In response to Bishop Loya’s priority of Faithful Innovation, parishioners around the diocese are listening to God and their neighbors. Faith communities are engaging in small, low-cost experiments to learn more about what the Holy Spirit is up to in the lives of their neighbors, and trying new ways to join up with people Jesus loves who don’t go to church. Read about one such initiative below and consider how you might listen and respond to your neighbors.
by Jayne Kinney, St. Martin’s-by-the-Lake Minnetonka Beach
“Sometimes you have the opportunity to share your faith in something you love,” my husband Nick recalled. Nick, a professional wrestler known as Nick Pride, and I have ministered to members of the independent professional wrestling community in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin for the last five years.
Our ministry does not have a building or set agenda. Instead, we show up for the community at each show where Nick performs, showing God’s light through our prayers, listening ears, and care for physical needs. We also open our homes when wrestlers need a room for the night or someone to listen to them.
When Nick began training to be a professional wrestler at the Academy School of Professional Wrestling in St. Paul, MN five years ago, ministry and mission were the furthest thing from his mind. He has wanted to be a professional wrestler since watching WWE on TV when he was eleven. Yet amidst the body slams and choke holds, God was already at work preparing us for service.
Professional wrestling attracts people from all walks of life. Some have a Christian background and are excited to talk about their faith, but many more have experienced loss, gone through hardship, or made choices that result in disinterest or hostility toward Christianity. Many have families who do not support them or are in unstable relationships. Some struggle with mental and physical health challenges exasperated by their in-ring work. The “Christians” they have experienced have been hypocritical or judgmental, and made them feel like they cannot belong at church.
Nick observed, “Sometimes I feel like people have this idea in their head that being a good Christian and being a good person are two different things. Like you need to act a certain way to be a Christian. This leads to people thinking that they must act a certain way or be a certain way to be a man of God. Instead, I think being a Christian is about meeting people where they are, and letting them know they can know God just as they are.” Regardless of a person’s background or experiences, we show up as friends and community members, and care about them just as they are.
Rather than thinking of our work as a ministry, we see it as living our lives as Christians and members of the wrestling community. We show up as our authentic selves, supporting the people God brings into our lives. Sometimes this looks like overt Christianity – for example, prayers before a wrestling show or sharing what God is doing in our lives. However, most of the time our ministry is genuine care for those often alienated by the church. We cannot approach this as a conventional “ministry”; if we arrived with the goal of converting people or preaching to them, we would only alienate them. Instead, we show up as followers of Jesus and let our lives be the witness.
Many people who would never step foot in a sanctuary find support, care, and comfort through daily acts of kindness and compassion: providing first aid for injuries, being an eager ear to listen to life’s struggles, a safe spot to sleep at night after a show, or a car ride. This care opens the door to conversations where people can discover their worth and encounter God on their terms. Then we engage in conversations about faith and have seen lives transformed by the love of God as they build or rebuild their relationships with Christ.
During our five years working with professional wrestlers, we have seen remarkable changes. One man who was a Christian but had not been to church in years rekindled his faith and now asks for prayer and attends services. Another couple who was very clear about hating Christianity and never wanting to be involved with anything “churchy” have become some of our closest friends, reaching out often for support and assistance. They often tell us we are “literally the best” and know we are always there for them. Even though they still do not want to attend church, we have watched as God works on their hearts, replacing anger with hope. We look forward to seeing what else God does in their lives. These are just a couple of the people in our wrestling community.
Nick and I believe God has called us be God’s hands and feet around the “squared circle”, or the wrestling ring. By meeting people where they are without judgment, God has used us to help deepen the faith of those who know Him and touch the lives of those often alienated by the church. We celebrate every conversation and act of care as we see lives change. Through relationships and community, God is touching the professional wrestling community and building connections which lead to transformation and growth. We look forward to seeing where God leads us in the new year.
What opportunities do you have to share your faith in something that you love?
