Walk through the doors of St. Peter’s Church in the English town of Shipley, and you might find a very unexpected sight. Forget rows of pews leading down to a main altar. Instead, you’ll find a large ring featuring wrestling acting out Bible stories.
https://t.co/YooRpTQTQk
England’s Wrestling Church Baptizes in the Ring 🤼
🤼In Shipley, West Yorkshire, church now comes with body slams. St. Peter’s hosts Wrestling Church. It's a monthly mashup of faith and fight.
🤼Founded by Gareth Thompson or his ring name Gareth Angel, is a former pro wrestler who was abused as a child and was homeless at 19.
🙏🏼To help him overcome the odds, he relied on faith and wrestling, and never looked back.
Now, he preaches in a ring with powerbombs and prayer. Since 2023, over 30 people have been baptized. Some right after their match.
"It’s good vs evil," Gareth says. "Same as scripture."
Rev. Natasha Thomas backs it:
"It’s still church. Just louder."
It’s part of Kingdom Wrestling, offering youth mentorship,
self-defense classes, and second chances.
🗣️Would you go?
Well, this was unexpected: Shipley, a former mill town 175 miles north of London, is a long way from the Bible Belt, but people are coming to an Anglican church there for a ministry combining pro wrestling and a Christian message. https://t.co/TQNI2RRctu
सेंट पीटर्स एंग्लिकन चर्च. इसे लोग प्यार से ‘Wrestling Church’ भी कहने लगे हैं. यहां प्रार्थना के साथ-साथ WWE टाइप कुश्ती भी होती है. दर्शक तालियों की गड़गड़ाहट से रेसलर्स का हौसला बढ़ाते हैं. https://t.co/pUsnVP5LoW
"Pray, eat, wrestle, repeat."
Good vs. evil. People who don't normally go to church. Baptisms between bouts. The Wrestling Church isn't your grandmother's congregation. (world news)
https://t.co/1hhsSOGaS2
And yet another example for my Sports & Religion course: "England’s Wrestling Church seeks converts with baptisms and body slams" https://t.co/0DAWWxVJB3
Kurz vor dem jüdischen Passahfest reiste Jesus nach Jerusalem.Dort sah er im Vorhof des Tempels viele Händler, die Rinder, Schafe und Tauben als Opfertiere verkauften.
Smackdowns and salvation: Inside the UK church where wrestling is worship https://t.co/wEjFB3kFsw
PRAY EAT WRESTLE REPEAT
St. Peter's Anglican Church has introduced PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING in order to bring in new congregations
What are your thoughts?