Martial Arts
About Martial Arts at White River Sports
White River Christian Church is blessed to partner with the Gospel Martial Arts Union to provide martial arts opportunities for youth and adults.
As a member of the GMAU, our mission is to develop mature Christian martial artists through spiritual discipleship, mental discipline, and physical development.
In the White River Christian Church GMAU Dojo, as in all GMAU academies, students learn true martial arts as they were originally intended. This means that they not only learn self defense and mental discipline, but also grow in their relationship with God and His Son, Jesus Christ, during their training. Participants will not encounter any eastern mysticism, violent tendencies, or self-glorification (elements that are inherent to many secular martial arts schools) in this program.
We seek to introduce participants to the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our world martial arts system is designed to provide sound Biblical foundations for living a peaceful, non-aggressive lifestyle, while equipping participants to vigilantly raise the standard of Jesus Christ in their daily lives. Participants train under certified black belt instructors who will motivate them to grow in their relationship with the Lord.
Adult classes initially focus on self-defense and life-protection and are beneficial for adults ages 18 and up, regardless of fitness level. It is a positive, motivating environment where skills necessary to protect yourself, your family, and your community are presented. As with all GMAU training, the focus is on disciplining the mind, body, and spirit as followers of Jesus Christ.
Youth classes are designed to be a fun environment where students are challenged physically, mentally, and spiritually. Activities include kata, kumite, scripture memorization, Bible study, and various competitions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my child too young to attend?
The general requirement is that your child is able to pay attention and follow instructions in class. That is why we recommend starting at the grade school level; however, even a younger child is welcome to try it out.
When during the year can I enroll my child?
The youth program has open enrollment throughout the whole school year (August – May). You can choose to start your child at any time. They can also stop at any time. Some students participate in karate at the beginning of the year, take a break to play another sport for a time, then return to karate after that sport’s season ends. They will not lose any promotions or belt advancements if they stop and resume later.
When can adults enroll?
Because of the structure and layout of the adult program, there are only two windows of opportunity to enroll during the course of a year. The first is during the August/September enrollment of the Life Protection / Self-Defense semester, and the second is during the January enrollment of the Karate semester.
Do you have any summer classes?
Each summer we offer specialized day or half-day seminars on specific techniques or aspects of the martial arts. Notice of these special events are often only advertised to students who have attended classes during the previous school year.
