Kicking for Christ

Michael Lewis is a black belt. But the way he learned martial arts is rather unconventional.

“It’s pretty much everything that I do in the martial arts, even down to particular moves, I can relate it back to scripture,” Lewis said.

Lewis is a self-proclaimed Christian martial artist. He learned the concept from his sensei, sixth degree black belt Michael Lowery, who taught students martial arts and Christian values at the same time.

“Well really in the martial arts, you’re training the mind, body and spirit,” said Lewis. “So the Christianity part of it, that really obviously helps the spiritual part of it.”

“We learn the self-sacrifice and discipline it takes to be a good martial artist. and that same self-sacrifice and discipline can be applied to Christianity,” said Lewis’ student Jennifer Randolph.

Randolph trains with Lewis at the Christian martial arts dojo on Wrightsville avenue three times a week. With each belt she earned, Randolph had to memorize a bible verse. She also prays with her classmates at the beginning and end of each lesson.

This may not be how most think of martial arts, but Randolph says it suits her.

“The emphasis on some of the eastern spirituality really sort of scared me (away from martial arts),” she said. “But I came here and saw the emphasis on Christianity and that’s what I love.”