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Sturgis 2010 Mission Trip

Posted on Aug 31, 2010

STURGIS 2010 MISSION TRIP

About 600,000 people converge on Sturgis, South Dakota, each summer for the largest biker gathering in America. Of course, the biker subculture brings a lot of alcohol, immoral sex and even drugs along with it. But many bikers are just average Americans who love to ride a motorcycle and may dress in a suit and tie, be an accountant or teacher the rest of the year.

A new outreach tool developed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church was introduced this year at Sturgis. The Ride of Your Life is a small, paperback book with a photo of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on the cover, published by the Review & Herald Publishing Association. Inside is the manuscript of Steps to Christ by Ellen White.

Bible Biker Ministries is an international outreach of interested Adventists directed by Pastor Tom Hughes, Biker Evangelist for the Ohio Conference and pastor of the Newark and Zanesville (Ohio) Churches. Donors provided the support for him to make a mission trip to Sturgis this year where he connected with Raylene and Mike Connelly who hosted him, and Pastor Brad Taxler and the Spearfish (South Dakota) Church near Sturgis, who mobilized to help with the project.

Pastor Hughes made the 1,300-mile journey on his Harley in what was 110-degree heat on some days. A church in Georgia provided 500 copies of the book to distribute and the publishing house gave more. Pastor Clarence McKey and some members from the Rapid City (South Dakota) Church also joined in, and Pastor Hughes found Jim Wood, an Adventist member who has been doing biker evangelism for 30 years, also in Sturgis.

Together, this team put the book in the hands of more than 600 individuals, including two men who were fighting over the last copy in a motel lobby, before Pastor Hughes intervened! The book includes information for those readers who want to sign up for Bible studies and a web site where more information is available, www.biblebiker.com.

The Lord really organized the entire mission trip. The Connellys saw a report on Pastor Hughes’ biker evangelism work on the Hope Channel and contacted him, offering hospitality in their home if he would come to Sturgis. A donor gave funding for gasoline and travel expenses without any appeal being made. The pastors and church members in the area volunteered to get involved as word of the project leaked out.

The Spearfish Church is so excited about this ministry that they have pledged to begin raising money to purchase more books for next year and make this an annual outreach project. Motorcycle hobbyists and the biker network total several million Americans. These may not be the people most likely to come to a Revelation Seminar, but there are those Adventists who feel a call to bring them the good news of Jesus and His soon return.

Pastor Hughes has produced a DVD with the Hope Channel to train those who want to get involved in biker evangelism. The new book is a proven tool and available at modest cost through any Adventist Book Center. If you have any interest or simply want to support new frontier of Adventist mission in North America, get involved. You can contact Pastor Hughes through the Center for Creative Ministry at (800) 272-4664.

Author: Monte Sahlin is director of research & development for the Ohio Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Photo Credits: Pastor Tom Hughes