Are Churches Rivals?

Yesterday, I attended Chris's and Matthew's Taekwon-Do tournament. I used my camera to take videos of them sparing and doing their patterns in front of the judges. Now they can watch the videos at home and determine for themselves where they need improvement.

The tournament included students from BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Chris and Matthew each won a silver and a bronze medal in their age and belt level category.

I was very impressed and surprised with the atmosphere of the tournament. Everybody had a great deal of respect, discipline, and humility. No one ever boasted about their achievements in front of their opponents. (In fact, such action is prohibited.) Before the tournament, there was a short speech from a master about how everyone is to consider each other as equal and no one is to view him/herself as better than another. "We are to be like one large family," he said, "encouraging one another."

Parents were not permitted to give pointers to their children or yell out critical remarks, and they were urged to remain in the bleachers. There were no fights or disputes about points or awards. There were no tears falling down a young child's face. There were no cries of dismay. After every sparring match, the opponents shook hands and praised each other's effort and skill.

Throughout the whole tournament I kept thinking, "Wow! This Taekwon-Do society is based on Biblical principles!"

It's sad that many of our church's sports teams don't practise these principles. I have one son, Chris, who is on church baseball team, and last year, both my sons, Daniel and Chris, were on the team. When I went to one of last year's games, I couldn't believe the poor sportsmanship and un-Christ-like attitudes, the angry words and expressions, the disrespect and rudeness, the degrading and discouraging remarks, and, in general, the high level of competition between churches. Doesn't the Bible say we all belong to one body, the body of Christ?

"So it is with Christ's body.

We are many parts of one body,

and we all belong to each other."

Romans 12:5 (NLT)

The Bible also says that we are to encourage each other and build each other up.

"So encourage each other

and build each other up."

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

It is sad that secular martial arts societies practice principles that Christians don't.