Sensei Greg Spencer (Instructor at Way Stations)
Greg Spencer began studying Karate in 1971 in Warren, Pennsylvania under Grand Master Tom Handest. In 1990 he was promoted and directed by Handest to open his own school. A pastor by profession Greg has taught classes in churches where he has served ever since. Spencer Sensei currently holds the rank of 2nd Degree Black Belt. (In the Shuto Society there are only 3 degrees of black belt, followed by master, great and ultimately grand master). In 1998 Grand Master Handest certified Greg as a teacher in Tai Chi Chuan. Greg has since been steadily teaching Tai Chi in churches and communities.
The word “sensei” commonly attributed to instructors means “One who has gone before”. In other words the sensei has walked where the student walks and is a guide to help the student grow and prosper in the common art and discipline, but also on their own path. Spencer Sensei is not only a student and instructor in the martial arts he is also a disciple and pastor of Jesus Christ serving in leadership at a wide variety of locations and settings of churches.
Greg is married. He and his wife Chris have 2 sons Benjamin and Jackson, who have both trained with Greg in karate and are also athletes in school participating in Cross Country and Track. Chris is a teacher, certified in elementary education.
Greg’s hobbies include: swimming & surfing, skiing, camping, canoeing, rock climbing and repelling, and travel. He enjoys photography, drama and music. Other interests include current technologies in computer, audio, video, staging & lighting. Looking forward he dreams of learning to fly.
Greg has found that his calling, vocation and joy is to help others to explore and realize their fullest potential. In Martial Arts that has come to mean becoming physically fit and skilled, confident and disciplined. In matters spiritual that means building relationships with others and with God, finding joy and peace in one’s heart and mind, and being able to live well through or in spite of their circumstances. It is to become vital and whole in life by truly and practically living out one’s principles and values. So all his teaching (in faith, defense or fitness) has a common practical theme: “Live Your Faith”. And he works tirelessly to make that possible for any and all.
