Biker couple shares the gospel on the road
By Sylvie Belmond

belmond@theacorn.com

Once their helmets are on, Chris and Stacey Coleman may look like outlaw bikers, but they are actually on a mission to spread the good news.

The Colemans are members of Bikers for Christ. They joined the alternative Christian motorcycle group in the mid-’90s to minister to other bikers. “They don’t see us as an outside threat,” said the Colemans, who live in Moorpark and attend Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley.

Bikers for Christ (BFC) is a motorcycle ministry made up of members who participate in events that put them in places where God can use them to evangelize others.

“We love motorcycles, so it’s a natural way for us to minister,” said Chris.

While many different motorcycle clubs exist, there is an overall brotherhood among them, he said, so Bikers for Christ are usually accepted within the groups as long as they treat other bikers with respect and are honest about their intentions.

Last week, the Colemans headed to Hollister Independence Rally, a motorcycle event that’s taken place in Hollister, Calif. annually since 1947. An estimated 150,000 bikers attended the rally last year, according to the rally organizers’ website. The crowd that attends the Hollister Rally is rivaled only by turnouts at the Sturgis and Daytona rallies.

The Colemans attend several motorcycle rallies every year. They also join other bikers at club gatherings and visit prisons to talk about the gospel.

In their quest to share their faith, BFC members also help other bikers on a practical level, said the Colemans.

“If they have a need for a place to stay, food or counseling, then we can help,” said Chris, who was raised Mormon and became a Christian as a teenager.

Stacey, who became a Christian in the mid-’90s, also felt compelled to serve God once she became a believer. “It doesn’t say much if you accept Jesus but you don’t tell anybody else about it,” she said.

Being a woman and a biker isn’t always easy because women are often not considered full-fledged club members.

“When you go into these clubs, a lot of the bikers don’t accept women when they wear colors on their back,” she said.

In fact, all Christian motorcyclists have to overcome tough odds. The hardest part of being a Christian biker is getting across to people that you’re there to serve them, Stacey said.

That doesn’t stop the couple from fulfilling their mission, and they’re making progress little by little. Some bikers will slip notes to the Colemans confidentially, so other riders won’t know they’re approaching the Christian bikers, said Stacey.

“We’re there to let them know that the Lord loves them as they are,” she said.

There are several local chapters of Bikers for Christ. The Colemans started with the Ventura County chapter and now are members of the San Fernando Valley chapter because it nees to grow.

Bikers for Christ has members in 49 U.S. states and seven countries. For more information, visit www.bikersforchrist.org.