12. Following the Call of the Shepherd and the Self Defense Teacher with John Correia
In the years that we live our lives, we take on different missions and touch the lives of many. We meet people who encourage us to keep going and help us succeed. But we also face difficulties and meet people who can cross our boundaries. That is what John Correia also experienced in his journey to becoming who he is now—a nationally known expert on self-defense and founder of Active Self Protection.
In this episode, John shares his story of how he went from being a naval officer to a pastor. From there, he grew in his faith and wisdom with God before realizing his calling to teach self-defense. John talks about the challenges he encountered in his journey: from controversy, mental health challenges, and staying humble. We also learn about John’s impact on the world and how he intends to serve his audience moving forward.
Listen to this episode to learn more about John’s stories in life. Discover what helped him make his decisions and be happy where he is now, teaching self-defense.
3 reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
Get inspiration from John’s insights on faith, self-defense, and finding your calling.
Find out how being a Christ-follower can transform you.
Learn to accept your past and celebrate who you are now.
Resources
● Connect with John: Instagram
● Visit Active Self Protection’s YouTube channels: Active Self Protection and Active Self Protection Extra
● ASP: website | Twitter | Facebook
● The Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast
● Books by Craig Groeschel
Episode Highlights
[03:13] Cover Your ASP
● ASP stands for the name of John Correia’s company, Active Self Protection.
● It also represents their approach to self-defense. This involves having the right attitude, developing skills, and making plans for protection from criminal violence.
● ASP started in 2011 as John’s side hustle. It now has two channels with over 1.94 million subscribers in its main channel.
● Viewers can send real-life surveillance videos of defensive encounters and criminal activities.
● John’s content ranges from after-action reports of real-life defensive encounters, teaching handgun skills, moral and legal self-defense, and much more.
[06:14] John’s Journey to Becoming a Pastor
● John grew up away from faith and was on track to becoming a naval officer. After moving to Oregon for a commissioning program, he realized he had to become a better person.
● He formed relationships and developed an interest in reading the Bible when his wife started bringing him with her to Church.
● In a worship session, John realized that God loves him unconditionally. Whether or not John could be better, God will love him.
● His life started changing from then on. After an accident, John chose to resign his commission and follow Jesus.
● John quit getting a paycheck from the Church on February 1, 2018 to focus on his self-defense business.
John: “Okay, Lord. This isn't like a ‘make John better program’ where if I'm good enough, you’ll love me. This isn’t a moral crusade. But this is a ‘You love me in the big pile of crap I am.’”
[14:01] Facing Controversy
● Carrying firearms and teaching self-defense can be controversial depending on the background of the Church.
● Some families in John’s church left because they didn’t think a pastor should carry a gun.
● Most understood that the Church was only about the worship of Christ. In the event of danger, they knew that John would protect them with his expertise in self-defense.
● As John’s social media presence grew, people disrupted the place of worship.
● John’s resignation as a senior pastor sparked a controversy that John chose worldly possessions. However, to John, he was simply following Jesus’ instructions.
[18:20] John on Knowing His Calling
● The decision to quit being a pastor was something John thought about for a long time.
● He was handling multiple things when he realized he stopped belonging in the ministry.
● John’s journey involved a lot of prayer and multiple discussions with his mentors about his frustrations and his options.
● His wife also gave him counsel and passed the words of the Holy Spirit to him.
[22:10] Reflections on God’s Purpose for His Change
● You can’t be a pastor to hundreds of people. Instead, you end up becoming a public speaker.
● To connect with people personally, John thinks pastors of local congregations should only handle around 50 or 60 people.
● With ASP, John’s purpose wasn’t to be a shepherd but to teach self-defense, inform people, and build individual relationships and mentorships.
● Despite the change in purpose, he was still able to have spiritual conversations about Jesus.
● John continues to encourage people to build their relationships with Him.
[25:54] John on Influencing Others
● In his work, John gets to know many people.
● Whether or not they are followers of Christ, he builds strong relationships with them.
● The ASP staff is Christ-centered.
● Like the apostle Paul, John enjoys being among those who don’t know Christ. He would rather spread his influence versus keeping it in a small circle.
[27:52] John’s Journey as a Protector and Self Defense Teacher
● John grew up around firearms and joined the Navy as a way to go to college without debt.
● Once he joined the seminary, he learned how to be a good shepherd like David. David was a shepherd who was also a protector.
● He started carrying firearms when working in retail management because other shops were getting robbed. He also took karate with his son for lessons on self-defense.
● John admits that is a man of peace and would rather build good relationships. However, he is also ready to defend his boundaries.
[31:24] The Call of the Defender
● The Book of Proverbs talks about the reactions of the prudent and the fool in the face of danger.
● John tries to teach people prudence.
● Being prudent includes knowing when to escape, evade, and de-escalate. He teaches others to use force only when absolutely necessary for self-defense.
● Like Jesus, John prefers peace but knows when to stand up for himself and others.
John: “Jesus is a man of peace but he is also very strong and completely unwilling to let the oppressed and the marginalized not have their voices heard. I try to emulate him everywhere I go.”
[34:06] John on Staying Humble
● John recognizes that he is where he is because Jesus put him there.
● He remembers that there are people behind him. Just like everyone else, John has work to do to contribute to their success.
● John’s mentors taught him Jesus’ upside-down model of leadership. As a leader, he serves his people and his viewers.
● Despite his confident nature, John’s wife is there to remind him when he is being too arrogant.
● He tries to remember that his way is not the only way. Instead, he listens and explores ideas outside his comfort zone.
[38:18] Using What You Have for God’s Work
● You can have goals, such as making money and expanding your business, and following. But you can also attribute these to setting a goal for God’s work.
● John’s goal when the pandemic hit was to see how much money they could raise for the kingdom of God.
John: “My tombstone is not gonna say, ‘He was famous on the YouTubes.’ If that's what it says, well, you failed. I just want to hear, ‘Well done. Good and faithful servant.’”
[40:30] Accepting the Past
● There is no hope to wish for a better past. Instead, John tries to live by Jesus and accept reality.
● John and his family faced many difficulties, but they got past them successfully. God has used all these to give him wisdom and make him the person he is now.
● Choose to hug the cactus. In moments of hardships and pain, rejoice that God is present, and remember that Jesus was made perfect through suffering.
[44:05] What’s Next For Active Self Protection
● There have been some discussions with networks about TV shows.
● John doesn’t know what is in the future for ASP. They will just keep improving what they’re doing.
● He is stepping up as a nationally trusted adviser on the use of force and the realities of crime and self-defense.
● John hopes to keep training good people to protect themselves and their loved ones.
● He also wants ASP to be a voice that encourages talking through differences and spreading love.
About John
John Correia is the founder and owner of Active Self Protection, a company dedicated to teaching people how to defend themselves and their loved ones. He is known throughout the country as an expert on defensive encounters, firearms, and martial arts.
He is a loving husband and father to his family. A Christian, John spent over 14 years as a pastor reaching out to the people in his Church. In 2011, his interest in firearms led him to the beginnings of Active Self Protection, which he has been working on full-time since 2016.
If you want to learn more about John, you can find him on Instagram, ASP’s website, Active Self Protection, and Active Self Protection Extra.
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