Tonight in about an hour a special called Cage Fighting in the USA will air. It is an hour long special about how MMA is becoming a mainstream sport in America. I was interviewed multiple times for this special. With all the media attention our Fight Pastor ministry has received over the years I have come to understand the misconceptions that arise. I figured I would address them before I have even seen the special.

To be honest, I have no clue how they are going to present me, our MMA ministry, or our church. In anticipation here is an inside glimpse at Canyon Creek Church, Fight Pastor, and me.

Relationship with Current TV:

This past summer I was approached by Current TV about a special that was going to focus on faith and mixed martial arts. They wanted to focus on our local ministry and some fighters that were in our church. This request came right after the fighters in the picture above got baptized. I agreed to do the interview.

The film crew flew out and spent the weekend interviewing several fighters who attend my church. They also filmed our church service and then interviewed me after church. Several months later they came back and filmed at our church again. After that service they interviewed me along with one of our fighters. At that particular time the fighter shared with me some news about a life altering decision he was making. I had no previous knowledge of his decision, which I still believe is a very bad idea. His decision was sprung on me while the cameras were rolling.

I love Tim. I ignored the cameras and ministered to him as I would have had they not been in the room. I was very candid. I have no clue how that will be portrayed. Just be aware that Tim and I met for about an hour. I love Tim. I believe in Tim. I also believe there is a battle going on for his life. As his pastor I will fight for him, just as I would for anyone else in my church. I hope that is accurately portrayed.

What about turning the other cheek?

After any interview I get bombarded by people who are shocked that I am involved in MMA. They quote Matthew 5:39 and say Jesus said to turn the other cheek.

I believe in the principle of turning the other cheek. If someone wrongs you. Don’t return evil with evil. Don’t wrong them back. If someone lies about you. Don’t respond by lying about them. If someone offends you. Don’t offend them back. Be the bigger person. Turn the other cheek.

This has NOTHING to do with MMA. MMA is a sport! It has regulations. It has rules. It is a combat sport. I have no issue with an MMA fight within the confines of a sanctioned event. I am not for professionally trained MMA fighters getting into a fight outside of a sanctioned event. Just as I am not for an NFL player getting into a fight in a bar. Or a hockey player picking on someone outside of a shopping mall.

MMA is a sport. A combat sport but a sport. I grew up loving boxing. My loved for boxing has evolved into a love for MMA. I grew up loving watching Mike Tyson fight. I still have the Kid Dynamite Sports Illustrated issue. I now love watching Anderson Silva fight.

Are you a fighter?

This is the biggest misconception people have about our Fight Pastor ministry. They think I am a pastor who fights. No, I am a pastor who ministers to fighters. I do not, nor will I ever compete in Mixed Martial Arts. I am a 40 year old man with 3 kids and a bad shoulder. My opportunity to compete passed by me long before the first UFC event.

So I am a pastor who enjoys watching MMA and loves people. My love for people and MMA has allowed me to minister to a great number of fighters. I am their pastor.

Do you have fights at your church?

No, we do not have live, actual fights at our church. We could never insure such an event. We do, on occasion, pay for the licensing rights and show a pay-per-view UFC event on a Saturday night for the community. We haven’t done this for awhile though. Our next scheduled event is in January.

So what is Fight Pastor then?

Fight Pastor is our chaplaincy ministry to mixed martial artists. Fighters have coaches, managers, promoters, and trainers. Those individuals do a great job training the fighter and managing his career. But who helps with their spiritual life? Who helps them when they are struggling with something in their life? Who steps in when they are having marriage issues? That is where we come in. We have no desire to manage or promote fighters. We are simply here to support fighters. We are here to meet the spiritual needs of fighters.

We attend their fights. Pray for them before their fights. We support them win, lose, or draw after their fights.

So you have a church of fighters?

No! We have a church with fighters in it. Most of those fighters are married and work other jobs. They attend our church along with 800 other people. I consider it one of the greatest privileges of my life to pastor Canyon Creek Church. Our church has many different ministries to our community, our MMA ministry is just one of them.

Final Thought:

I am not sure how you feel about MMA. I am not sure how you feel about a pastor being involved in MMA. If you have a personal conviction to the contrary, I don’t have a problem with that. I unapologetically enjoy MMA. I unapologetically love people. Those two passions have grown into a pretty cool ministry for me. We call that Fight Pastor.

Here are a couple other blogs I have written that might interest you:

Fighters Who Love Jesus

Breaking the Silence