Ridgecrest Motorcycle Rally Says ‘No One Rides Alone’

Written by Russ Rankin

	Photo Gallery: Motorcycle Rally

RIDGECREST, N.C., 10/3/06 -- The hills were alive with the sound of throaty engines Sept. 22-24 as approximately 200 Christian motorcycle enthusiasts converged on LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina for the inaugural Ride to Ridgecrest Motorcycle Rally.

Organized by LifeWay Conference Centers, the event drew bikers from as far away as Beaumont, Texas, and Columbus, Ohio, for a weekend of seminars, worship and biking on some of the most beautiful roads in the Southeast.

"Our mission for this gathering is to ultimately help build community among Christian bikers and present a place where unbelievers will hear the Gospel and find a place of belonging," said Ron Pratt, national event planner for LifeWay Conference Centers. "We also want to help existing motorcycle ministries develop outreach opportunities through frequent, safe and well-organized motorcycle events."

Evening worship sessions were led by evangelist and Christian counselor Dale Brooks from Charlotte, N.C., and international speaker and author Richard Headrick, president and CEO of The Headrick Companies, Inc., based in Laurel, Miss.

Evening worship at Ridgecrest’s newly opened ARC facility was led by Direct Message, a Southern gospel rock and praise band, and Second Chance, a Christian band often featured at motorcycle rallies across the nation.

Brooks, who rides with the Carolina chapter of the F.A.I.T.H. Riders Christian motorcycle organization, gave testimony to how God saved him from a life of drugs and crime.

"Satan speaks lies to us to keep us from Christ," Brooks said. "I lived the lies that God isn’t fair, that I would have to make it through life on my own, and that I couldn’t trust anyone.

"Little did I know that the Sovereign God of the universe was with me all the time. I was just a mean person. And people (without God) like to be with the tough kid. I went from alcohol to drugs, and got worse and worse," he said, describing how that lifestyle led him to get involved with a motorcycle gang.

"I’m not talking about guys that drive down to the Dairy Queen and get ice cream," he quipped. "These were bad men." After years of trying to remove himself from that lifestyle, "I found out that people can’t straighten up without the Sovereign Son of God changing us."

Acceptance is why, according to Brooks, motorcycle riders mired in negative lifestyles have trouble finding freedom. "The gangs accept them, and churches say ‘we don’t want people like you.’"

Brooks said everyone has four basic needs: to be loved, accepted, secure, and to have significance. It is only when "we understand that we are loved by God and it doesn’t matter what the world thinks" can someone find freedom, he said.

Motorcycle ministry that matters

After enjoying the mountain roads of North Carolina with organized rides to scenic locations such as Lake Lure, Chimney Rock and the winding Blue Ridge Parkway, event attendees participated in workshops designed to reinforce the camaraderie of Christian motorcyclists.

Danny Moats, a Verizon employee and chaplain of the Florida F.A.I.T.H. Riders based out of First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, Fla., led a seminar on effective ways to share the gospel with bikers.

"Don’t get caught in a trap of thinking what you do is important," he said. "It’s because of Whose you are and that you’ve asked Jesus Christ as your Savior that matters. The most powerful witnessing tool is your own testimony. We’re all different; He’s allowed us to walk the walks because He’s going to bring someone to us that connects with our story."

Buddy Newsome, a former motorcycle police officer, started the first F.A.I.T.H. Riders chapter at First Baptist in Lakeland. The organization receives support from the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Leading a workshop on how to begin a church motorcycle ministry, Newsome reminded attendees that "it must be a motorcycle ministry about Jesus Christ, not a motorcycle ministry about motorcycles."

Other workshops were led by employees of LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, who rode together as a group to the event. Topics included how to plan a motorcycle trip and tips on motorcycle maintenance.

Overlooking a parking lot full of Harley Davidson, Honda Gold Wing cruisers and a range of colorful, chrome cycles, Brooks observed from the porch of Ridgecest’s Pritchell Hall that, "Motorcycling is at a peak right now. The Lord has literally blown the doors open on ministry to this segment of the population. This is a perfect event for the Body of Christ to be involved in."

The next Ride to Ridgecrest Motorcycle Rally is scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend 2007. The Florida F.A.I.T.H. Riders will serve as hosts for the event. For more information, contact Ron Pratt at ron.pratt@lifeway.com.

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About Russ Rankin

Russ Rankin is editor in chief of LifeWay's corporate communications department. He joined LifeWay in March 2005 after serving five years in Asia as the Asia overseas correspondent for the International Mission Board. A Texas native and 1992 Baylor graduate, Russ and his wife, Angela, have three children and make their home in Thompson's Station, Tenn. Russ can be contacted at russ.rankin@lifeway.com.

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