Michele Newsome thought her life was over. Separated from her husband, a single mom, and facing the darkness of the world every day in her job as a detective, she felt like joy was hard to find. However, with the encouragement of a friend and the prayers of her supervisor at the police department, Michele began attending church. A few months later, she accepted Christ as her Savior, and her life was completely transformed. “I never knew my boss was praying for me,” Michele reflected. “I heard God’s message as the Holy Spirit spoke to me. I surrendered my life, turning all things over to Him.” Something had been missing from her life. That night, the void was filled with Jesus.
Michele reunited with her husband, and it wasn’t long before he, too, was saved. A few months later, the couple was invited to go on a motorcycle ride with other Christians to see Christmas lights and fellowship together. They loved it so much they decided to start a similar group at their church. They wanted to do more than ride with other bike enthusiasts. Michele and her husband had a vision of riding evangelism. They wanted to use their love of motorcycles to share the gospel with men and women who would never otherwise darken the door of a church.
“We were excited, on fire, and hungry for God’s Word,” Michele recalled. She and her husband desired to share their new love of Jesus with everyone they met. “We rode motorcycles, and we wanted to combine the two passions in our lives.” They knew they could turn conversations about motorcycles into conversations about Jesus. Talking about what they loved became an intentional opportunity to share the gospel.
Intentional Evangelism
Michele and her husband, along with another couple who loved to ride, began the ministry F.A.I.T.H. Riders in their local Florida church in 2002. More than 20 years later, the ministry has grown to hundreds of chapters across the United States and two international chapters, but it is still a ministry of local churches.
All F.A.I.T.H. Riders chapters are associated with a Southern Baptist church and adhere to the Baptist Faith and Message. Michele says a unified denominational belief is what sets their ministry apart from others. Each chapter is supported by a local church, and a board of directors made up of pastors guides the ministry.
Another reason chapters are connected to Southern Baptist churches is for the local bikers who respond to the message the members of F.A.I.T.H. Riders share. Seekers and new believers in every chapter have a local church readily available to provide discipleship and all the growth that comes with faithful church membership. Attendance at a local church also provides chapter members with exposure to solid doctrine.
“We started the ministry to initially reach the motorcycle community and enthusiasts,” Michele said, “but this has emerged into a reaching of all people.” Riders like to talk about their bikes. Often, if a person doesn’t own a motorcycle, he or she knows someone who does. Motorcycles draw people together. People are looking for a place to fit in, and bikes offer a sense of belonging.
The motto of F.A.I.T.H. Riders is “A motorcycle ministry passionate about sharing Christ with the world.” The acronym can be used as a tool to share the gospel. Each letter represents a part of the gospel story. F is for forgiveness. Sin has separated us from God, and we must receive His forgiveness to be restored to right relationship with Him. A represents that forgiveness is available to all. I means it is impossible for us to please God through our actions. T is for turn. We must turn from sin to follow Christ alone. H stands for heaven. Eternal life with Christ is available when we turn to Him.
Chapters host bike nights and send teams to bike week events in Daytona Beach, Florida; Sturgis, South Dakota; and other places. During the weeks of these events, members share the gospel with anyone who will listen. They set up a tent and offer hot dogs, cold water, and a cool place out of the sun. Motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the country are offered a chance to win a Harley Davidson motorcycle if they will listen to a member share a three-minute testimony of how God has worked in his or her life. Members then ask whether they can pray over anything for and with the person. Through these experiences, F.A.I.T.H. Riders has shared the gospel with thousands.
F.A.I.T.H. Riders also leads a ministry called Sunday Connect through local churches. Members of the local chapter host a class and invite bikers to attend. Michele related the story of a couple who attended one class on a regular basis. They were invited to church after several members befriended them. The couple knew they were living a sinful life and turned to Jesus for forgiveness. Now they are actively involved in serving others through the motorcycle ministry. Michele believes true love is demonstrated through service to others and meeting people at the point of their need.
Everyone Needs Jesus
Michele wants to reach people others consider outsiders. “Bikers are often stereotyped and viewed as gruff, mean, and gang related. The fact is,” Michele continued, “they are created by God and in the image of God.” Bikers need Jesus too.
During one particular bike week event, Michele was sharing the gospel with attendees when a huge, burly biker entered the tent. He had long hair, a beard, and wore mirrored sunglasses. He wanted to win the motorcycle, so he listened to Michele’s testimony. She shared the gospel with the seemingly stoic man. His arms folded across his chest gave the impression that he would not be moved. But as he listened, tears begin to fall down his face. That day the big, bulky man prayed to receive Christ, and Michele had the opportunity to pray with him and his wife.
Sharing the gospel is not just an activity; it’s a lifestyle. All believers have been commissioned by Christ to share the gospel as we go. We demonstrate this intentional action through showing love to others and speaking God’s truth. Members of F.A.I.T.H. Riders share the gospel not only under a tent but also everywhere they stop along the way. Michele told another story of a time she was riding in Wyoming. The group stopped for a late lunch. She asked the waitress whether she could pray for her, and the waitress immediately broke down in tears. She was in the middle of a difficult decision when Michele was able to share her testimony and her phone number. After praying together, Michele invited the waitress to call when she had an answer from God about the decision. The next day, Michele got a call. God had used Michele to answer the woman’s prayer. The waitress explained she had not been scheduled to work the shift, but she had covered for someone who was sick. Both of them knew their meeting was a divine appointment.
The biker community is definitely a unique group, Michele admitted. Bikers use their bikes to express themselves through custom art or paint. They trim their bikes in leather, chrome, and loud pipes to make a statement or create a sense of community among a group. F.A.I.T.H. Riders capitalizes on this group mentality. The ministry has its own patch and colors, which give members more opportunities to share about their faith and ministry.
One of Michele’s favorite Scripture passages is Ephesians 2:8–10: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” She recognizes God gave her the free gift of salvation, and it is something for which she is forever grateful. Through her faith in Jesus, she can fulfill the purpose God created her for, giving glory for all He has done.
Michele credits her success in ministry to spending time in God’s Word daily. She looks to God for direction and guidance. “God’s Word reminds me to put things in the right perspective. This world is not my home, and all that is in it is temporary.” This singular focus has helped her live out the call to love God and love others.
Get Involved
Michele has a desire to share the gospel intentionally and create fellowship through a shared love of motorcycles. She believes God uses men and women from all walks of life to reach those others consider without hope. How can you help?
Pray
- Pray for the national F.A.I.T.H. Riders motorcycle ministry. Pray God would give wisdom and direction to the national director and board members as the ministry continues to grow and serve.
- Pray for the F.A.I.T.H. Riders chapters throughout the United States and Cuba. Pray Michele and other chaplains of the ministry would have wisdom to lead and would stay focused on the ministry of evangelism. Pray they would ride with purpose and would be intentional about sharing Christ.
- Pray believers would have a boldness and passion to share Christ’s love with the lost world.
- Pray God would use the ministry at events in Daytona Beach and other gatherings across the country to reach people with the gospel.
Start a Chapter
Michele wants more Southern Baptist churches to embrace the ministry of F.A.I.T.H. Riders. It is a way for people who love motorcycles to reach beyond the doors of the church. Her hope is that the ministry would help people become more intentional in sharing their faith. From training people to use a three-minute testimony to serving on a team at bike week events, anyone can be a part of this ministry. If you would like more information about F.A.I.T.H. Riders, visit faithriders.com.
© WMU, SBC 2024 This article originally appeared in the October 2024 issue of Missions Mosaic. Reprinted with permission. Visit wmu.com for more information.