DOVE HAS TAKEN FLIGHT

As she sat in the audience during a Taekwondo sparring match recently, Line des Rosiers was speaking about Jesus with one of her students—a mom who attends Taekwondo with her two children.  “I don’t know anything about Jesus,” said the woman in response to Line’s words, “but I would love to know about Him.”  This woman’s eagerness to know more about Line’s faith came because Line had repeatedly touched her with Jesus’ love over the previous months.  She wanted to know what it was that motivated Line’s kindness and also inspired the loving behaviour of other Christians whom she had encountered.

Opportunities like this one are what drive Line’s passion for the Dove Taekwondo ministry.   Of the 28 students in Taekwondo, Line estimates that 21 of them are from the broader community and most of these are either unchurched or attend church only irregularly. Line’s goal is to see each of these people come to know the love and Good News of Jesus Christ personally. 

The Taekwondo martial arts ministry has been running in Bethel Church for 14 years now.   Many of the students are children, but many others, like the mom described above, are parents who come each Tuesday and Thursday to participate with their kids.   Because connecting people with Jesus, and not making money, is the motivation behind the ministry, the cost of the program is set at only $35 per month per student –a  fraction of what similar programs cost—and there are even significant discounts for families who enroll multiple children. 

One thing that helps to explain the significant impact Dove is having in our community is the leaders’ commitment to prayer.  Line, together with her fellow ministry leaders Cathy Ferchau, John Goutbeck, and Ivan Mast, have made prayer a priority.  They have decided not only to pray daily for the program, but to pray before each session, and to set aside a special day each year to fast and pray for the ministry. 

Dove has clearly taken flight, or maybe we should say that Bethel’s Taekwondo ministry is delivering a knockout punch!--Pastor Tom

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