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Cruisin' for Christ

Christian Motorcycle group
uses biker brotherhood for evangelism

The group is based in southern Indiana
with members from various towns

By Konnie McCollum
Staff Writer

(December 2007) – While delivering a sermon at church one Sunday, Tom Anderson of Clarksville, Ind., told the congregation that he and his wife, Pam, had bar hopped to five different bars the previous day. He asked how many others had done the same; silence filled the air as people sat shocked. Then he asked how many in the congregation had prayed with 150 others the previous day. Again, not even a whisper could be heard.
Anderson, 57, then explained why he was at those bars. He is a member of the Christian Motorcycle Association, an international motorcycle association whose mission is evangelistic outreach to primarily the motorcycling community.

Tom and Pam Anderson

Photo provided

Tom and Pam Anderson joined the
Christian Motorcycle Association to
help minister to other motorcyclists.

“My wife, Pam, was asked to pray for 150 bikers as they began a trip,” he said. “How much better could a day be than to be asked by 150 people to pray for them?”
Anderson, who plans and leads the rides, joined the Christian Motorcycle Association early last year. “I started riding again, and this ministry gave me a reason to ride.”
He had been an avid rider when he was a teenager and during his college years but had stopped for awhile. In the meantime, he had become a Christian and thought the motorcycle organization would be a perfect way to combine his hobby and his call to minister.
When he joined the organization, he was trained in how to effectively minister to people and how to build relationships with people of all walks of life. The Christian Motorcycle Association, which has helped lead 7.2 million people to Christ since it began in 1975, recognized that there is a brotherhood among bikers, regardless of socio-economic status, race, or even criminal background. “The bike is the bond that transcends the relationship,” said Anderson, a health care industry professional. “Although parts of the biker world can be rough with hard people, we all have a common love because of the inherent dangers of motorcycling.”
Because of that common bond, Anderson and other Christian Motorcyclists are welcome to attend rallies and ride with even the roughest part of the motorcycle world, the bikers who call themselves the “One Percenters.” These bikers are parts of the infamous biker gangs like the Outlaws, Hell’s Angels, Bandidos, Pagans and the Ironhorsemen.
During the last “Little Sturgis” rally in Kentucky in which 20,000 bikers attended, Christian Motorcycle bikers worked alongside the Hell’s Angels to control security. “We got along just great, and we had no problems.”
He said many times the “bad” guys will simply come up and ask for prayer or blessings for their bikes. Other times, relationships take a long time, perhaps even several years, to develop and blossom.

Tom and Pam Anderson

Photo provided

The Anderson’s are willing to go to
witness at bars and other places where
they feel people need spiritual help.

When Anderson is riding, he likes to wear a denim jacket that has “I’m ready to die, are you?” embroidered on it. He said it is a great conversation starter that bikers relate to because their hobby can be deadly.
Pam Anderson, 57, is also a part of the Christian Motorcycle Association. Tom recently bought her a 1100cc Honda Shadow, and she has been taking riding courses at S&S Marine in Clarksville. “I just got my permit a few weeks ago, and I’m nervous, but I want to do this,” she said.
Pam, a former nurse, recent went on a weekend road trip with friends and had a chance to minister to motorcyclists who are part of the One Percenters. “It is a great feeling to be able to pray and help people in need,” she said.
J.C.’s Bunch, the local chapter to which the couple belong, has between 20-30 active members. It became stagnant for a time, according to Tom, but has recently seen resurgence. The group has numerous rides throughout the year. It meets on the fourth Sunday of every month at 1 p.m. for lunch at the Asian Buffet, located on Charlestown Road in New Albany. After lunch, a meeting starts at 2 p.m.

• For more information about the Christian Motorcycle Association, visit www.cmausa.org. For more information about the Clarksville chapter, contact President Kevin Spencer (502) 609-5585 or Vice President Larry Squyres (812) 557-1484.

Back to December 2007 Articles.

 

 

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