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Profile: Maceo Pembroke

Maceo Pembroke "Martial arts is a very effective [outreach] tool." St. Mark United Methodist Church Chicago, IL, USA

Maceo Pembroke turned his martial arts skills into a ministry.

"I’ve had people actually come up to me and tell me, 'We’ve joined the church because of the program.'"

If you stop in at St. Mark United Methodist Church in South Chicago, you’ll find what you expect: worship and Sunday School, and the uplifting voices of the choir. There’s a liturgical arts ministry, and other usual activities of the church. But you might not expect to see a room full of youngsters practicing Judo and Tae Kwon Do.

“This is a martial arts ministry.”

Maceo Pembroke, Jr. is the master of the school, which he sees as an outreach ministry.

“When Jesus called his first disciples, he went out to call fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Well I’m here on the south side of Chicago, and I’m calling young students who are in a very sort of violent and immoral environment, but yet have a will to succeed … and that those who we have caught or brought into the fold will usually cast out to bring others in.”

While martial arts may seem an unusual form of ministry, you may change your mind after we introduce you to Maceo Pembroke. His father, the Rev. Dr. Maceo Pembroke, Sr., was the senior pastor at St. Mark throughout the 1960’s and 70’s. Maceo junior was baptized and confirmed at that church. But while Maceo was in college in California, he suddenly became enamored with a far-off Asian nation.

“I really didn’t become aware of Korea until the 1984 Olympics and saw the streets strewn with people holding a flag, and I knew it wasn’t a Chinese flag, shouting, “Korea! Korea!” And they had so much spirit … I had to run home and find out what Korea was all about. ”

Maceo moved to South Korea. He spent eight years there teaching English at two universities. And because he had studied both Judo and Karate as a child in Chicago, he took the opportunity to become proficient in martial arts, as well as in the Korean language.

Back in Chicago, The Rev. Dr. Jon McCoy was now senior pastor at St. Mark. He was concerned about low self-esteem among the children in the community and began to wonder if a martial arts training program would be a good way to help the youth.

Suddenly, it made sense to join the cultures of the East and West to help youth of the neighborhood avoid gangs and drugs, and to resolve conflict in peaceful and positive ways. At the invitation of Rev. McCoy, Maceo came home.

“I left Chicago when I was 16 years old to start college, and I returned after 24 years. To me, there has been really no greater opportunity than to be able to return to the place that nurtured me so well, and fertilized the soil… That’s one of the highest callings that one can have is to use their gifts in order to better the world all around them.”

In January 2005, a new ministry was born at St. Mark.

“We begin every class with devotion and/or our student creed.”

While reciting the creed, the students say, “I will practice martial arts as a way to explore my relationship with God and His son, Jesus Christ, by developing my spirit, mind, and body. I will always do my best to behave in a Christian manner during training, at home, and in society. Therefore, I will always seek peaceful solutions to conflict before resorting to force, strive to help others, and work to build a strong community.”

“I want to help to make better men, better women. I know that will result in better families, a stronger community, a stronger nation, and hopefully at some point a better world.”–Maceo Pembroke

More than 50 youngsters are in the program. Last December, three were awarded black belts for their proficiency. Maceo says the program focuses on respect, discipline, confidence, and the value of relationships.

“We live in a society where there are fewer fathers in the home, definitely from when the time I was a child. And that positive male image who will definitely set boundaries for children is so vital to their development, and someone who is willing to show them the importance of relationships.”

For Maceo, one relationship stands above the rest.

“My relationship with Christ is the most important relationship I have… He’s just something that I feel I have to share with all those around me. Not just in what I say, but also in what I do and the way that I live.”

Maceo is also an associate lay leader of the church. He sings in the choirs, works on the church Web site, and helps coordinate major events. All this is important to him and his faith. But perhaps he is most hopeful for the future when he shares his faith with the youth in the East Sea Martial Arts ministry.

“I just want a chance to serve and make the world better for the fact that I lived. I want to help to make better men, better women… I know that will result in better families, a stronger community, a stronger nation, and hopefully at some point a better world.”

Maceo believes his martial arts ministry is important to his community. And he would be happy to talk with you about casting a net of respect, and discipline, and confidence with a similar program at your church.

The following people contributed to this Profile:
Print and audio story by Mike Hickcox; videography by Ian Vacek, Camera Originals.

UMC.org Profiles are produced by Pam Price, 615-742-5405.

Maceo's Spiritual Gifts