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Introducing first, from Lithuania, he weighs 123 kilos, the Russian nightmare, Nikita Kolob. Now, the Devil's Nightmare. Welcome back to another episode of It's Time to Man Up. I recognized that a number of years ago, and I'm fortunate not only to be able to have this show, but to have conferences and camps where we really challenge men to be men, but not just men, like not, you know, macho men, although that's fine. Macho man, Randy Savage probably jogs your memory, but godly men, godly men, godly husbands, godly fathers, and I'd like to add now godly grandfathers. And question for you, when you think about the message, the gospel message, how can you combine academics and athletics and use that as a conduit to discipleship? Now, that's kind of a foreign word in the church it seems to be today, the word discipleship.
It seems to be, in my view, 30 plus years now traveling around the world, but all across America, that churches have seemed to come short when it comes to discipleship. Well, today with me, I'm going to introduce to you a man that has a vision. Reed Bennett, welcome to the Man Up show. Yes, sir. Man, I'm glad to be here. Well, I'm glad to have you here. You know, when we first connected and you reached out and you had a vision, and I'm big on vision, Reed.
You know, I'm always encouraging people, challenging people, you know, hey, what's your vision for your life or what goals do you have set or, you know, those sorts of things. And of course, you know, when you were informing me of your vision and what you were doing, I like Gladiator Sports Academy. Armor up and press on. I like that.
Armor up and press on. So let's kind of jump into and talk about Gladiator Sports Academy. I know you just recently launched it, and it's a God-given vision, but what inspired you to want to start Gladiator Sports Academy? You know, it's amazing how I sat here, and we're launching here in Greenville, South Carolina, but we've been doing this for right at 11 years. Twelve years ago in a hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee, God had given me the vision before, and of course, I was like, no, I'm not doing that. And then I read something which is kind of a – it's Jesus Calling, which is a daily devotional, October the 6th. And I was like, how are we – because for me, I'm not a numbers guy, but I've got to have a proof. I've got to have things to where I can see it. And of course, you and I know that's not faith, right?
We're supposed to go on what we don't see and what we know and how God supplies our needs. And so anyhow, I went back and I thought I was going to start a football team because that was my background, and I thought I'd do a little bit of mentoring and a lot of football, and it turned out the complete opposite. Not that I don't want to win because I do.
I want to win, and not only do I want to win, I want to demoralize my opponent. But what I realized was it really didn't have anything to do with football. Football was the conduit to get the young people there. And then just being real, being who I am, because working with youth, I feel like they've been shortchanged. I feel like I know they've been shortchanged.
We have failed them without even knowing that we've failed them. But what I find out with them is that to build a relationship, some people think, well, how do you relate to young people? I'm 56 years old. I'm bald-headed, white dude. And it doesn't matter who you are, it's the time that you invest. And don't try to be something that you're not.
So I just realized real quick, they see through fake quicker than anybody else. So I just tried to be myself. And just through football, developed relationships, and we've been just blessed. Football went to basketball that went to lacrosse. Of course, COVID had its number on everything.
We ended up moving to Greenville. I always had a vision to add an academic component of it. And in COVID, I went back to school and got a master's degree in chaplaincy and learned about Liberty University Online Academy and how that's what we use for our schooling. And we use all, it's just 100 percent online. And that's the conduit that brings the young people. And then from there, we say connect, assess, disciple, deploy. So we want to connect with you, develop a relationship. We're going to access you.
We're going to find out through God, through the Holy Spirit, what your strengths, what your weaknesses are. And then we're going to disciple you in that. And then we're going to deploy you.
Because I don't want them just like we have in the past. I'm saved and that's it. It's like, no, we've got work to do.
We've got to go spread the word to other people. Yeah, there's a lot there in what you just said. Quite a number of things too.
We'll kind of break that down a little bit, but a couple of things just come to mind. You know, like these men's conferences I do, you know, I break it up into sessions. And at the end of each session, kind of to your point, I have a call to action. It's one thing to just absorb all the information, you know, or to the best of your ability. It's another thing to apply it and go out and live it, right? So call to action at the end of the conference, the man up conference, I have a charge for the men to send them out with a charge.
Similar to King David giving Solomon a charge, right, in 1 Kings chapter 2. And I like what you said, connect, disciple, deploy. And you mentioned a book too, I think Sarah Young, I think is the author of Jesus Calling.
Yeah, which I've read. It's a great daily devotion. I've gone through that. Probably a couple, three, I kind of changed it up. I've done that one. Of course I've done Oswald Chambers, his devotional, my utmost for his highest, right? And in fact Lex Luger and I, another name that our audience will recognize, he's kind of a devotional king. What I mean by that is he's got about 10 different devos he does on a day-to-day basis. Oh wow.
Yeah, some of these are included in that. Hey, let me ask you too, you mentioned football, of course we have that relatability, that background, you and I with football. And I'm slightly older than you, but I too am just this bald-headed white guy, so we have that relatability as well, Reed. Hair is overrated.
Hair is overrated, I like that, I like that. Hey, you mentioned something before we came on air which I thought was pretty cool. You brought up Memphis, you talked about Memphis and you were there playing football back in the 80s. But you said you were working security for the Mid-South Coliseum, right? Now Memphis, of course, is famous for Jerry the King Lawler, but I wrestled quite a number of shows there. But you had me laugh at Chucklin because you said, you know, you saw the Road Warriors animal and hawk walk by, you saw the Russian nightmare walk by, whatever. You're like, why are we here doing security?
Why these guys, right? Well, give me a quick story on the Memphis Mid-South Coliseum and your favorite thought, memory perhaps. Well, I think it just, we were blessed that we had, we got to work concert security, so when all the different people, different professionals, and that was cool. But from time to time, and I remember the first time it was like, we're working security for, you know, WWE, and I was like, okay, yes, you know, easy money, I'll go. But then when I got there, I'm like, what are we doing? These guys don't need, I think when the Road Warriors walked by me and I'm like looking up at Hawk going, you don't need me to protect him.
He could probably handle himself, right? Yes, I might be, got to be a fool to come up and try to do something, so it was just neat to be, you know, you watch it on TV and to see it, but then to be there live and pretty close to the ring. And then the kind of, I was able to even get some of the kind of behind the scenes things, which a lot of folks don't. But that was, I think the biggest is I was standing in the tunnel, yeah, and the Road Warriors walked out, and I remember turning to my friend and going, well, what are we doing here?
You guys don't need us. Well, hey, let me, so, you know, you said a person would have to be a fool, right, to try to attack these guys or whatever. Well, Reed, for the record, I just want you to know, I guess on that note, there were six fools, six different times, Reed, believe it or not, true stories, six different times. Five times I was wrestling The Nature Boy, Ric Flair, woo, right? And then one time my nemesis Magnum TA in Norfolk, Virginia, six different times guys came over the barricade to try to attack me.
And for the record, only one of them got his hands on me, and that was the very first guy at the Great American Bash 1985 Flair World Heavyweight title. But I didn't know it was a fan at first. I mean, the guy had me pinned up against the rope for a second, you know, and I'm like, well, you know, I just don't remember this part of the story, right? And then it dawned on me, I'm like, oh, my gosh, this has got to be a fan. And then the cops finally figured out themselves, roll in like the Keystone Cops and grab the guy, and of course they arrest him, take him off.
But that then from that point on, my antennas were up and my head was on a swivel, always looking for others. And of course, five more times fans would attempt to do that. And so I guess you might say, Reed, there are a few fools out there. There are.
You know, I mean, it's crazy. But anyway, so you have parlayed your sports background, football, athletics, and you said now with Gladiator Sports Academy, you've incorporated academics into that. And I know you mentioned Liberty University. So just tell us, give us a little backdrop on how you came about the vision for Gladiator Sports Academy and then, you know, someone, what someone might experience if they want to become a part of it. Well, yeah, and I will encourage you, if you've got something sparking inside and you're listening, then that's just, that's a seed being planted and you need to take heed to it because our young people need us. And it's not as difficult to do as one might think. And as I sit here and look at a sign that my wife put on my desk, it says, Where God guides, He provides, Isaiah 58 and 11.
So if he planted that in your heart, seek after it wholeheartedly. But during COVID, I was blessed to be working at the Asheville Rescue Mission, Western Carolina Rescue Ministries. And during that time, we kind of collaborated with some other entities in the city, including Asheville City Schools. And we had at any given day, 12 to 15 young men that we kind of took under our wing and helped, you know, disciple them in a way. But it all started with academics that we were able to our facility. We had that they came in, we fed them breakfast. We had people there that would help them during their class time. And by noon, one o'clock at the latest, they were done with their academics. And then we would go. We had a little gym in the back and we would go out to the gym and then work out.
And then we'd give them a ride home if they needed and, you know, be back for the next day. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. Nikita Kolov here and I am excited. Did you hear the huge announcement, the big announcement? Well, maybe it's a minor announcement.
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Go to www.kolov.net and donate today. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. But what I saw during that time was and I think because of the small group and I know because of the one on one discipleship, every young man advanced a grade level. So if he was getting a B average, he went to an A average, C average went to B average and so forth. About 30 percent of those young men were felling out, had not even checked in. This was fast forward probably in in May, but from March they hadn't even checked in online.
So they were they were way behind. So knowing that model worked. And then when I went to Liberty, it's funny how God coincidentally put, you know, puts things in front of you. And I saw Liberty University Online Academy.
I was like, I wonder what that's about. And they have been doing a virtual high school since 2007. So they're not new at it. COVID didn't make them do it. They were doing it long before. And they do a really good job. Their curriculum is just like would be at any other high school.
And it's a full support. So if you're like, I got to teach classes. No, you don't. You just have to be like me, the rah rah coach or the encourager. And I went through them.
We became an affiliate school and they have all the teachers, the support staff, tutoring, guidance counselors, the whole nine. And just when I learned about that, I thought, well, there's our academic side of it. And then, you know, here we are.
Day two. And we're you know, we're getting started. So well, so you mentioned it. So I wrote down a couple of things.
He noted a couple of things. The word coincidence. I've got a dear Jewish friend of mine who says coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous. That's his definition of coincidence. Right. Like in other words, nothing happens by accident. Right. I mean, God sees the master plan right top to bottom, beginning to end.
Alpha, omega. Right. And then the other thing you said, Reed, which I appreciate as well, the word I wrote down the word guide and the word provide. I think a lot of times for our listeners out there, you know, and perhaps your story today might be, you know, might inspire somebody else out there who, you know, maybe maybe God has given them a vision to start something, do something. And they've just, for whatever reason, procrastinated or, you know, drug their feet and just hasn't launched into it or hasn't gotten started.
And, you know, certainly finances could be a reason for it. Obviously, we want to really be sensitive to God's timing. Right. We don't want to get ahead of God. But at the same time, you know, I like you said your wife put it on your desk where God guides, God provides. Right. Another way I say that is if God gives you a vision, then it clearly comes from him. Then he's also going to give you the provision. He's also going to provide what you need to launch into and for that vision to be a success.
And so pretty amazing combination of things there. So you've launched a gladiator sports academy. Is there a target in age range or who do you feel your target audience is there for gladiator sports academy? So the target audience age wise is it's high school age young men for right now.
We have plans to expand that. But right now, just to be focused. I always joke is like I don't multitask.
I multi fail. So I've got to focus in on high school age young men. Those that have an interest in athletics that they don't have to be a superstar.
So as long as they have an interest in it, that's a conduit to something that kind of motivates them, sort of speak. Those that are struggling with just a conventional form of education, because here our format is different. A young man came in yesterday.
We have one student at the moment. And I told him everything that you know about school. You remember about school. Just throw it out the window because we're going to do things different here.
And then just searching for a place, searching for a family, want a place to belong, want a team to be a part of. Which you know, being a man, we all do. And I don't ever call them boys or kids. I call them all young men. And we're doing actually 8th grade through 12th grade at the moment.
Okay. 8th grade through 12th grade, which what a great age range, you know, because here's what encourages me, Reed. So you get gladiator sports academy up and running, get these young men coming and participating, right?
And both the combination of athletics and academia help make them a more well-rounded man. Hey, there's a chance, Reed, that through your success, I won't ever see them at man camp. I'm just saying. I'm just going to throw that out there. I mean, our goal, you know, it's interesting. You know, now, of course, ours is a slightly different age range, right?
So it's 18 and up. And the oldest man to attend man camp so far has been his mid-70s. And we've had a man with one leg, a man with one arm. And so we've had a variety of people attend. So anyway, but they come, well, you know, they come broken. And I'm sure you're going to experience and have experienced, you know, even these young men, right?
Because they come from some very broken homes, many of them, I would guess, or will, you know, to the academy. And then what an opportunity you have to be able to sow into, pour into, and perhaps even be a father figure, Reed, for many of these young men. Yes, sir.
Let me ask you something. You know, the words popped up a couple different times, the word disciple. I kind of actually mentioned, you know, in the opening something that I really, in a sense, really do honestly feel has been lacking in the, quote, church at large.
And, you know, you made a statement, I think. You said it was, it's more than just somebody, you know, getting saved. It's more than just giving their life to Christ. You know, it's more than just checking that box, right?
Yes, sir. In fact, I talk about this at our conferences, is salvation is just a first step, right? Then there's the process of working out your salvation with fear and trembling, right? Sanctification, right? And so what do you envision in terms of discipleship? I know you, it sounds like, see where that's lacking as well. Wow, what do you envision, what would be your goal with the academy in terms of discipleship?
When a guy graduates your academy, what's that look like? So you're going to have to cut me off now at some point in this. We've got a few minutes left, we've got a few minutes left.
Condense it down, Dreen, condense it down. My back and my head gone up, because that's really the core of it, you know, in Psalms, it talks about you were knitted together in your mother's womb, and God knew you before that. Yep, Psalm 139, that's right. Yes, sir, yes. So it's, you know, you're fearfully and wonderfully made, and to get these, to everybody, even old men, young men, it doesn't matter. Women, girls.
Yeah, women, yes sir, yeah. I don't neglect to say that, I just, I feel like the chain of command is God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and then man. And not that we're to be domineering, but we're supposed to be good stewards of, and I feel like because the enemy has such done a great job of attacking man and taking him out of the picture, that now you have mom, or you have women, trying to be something that they were never designed to be.
Right. And they're doing a great job, but it's like, y'all are doing, you're doing something that you shouldn't have to do, because, yeah, because the men have just kind of thrown in the towel, so to speak. So to teach these young men not just who they are, but whose they are, so that it's like, you know, when you walk into the room, you know who my daddy is?
You know where I come from? And to have that, you know, when God commanded us to add him way back in the garden to have dominion, while Jesus came back to restore that. So I truly believe, and it's not, again, to have dominion is not being domineering, it's being a good steward of, and taking care of what we have. And I always joke with my wife, it's like we got married, and I always tell her, you know, Ephesians 5, 25, is that I'm supposed to love her as Christ loved the church. And I'm like, I don't know that that really comprehends to most men, because it's like, and then women sometimes get offended because they hear the word submit, and wives are to submit to your husbands as unto the Lord.
Man, I almost would much rather be the woman and have to submit than to be who I am, and have to love my wife like Christ loved the church. You know, am I prepared to give my wife for my wife? Lay it down, right?
Lay it down. Am I prepared to, yeah, am I prepared to step in, and so many times, and I, particularly young people, I apologize because so many times I've been in a room and I should have said something, and it's just easy just to walk out and not do, and not take that stand. But, you know, are we going to be man to, like you say, man up? And when something's wrong, we don't have to be horseshoe-rearing about it, but we need to, you know, that's not biblical, and no, that's not right, and we need to hold each other accountable. No, I like that.
And I don't think that, yeah, I don't think, you know, accountability is like, I don't know, an old-school term, I think, but we all need it. I need it. We all need it, Reed, and we do now. Listen, before we run out of time, where can people find out more information about Gladiator Sports Academy?
Is it our website, or how can they find out more? Yeah, probably the easiest is our website, and it's just, it's as easy as what you just said, gladiatorsportsacademy.org. Okay, gladiatorsportsacademy.org, and Reed Bennett, I appreciate your vision. I know you've got two scriptures, you quoted a lot, mentioned a number of scriptures. Ephesians 6, 12, one of my favorites. If I'm not mistaken, I think it's something about not wrestling against flesh and blood or something of that nature. And then Philippians 3, 12, which essentially talks about, hey, we haven't achieved, or we haven't arrived, essentially, we haven't reached perfection, but we press on, right?
We press on to possess the perfection for which Christ Jesus, when he first possessed us, right? That's right. Well, I'm excited for you and the impact you're going to make down there. Greenville, South Carolina, right? That's where you're headquartered?
That's where it's located? So, we are actually, it's Pidersville, aka, easily, South Carolina, but it's just, we're maybe 12 minutes from downtown Greenville. Okay. But it's, we're in that community, and within 30 minutes or pretty much anywhere, even on the upper northeast side of Greenville.
Okay. So, if you're in anywhere within that vicinity that you're listening in today, listening to this show, you got to, you're raising up a young man, or you want to send a young man to this academy. Oh, man, yeah. Yeah, and life to be impacted, one, by, certainly by athletics, but also academia, and most importantly, a spiritual foundation that Reed is going to lead that young man into a solid foundation with Christ, and then be able to go out into the world and make a greater impact for the kingdom. So, that's awesome, Reed. Awesome.
That's right. Well, thank you, Reed, for being on the show today, and we'll have to have you back down the road and have you share some success stories with how the academy is impacting people down there in South Carolina. And, as always, to all of you out there in listening land, you're just so faithful to, you know, week in and week out, just tune in, dial in, help spread the word on the Man Up show, challenging you, challenging others. I just appreciate all of you, and I just want to encourage all of you out there, go out today and live a God-filled, have a God-blessed day. This podcast is made possible by the grace of God and your faithful prayers, support, and generous gifts. May God bless you for your continual contributions.
Go to colov.net and donate today. If you are enjoying the Man Up show, would you help us spread the word, tell your family, tell your friends, tell your neighbors to download, subscribe, and leave a comment? Hi, Nikita Koloff. Be sure to check out the Man Up show, now available on television, broadcast, and podcast. Go to MorningStarTV.com or the Truth Radio Network, check out your local listings, or better yet, download the Truth Network app today. Nikita Koloff here.
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