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GLADEWATER, Texas—For Allen Schwab, F.A.I.T.H. Riders has been a life-changing ride. Schwab, who became a Christian in 2011, discovered F.A.I.T.H. Riders when dividing his time between his home in East Texas and his job in Alabama.
A landscaper told Schwab about the church-based motorcycle ministry during a casual conversation in Birmingham, Ala., in 2014. “He asked me if I knew Jesus. Then he shared his ministry of riding motorcycles with bikers who share the kingdom of the Lord. He invited me to go with on a ride with the group,” Schwab recalled.
There was one problem: Schwab did not own a motorcycle. However, his new friend had three.
“The Lord is leading me to give you a motorcycle,” the man told Schwab, who at first demurred, then realized he needed to accept the “blessing from God.” Schwab rode with the Alabama group and participated in bike nights.
“My faith blossomed,” Schwab said, praising the organization’s accountability structure, guidance and mentorship.This growth in his faith prompted Schwab to change jobs and move back to East Texas to be closer to his wife and children.
Enter Gladewater’s Joy Baptist Church and pastor Teddy Sorrells.
“Allen and his wife rode a motorcycle to church one Sunday, and we started talking about motorcycles. He told me about riding and preaching Jesus. He was on fire from his experiences with F.A.I.T.H. Riders in Alabama,” Sorrells recalled.
Little did he know it, but Sorrells, a motorcycle enthusiast and former rider, was about to inherit the motorcycle that had been gifted to Schwab as Joy Baptist Church embraced F.A.I.T.H. Riders as an outreach.
“We had been praying hard to reach the community as a whole,” Sorrells, a Gladewater native, said of Joy BC, located between Gladewater and Kilgore. “We are out in the country a little and had been praying for opportunities.”
In summer 2015, Joy BC affiliated with F.A.I.T.H. Riders and began monthly bike nights and regular fellowship rides. They are currently planning Bible studies at the church geared for riders and participation in state and national rallies.
On Sept. 26, the Joy BC F.A.I.T.H. Riders manned a booth and brought their bikes to the East Texas Second Annual Burn Run, held at the Gladewater rodeo grounds. The Burn Run, a fundraiser to benefit child burn victims, was sponsored by the Tyler and Longview chapters of Brother’s Keepers, a motorcycle club of current and former firefighters.
“Our Joy BC riders rode in the ride. The Burn Run gave us an opportunity to meet all kinds of folks and hand out information about our church and the gospel,” Sorrells said.
During the National Night Out, Oct. 6, the church also reached its community through a block party featuring a bounce house, giveaways, face paintings and free food.
“Motorcycles attract attention. We use that as an opportunity to open conversations with other bikers and with people who don’t ride,” Sorrells said.
Schwab and Sorrells look forward to participating in the Lone Star motorcycle rally in Galveston next year and possibly other rallies across the country. For now, word of mouth spreads the news of the Joy BC F.A.I.T.H. Riders, who hope to use their bikes as tools for evangelism.
“At Joy BC we are a small church with big kingdom hearts,” Sorrells said.
“We are using F.A.I.T.H Riders as an outreach ministry,” Schwab said, emphasizing monthly fellowship rides, block parties, the manning of booths at school functions and Bible studies. “The consistent delivering of God’s Word at every function is the standard, no matter the event.”
