Link: http://www.amarillo.com/stories/092809/new_news2.shtml

Christian Heritage Church hosted its 10th annual Biker Sunday on September 27.  With an expected crowd of 5,000, this was set to be the biggest event yet!

The church also hosted the M25 National Summit during the same weekend.  This gave summit attendees the opportunity to participate in more than a "classroom experience."  First, the group headed to the airport at 7:30 Saturday morning to greet a soldier returning from Iraq. The sight of more than 50 flags and banners welcoming the unsuspecting soldier was heartwarming.  If the group had not shown up, this young man would have been greeted by just three family members. Instead, he received a true hero's welcome, complete with a motorcycle escort. 

Later that day, Summit attendees drove 75 miles to attend the military funeral of a fallen soldier.  No one in the group knew the soldier, but they wanted to honor this young man's sacrifice.  Upon arriving at the funeral, M25 joined with the Patriot Guard Riders to line the street with nearly 100 flags as the soldier's family and casket drove by. As the family drove by, they waved and mouthed "Thank you" to the riders who came to honor a young man they had never known.  At the end of the procession small elderly "cowboy" walked up to one of the M25 riders and said, "Do you mind if I just stand here beside you?"  The rider smiled and said, "Not at all." 

On Sunday, the church was filled with patches from several motorcycle ministries and clubs.  Pastor Ox, an former outlaw biker from Tennessee, shared that the most important thing we can do for the lost and hurting is to love them.  "Too often we overlook opportunities," Ox said. 

After the morning service, the church headed to Scooterz Bar, where hundreds of bikers were already lining up for the annual bike parade. This year's parade included a military escort and flyover. 

The bike parade is part of a Toys for Tots drive. There is nothing more heartwarming than watching a leather-clad biker drive down the street with a giant stuffed animal strapped to the back of the bike. These seemingly "tough" men and women proudly drive the eight mile parade route laden with toys and stuffed animals for needy children. As families lined the street to watch the parade, the riders waved and threw candy. Back at the church, the group collected enough toys to fill two seven-ton military trucks. 

After several hours of bike games (which are hosted by local motorcycle clubs), attendees gathered round for the final event, the bike drawing.  Each year, the church gives away a custom-built bike. And each year, they pray that God will give that bike to the right person.  This year's winner was a couple whose bike broke down during the parade. They have been sober four weeks and are now grounded in a church.  After winning the bike, they said they want to start riding with the church's biker ministry.  They are now starting the process of getting their first "ministry patch."  

On the surface, Biker Sunday seems like a time of fun and games.  But it's actually a time to minister to those who might never set foot inside a church.  It's a time to show the community that the church loves them and accepts them no matter what.  

Hosting a Biker Sunday may not be for every church, but everyone can do something to reach out to their community.  What can your church do?

_{For photos of Biker Sunday, go here.}

Run For The Wall Daily Report
May 12, 2009

Warriors assembled, bikes prepared and fueled, trucks loaded and trailers full of water, vitamin drinks and snacks awaiting the alarm at 4:30 a.m. to head across the country to share the light of our Lord and Savior. Once again we sit on the threshold of an adventure many cannot conceive. We know when the sun comes up in the morning we will be assembled with some 700 – 800 bikes preparing to roar across this great nation to remind leaders that our POW (Prisoners Of War) and our MIA (Missing In Action) need to be brought home. It is a trip that will bring healing to many veterans, camaraderie that has been missed and for us, an opportunity to say “Thank You For Serving” on behalf of the church.

From the introduction the first night, we knew we had made an impact. We received two standing ovations as the leadership acknowledged that we paid our own expenses and were quick to serve in any way we were asked. We were honored by the leaders as the Hydration Team and as Chaplains. Our desire to be known as servants, not preachers -  lights not mouths - is being understood more each year. In the USA it appears few know what it is to serve without an agenda. We have no church growth, no ‘confession of faith’ reports (while we trust God will use us in the great Harvest, it is not our goal), and no offerings to be counted (no donations are accepted from the riders), just pure and simple serving from our hearts full of His love for the next 12 days.

We are warriors from Florida; North Carolina; South Carolina; Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Tennessee; and Texas. We have left our homes, our families, our jobs and our ministries to fulfill a call of “doing unto the overlooked and neglected” that our Lord spoke of in Matthew 25:40 (Message). The trucks and motorcycles made it from Amarillo, TX to Los Angeles without much difficulty, arriving at 9:00 a.m.

We were honored by the Golden West Conference and Carpenter’s House (Fontana, CA) as they paid for our motel rooms and fixed us a wonderful dinner with Patriotic decorations. Rev. Bill Terry (National Men’s Ministry Director) and Rev. Garry Bryant (Acts2Day Bishop) honored us by flying in, participating in a prayer over us,fueling all of our vehicles, and purchasing 20 bags of ice to cool the drinks down.

Our day ended with a reading of the Word, washing of the leader’s feet (as commanded in John 13), prayer and singing “We Are One In The Spirit”. A moving service giving glory to our Lord for allowing us to be one and for entrusting us with His great Grace concluded a powerful and busy day of preparation.

You Can Help!

Not everyone can make a 3,000 journey across the country. But you can still help with Run For The Wall!

• Pray for Gary, the Hydration Team, and the Chaplains as they travel.
• Support the Run as it comes through your town. Hold up signs and banners thanking veterans for their services as they ride by.
• Share Gary's updates with your friends, family, and church members.
• Remember to honor the veterans in your church in the weeks leading up to Memorial Day (May 25).

To receive Gary's updates via email, please subscribe to the For Your Information Specialty Newsletter. Click here to go to the subscription page.

Ten years ago, Bobby Goodman wanted nothing to do with church.  But that changed when he heard about Christian Heritage Church's annual Biker Sunday event. Today, Bobby is a leader in his church and helps coordinate several events including Biker Sunday.  

During the event, he shared his testimony with me.  Watch below as he shares how God used Biker Sunday to transform his life. 

Christian Heritage Church is pastored by Rev. Gary Burd, who also directs Mission M25, an IPHC outreach to non-traditional people groups in the U.S.