This Church Hosts Live Wrestling In The Middle of Their Sermons
"Wrestling is church" is a phrase you hear many wrestling fans say, but at Kingdom Wrestling, it's meant quite literally. A British man, Gareth Thompson, combined his passion for wrestling and Christ, as a way to bring new people into the church.
Kingdom Wrestling launched in 2002 and now hosts training camps and monthly events that act as fundraisers and a new avenue to tell classic Bible stories like David vs. Goliath.
The website notes: "We embarked on a pioneering journey of innovation and creativity, learning as we go, bringing pro wrestling and faith together. We created a worshiping community, where body-slams would happen in the ring and baptisms outside of it. Our worship and sermons are tailored around particular themes relevant to the groups we are drawing through the door, while inside the ropes we play out stories from the Bible and bring it all to life in a way that is unmatched and unforgettable!"
"Body slams happen inside the ring, while baptisms happen outside of it."
Thompson recently told The UK Times: "Any Christian will tell you that when you go through life, you wrestle with stuff, you wrestle with your faith. When you face a really tough challenge, how do you see God in that challenge and how do you continue to remain in faith? I really feel that wrestling gives us that opportunity to tell those stories."
The wrestling charity also runs women's self defense classes, local school events and a men's mental health group. Some photos can be seen at The Daily Mail. A great news report on the promotion can be found below.