Before releasing his biographical film “Big George Foreman,” heavyweight boxer-turned-pastor George Foreman spoke to the Christian Post and reflected on how his faith in God and help from God has affected him throughout his storied life and shared his faith-filled wisdom with the next generation of Christians.
Speaking on that point and how he realized his calling was to preach God’s word, Foreman said, “You come to a point in your life and you realize the only important thing in your life is [to be] an evangelist.”
Continuing, he spoke about evangelism and why it is important to him, saying, “‘Evangelistic’ is the word that has been so powerful to me in my life. If something happened to me tomorrow … I know I’ve done a good job, and I’m happy about that, trying to spell out to the world, ‘Jesus Christ has come alive in me.’”
He also spoke on how people helped him through his challenging life and how he didn’t realize that until later, saying, “So many people helped me in life. I didn’t know that. I thought I was doing so much … but there are so many good people in my life.”
Continuing on that point, he added, “I was given so much advice from so many different people, and it’s a matter of trusting. Trust that people will give you advice. Listen when they have something to tell you. And I think that that is the key to all the riches in the world, is listening to people who care about you.”
To help young men who, like him in his youth, are struggling and in need of guidance, Foreman founded the George Foreman Youth and Community Center, a non-denominational place for youth who need guidance in 1984.
The athlete stressed the importance of mentorship in a young person’s life, especially for those in unstable situations. In 1984, he founded the George Foreman Youth and Community Center, a non-denominational place for youth who need guidance like he once did.
Adding background on Foreman’s career and how he gradually left boxing to focus on preaching, The Christian Post said:
Born in 1949 in Marshall, Texas, Foreman was one of seven children and had a problematic childhood defined by instability, violence and poverty. After dropping out of school in the 10th grade, Foreman began abusing alcohol and engaging in violent crime on the streets of Houston’s Fifth Ward.
In 1965, he left Houston for the Job Corps in California, a program developed to help disadvantaged youth by teaching them vocational job skills. It was there that Doc Broaddus, who was a Job Corps counselor and a boxing coach, encouraged Foreman to channel his anger through boxing.
Foreman would go on to win a gold medal at the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games and eventually went pro. He beat previously undefeated Joe Frazier in 1973, winning the world heavyweight title. He lost that title to Muhammad Ali in the “Rumble in the Jungle” in 1974.
[…]Determined to spend the rest of his life sharing the Gospel, Foreman became a minister and, in 1980, founded The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, financial hardships compelled the former champ to step back into the ring. In 1994, he became the oldest fighter to ever hold the heavyweight championship at 45, after he bested reigning champion Michael Moore in the 10th round.
The biopic film “Big George Foreman” is about his boxing career and faith. Describing it, Rotten Tomatoes said, “Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World is based on the remarkable true story of one of the greatest comebacks of all time and the transformational power of second chances. Fueled by an impoverished childhood, Foreman channeled his anger into becoming an Olympic Gold medalist and World Heavyweight Champion, followed by a near-death experience that took him from the boxing ring to the pulpit. But when he sees his community struggling spiritually and financially, Foreman returns to the ring and makes history by reclaiming his title, becoming the oldest and most improbable World Heavyweight Boxing Champion ever.“
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