville. This program will be for youth and adults. The program will consist of memorizing one to two verses a week, with weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly incentives.

Keep an eye out for more details and sign ups in the lobby. Volunteers are needed to listen to verses each week. You can volunteer to listen one or more Sundays each month. Should you want to volunteer you can sign up when program sign ups start.

I hope you will prayerfully consider committing to scripture memorization, whether through this program or on your own. The wisdom and knowledge that can be gleaned through scripture memorization is worth the time investment. You will be amazed at the way God will speak directly to you through your weekly memory verse.

The mission of Kenpo Christian is to glorify God by leading people to become dedicated followers of the teaching of Jesus Christ, using martial arts training in the Art of American Kenpo Karate and spiritual training based on the holy word of God as presented in the Bible.

The style of martial arts taught is American Kenpo Karate. American Kenpo Karate or the Parker System of Kenpo Karate is a system of martial arts commercialized by Ed Parker, characterized by the use of quick moves in rapid-fire succession. The multitude of fast strikes, sometimes criticized by other arts, has a dual purpose. The strikes may overwhelm an opponent but more importantly, the various strikes demonstrate to the practitioner that there are many options should the technique not work as planned, and should the initial strikes miss some will not. Ed Parker stated that this training was not intended for “overkill,” but rather “over skill”. It is largely marketed as a self-defense system, and is derived from traditional Japanese martial arts and other martial arts such as Southern Chinese Kung Fu found in the cultural melting pot of Hawaii.

A typical Kenpo Christian class consists of opening and closing prayers, warm-ups, self-defense training, forms practice and sparring. In addition to teaching punches and kicks Kenpo Christian focuses also on character talks such as “Dealing with Feeling Mad” or “The Three Steps of Listening” but more importantly during class times Christian testimonies on important topics such as “Keeping Commitments” and “Consequences to our Actions” are given by Kenpo Christian Instructors and by special guest speakers such as First Baptist Church Wentzville Associate Minister of Students, Alec Erhart. All students both young and not so young are encouraged and empowered by the martial arts training, Christian fellowship and powerful testimonies. This produces a group of people that are not only to defend themselves physically but also prepared spiritually and mentally for the challenges of this world.

Kenpo Christian was formed on the belief that God did not intend anyone to be someone else’s punching bag, verbally or physically. As stated in Psalm 144:1 “Blessed be the lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle”, God never intended us to be weak or passive in regards to our spiritual view or allow ourselves to be victimized by those would seek to harm us. God intended us to fight for ourselves, our families and God. Furthermore, God wants us ready always for battle, both physical and spiritual. By training in the martial arts, and hearing the testimony of powerful Christian holy warriors, we are forged into powerful and battle ready soldiers for Christ. Ready and able to stand up and speak out or fight for God, not matter the situation before them.

What is in the future for Kenpo Christian? Whatever God deems fit. But more specifically we plan to hold several Women’s Self Defense classes, a Bully Buster seminar and the continued growth of our student body.

Contact Information:

Michael Deslongchamps, Senior Head Instructor

573-205-0873

www.kenpochristian.com