Ken Shamrock is a Hall of Fame UFC fighter, a former WWE superstar, author, speaker, and has started a youth outreach for teens. We spoke with Ken about his past as a troubled youth and how his salvation changed the way he views his career.
1. What was it that made your time at the Shamrock Ranch successful in helping you change your attitude?
My education on how to live the way God wants me to live. I learned about his promise to us that he will never leave us. I also learned a lot about venting my anger and directing it into positive things like sports.
2. Are there things from wrestling and fighting that you learned that you think can help troubled youth?
If you want something bad enough you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals.
3. When did you become a Christian and did it affect the way you viewed your chosen career path?
I accepted the Lord at a young age but it took me a lifetime to understand how that should influence my life, to really get to a place where my heart and mind aligned with the Holy Spirit. My thoughts on fighting and wrestling changed after I began to understand what it meant to live with the Holy Spirit. Before I was saved, I would enter a fight with the intent to destroy my opponent. As I matured in my faith I would enter the ring to win with technique and hustle, not to hurt anyone.
4. Some Christians are conflicted about MMA and whether or not it represents a form of sport that glorifies violence. What is your response?
Going into a fight your mindset should be to compete to win using the rules set in place. If your intention is to hurt somebody then your mindset is not in line with Christ.
5. How would you encourage pastors, parents, and church leaders as they think through approaches to troubled youth?
Use his or her anger to their strengths. For instance, if a kid starts drawing pictures of people with their heads cut off, do you point out that they are too violent or do you tell them that they are very talented in that the lines & details are excellent? After a while they are talking to you about why they drew those pics, and before you know it they are architect students. Everybody expresses themselves differently. We just have to be patient enough to find their expressions.
Daniel Darling is vice-president of communications for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He is the author of several books, including his latest, Activist Faith.
