Category: Ministry



George Foreman. What a guy. He was a mean nasty guy, no one liked him when he was younger. I've seen some old tapes of him talking, and he didn't seem that bad to me, not like a Mike Tyson or anything. But I guess his reputation and personality were quite unlikable according to some.

He was from the 'hood'. A huge powerful guy that used to be the bully in the bad neighborhood, beat people up for their lunch money, that sort of thing.

He got into boxing and dominated. He would destroy men. In the Olympics he won, and walk around the ring holding an American flag. I thought that was cool because that was in the hate whitey late 60's. But anyway, many people might of looked at him as a 'thug'.

Then, George fought Mohamed Ali. To put this fight in context, George destroyed Joe Frazier. And Mohamed had a very difficult time with Frazier. So, it was common knowledge that George was going to chop down Mohamed like a weed. But, when the fight actually happened, George hit the canvas - knocked out. And during the entire fight Mohamed was taunting him, humiliating him. This effected George very deeply after the fight.

George went on to fight more, but was never the same, he was mentally, emotionally, and spiritually damaged goods. Then, after one fight George said he died in the locker room. He was laying on a table and he said he began to slip into darkness, he said something like 'I just knew I was dying'. He describes going into a very dark place, empty, a very bad place. He believed at the time he was going into hell.

Then, he said he uttered something to the effect 'I don't believe in God, but if there was a God he could take me out of here'. Then George said he woke up. He recounts that he was brought back to life, saved, and renewed in that moment. And from that moment he was a new man instantly. Nothing the same as he was before, a complete transformation. He began walking around the locker room hugging everyone in there and telling them he loves them. A new life, new breath, new smell, new vision, new heart. What? George Foreman?

In George's younger life he never was a happy guy. When he told his sister he was going to be champ she said something to the effect 'no you wont, no one from this neighborhood becomes anything'. He went around beating people up and did that for a living and became very famous and made a lot of money. But something was missing for George and that Mohamed humiliation and defeat brought this void out in the open to George. His life spiraled out of control spiritually until that climactic revelation in the locker room.

From then it was all different. George became crazy in the worlds eyes. He dropped out of boxing and became a minister. In the hood, on street corners...a 'fall from grace' according to the world. A fall from grace following directly the creator of the universe. A fall from grace serving the only living God in a personal way.

Who would want to go from fame and fortune to obscurity and being mocked? I sure would not. But the power of God led George, and George was faithful.

George never boxed again after that time. He said he didn't miss it, and he didn't even train on a heavy bag or put on a pair of gloves, nothing.

What? God would want someone taken away from wealth and put on a street corner in the hood that George once worked his way out of? In this case yes. And George surely could not have done it without the power and companionship, love of the Holy Spirit. So George was written off by society.

George said he wouldn't mention who he was while preaching on the street, he didn't want people to only listen to him because of his name. But then he said he couldn't get anyone to listen to him, so he began to tell who he was just to get people to listen.

Then, God provided George with a wife. He said when he met her "that's the kind of person I've been looking for my whole life". And they had multiple sons, each one named George.

George had a very small church in the south. And he also ministered at a boxing gym that he operated. He got back into boxing from the standpoint of being with young men and women and leading them. But he never boxed. His whole life was a ministry at that time.

But, George needed some money for his church. He was invited to some churches so that he may give his testimony and collect donations to be put back into his church and boxing ministry. Once George was sitting in the front row after giving his testimony. As money was being collected for his cause from the church members, the pastor of the church was saying to his congregation "c'mon, you can do better than that", encouraging them to be generous for George's cause. George said to himself "I will never beg for money again". He felt humiliated. That instant did not sit right in his heart.

So he said to himself like, 'what do I do, what have I done to make money?' Boxing.

George came back to boxing to raise money for his church. He declared "I'm going to be the heavyweight champion of the world" very early on. George was over 40 years old and overweight. I remember television coverage of his quest in the beginning. They showed George Foreman, who most nearly forgot, bench pressing in an old dilapidated garage type facility. George virtually had no money, that's what it looked like to me. The television coverage's angle was more one of a spoof, entertaining this crazy former boxer become Jesus freak. No one took him seriously. A backwards God kook.

George's wife even said something to the effect 'your going to do what?' But then she said she saw him stick to it, keep at it, and the pounds came falling off of him. Then she began to take notice and say something like 'maybe he is serious'.

George began with smaller fights, easier opponents. He worked his way up, coming back with a 'Part II' of a very physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding boxing career. At age 45. After a decade in retirement.

Then, George took on Evander Holyfield. He didn't win, but, he did last the full twelve rounds, and he did present a challenge to Holyfield. People said, hmm.

Then, the title bout. Foreman had the opportunity to fight the heavyweight champ at the time, Michael Moore, on November 5, 1994. During the fight George knocked out Moore, looked up to Heaven in disbelief, then went over to his corner got on his knees and thanked God.

What a journey.



At age 45 George Forman is now the heavyweight champ of the world. He came out of exile, out of a very very long retirement and at 'middle age' became boxing's best. Unheard of. A miracle.

And, along his rise back in the boxing game, George was a commercial smash hit. Many commercial endorsements, much pay. To the media George was no longer a menacing bruiser but a lovable guy. And there was this little thing called the 'Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine', the 'George Foremen Grill', which sold more units than practically anything. George re-became a multi-millionaire and he was very respected, and even honored.

Think about this story. A tremendous fall from grace with a complete redirection in life going from the things of the world and following God where 'to the eye' would not be the most inviting place from the outside worldly view. Following the Holy Spirit, not by the outwardly appearance, or intellectually, but by the move of God, trusting in him.

How many times might someone get out of faith thinking 'I'm tired of this life' as compared to the life I had. But, George was never happy in his former life before God. So he was sustained by his relationship with God, a relationship George had thirsted for his whole life. Unconditional love.

This is God working in modern day life, up to the minute, real, transforming, leading, and changing things. Saul in the Bible was a Christian killer, then on the road an Angel of the Lord appeared to him, spoke to him, and transformed him completely. The angel struck 'fear' into him, meaning he now respected God for being the only true God, and I'm sure he was also very impressed by God's nature during and after that incident. Saul's name was changed to Paul and he became one of the biggest advocates for Christ in the Bible.

God touching a life. You trusting in him, following him. He leads to a good place. Only his way can be the most successful avenue in our lives. Greatness achieved inside and out only through him. God wants greatness for us. His plans are better than we could imagine. That's why we need to seek him, get to know his voice, so we can learn to trust him so that he can lead us to a place we never could go on our own. Spiritually first.

It does not always seem obvious that the path he is showing looks good, it may look foolish to our eyes. But that's where faith comes in - it bridges the gap where the intellect tries to infect us.

George Foreman is an awesome example of what God does. The heavyweight champ at age 45. No way did George even consider that possibility early on in his life when he first retired form boxing. 'Ok George, your in your 20's now, your going to retire from boxing, become a pastor and a father, slip from the publics eye, then, years and years later your going to come back at age 45 and become wildly financially blessed and become the heavyweight champ again and you will be honored'...sure...

George had no idea of the big plan. All he knew is that he was from the inner city and had scarce if any loving relationships in his life and suddenly here was God wanting to love George for who he was. And that's all she wrote, that's exactly what George longed for, to be truly loved, and he got it only through God. Because of George's upbringing circumstances he had a greater need for affection, a deep void. When that big void was filled George became very loyal like a small boy that wouldn't want to leave his fathers side, his protector.

And George's willingness to follow God led to awesome results. In that George had deep purpose in his life. He served God, has a relationship with God, a deep love shared between them. And through George's ministry he touched many many peoples lives. What a reward to effect so many. And, with his public comeback and miraculous life, he touched millions, ministered to millions.

Also thrown into the kiln in God fashion George became financially blessed and well respected. This is God in peoples lives. If George did not follow God who knows what his life would have become. I can guarantee you it would have no way been anywhere near the way it turned out, the God way.

George Foreman is an excellent testimony. His life. His miracle. And when you see George you can see his smiling face now. He sort of beams and comes across as a genuine guy, humble. George is a living testament of the power of the Holy Spirit. God is alive and working among us.

We live in a world that many times the voices of the world are permitted to drown out the still voice of the Lord. And this is a shame because God has great things for all of us who believe.