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Page it NEWS TRIBUNE, Fort Pierce, Fla., Sun., Jan, 1?, 1471fKarate Preacher9 T ravels The CountryPutting On Exhibit ions And PreachingBy SALUE WHEELUS Nwb Tribune Steff WriterMike Cram was a 145-pound weakling Freshman at Urban* S(aie College, Urban?, Ohio, when ho decided to take up the study of judo and karate and become a 'Teal man.”He was quite successful In learning artd applying the techniques after a year of training, but a lifc-efcanglng experience turned his extent Ion in another direction, He had always been religious and a Mended diurch, but now he was invited by a friend to attend a church of a different denomination.The' first night he attended, he responded to the Invitation to receive'..lesus Christ as'his personal Savior and he “found something worth living for.I hoard about Tennessee Temple College in Chattanooga, and applied for admission, They accepted me with a scholarship in baseball/1 Mike explained.While playing on the {cam, he was amazed to hear several of the athletes declare they were going to bo preachers. Mike hrd always thought a preacher as a “sissy/1 and this new masculinity was a surprise to him.As he observed their lives and got to know them, he also was challenged to enter the ministry and preach Uie Gospel,At a church camp the next summer, ho was asked ta give an exhibition 1n karate, He did so and the Interest of 1he campers was so great that one of the pastors asked, Mike, why don't you use your skill in judo and karate for Christ?So, the idea was bom andMike* began holding assemblleain high schools In the Ohatia nooga area, preaching in moiui tain toms and holding street meetings. Before lie graduated from Tennessee Temple College he Iiad formed Judo and Karatefor Christ, Inc./' and afier graduation, went on the road as a full time evangelist,During the summer of 1367, he and another Maptlal Arts student rode bicycles from Chatty noq*a to California, preachingIn towns along the way, He preached in a church In Hammond, Ind., twice that year, which Is where he became acquainted with the Rev. C. R. Foster, now pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Vero Beach.Mike conducted services InMike Crain and an unidentified Merritt Island man give a karate demonstration at Tabernacle Baptist Churchin Vero Bea^ h last week during a Missions Coiifi ?rence- (Staff Photo by. Jon Krai).Vere Beach lists week as part of the church's Missions Conference.*Tn 1970, Mike has preached to more than 50,000 teenagers in churches and schools across the country. He was written up In the Jan, Ilth Issue of Newsweek and fs gaining national' significance as he appears in rallies with the Fellowship of ChristianAthletes,” Rev, Foster said.• /Mike, 23, and his wjfej Naomi, have just completed their first year of evangelism. They met at Tennessee Temple. .'The Lord certainly has been good 1o us. He has given Naomia healthy voice to sing and given me a healthy body to put on exhibitions and preach, Mike said.•More than 1,000 persons have made a commitment lo Chris! (luring Mike's meet jugs [n 1970.Because of its appeal to youth, Mike's Judo and Karate for Christ is sponsoring the First Southern Martial Arts Camp at Kkyline Bible Camp, Dayton, Tenn. July 5-0. Master Dan Pai, master of Pai-Lim style of Kung-Fu, will be teacher.“He’ll break a 150 pound block of ice with his hand and break a soft drink bottle with his bare hand/' Mike explained.1 le said khat techniques with the Samurai Sword, Sythe, Cycle* . India Garkaknives and Kin ig I*\l will also be exhibited. Rei ervations may be made by blaj :k belt holders only and will be 1 limited to 100 campers. In-fom lation may be obtained by writ mg to Mike* at Box 6343, Chat tanooga, Teton. r 37401.Ml ke will conduct exhibitions and i services in Fort Pierce the week of Mar. 3.-28. He will he at Bi ble Baptist Church Mar. 21-24 an d at Faith Baptist Church Mar. 25-28.41 Y* st the Lord's really been fgaod to us/' the evangelistWith a powerful tlinist of his hand and a loud yell, Mike breaks 10 incites of concrete with Hie side of hand.\'k . v'. •. .' Z-, ■. J-A lie.Here Mike is shown breaking 10 inches of with his head. He said he often is referred hal'd-headed preacher.concrete to as “ammm§$m mm
Newspaper Details
Fort Pierce News Tribune
Fort Pierce, Florida, US
Sun, Jan 17, 1971
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Russell H.
FL, USA 08 Aug 2019
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