Guest Author - Pam Garlick

Anyone who remembers the movie Born to be Wild, probably has a vision of social outcasts, riding the countryside, living by their own rules. If one is too young to remember that movie, they need only watch television reports of gangs with names like Hell’s Angels, Warlocks, and Pagans, some of the more infamous of biker organizations.

However, there is another group of motorcycle enthusiasts with a membership that surpasses all the others. A group that has close to 90,000 members from around the world. However these bikers are hardly social outcasts, living by their own rules. They live by God’s rules.

Members of the Christian Motorcyclist Association, CMA, can be found throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Australia. All riding with one mission in mind, to minister to others and share the story of salvation. Their vision and mission statement is: Changing the world, one heart at a time.

Founded in 1975, today the CMA has approximately 500 chapters in the U.S. alone. Members can be found at local and national motorcycle rallies, races and shows, both Christian sponsored and secular. In fact, members travel to many secular events with the specific purpose of sharing the Lord with the unsaved.

The logo on their jackets and vest proudly exclaims what they believe, “Riding for the Son,” as well as their organization’s name and a picture of a Bible with a cross and praying hands. The people wearing this insignia minister to those from whom many others would shy away.

Though sharing the gospel with bikers is a large part of what they do, it is only part of it. CMA also holds fundraisers so assist in this and other ministries throughout the world. The “Run for the Son” is their largest fundraiser.

Held the first Saturday every May, members receive sponsors for their hundred mile journey through the countryside of each local chapter. Sixty percent of the funds raised each year are given to three world-reaching ministries: 20% Missionary Ventures, who for the past 22 years have provided motorcycles, bicycles, boats and even horses to pastors in over 80 countries to enable them to minister to people in difficult to reach areas.

Twenty percent goes to Open Doors, a ministry that since 1955 has been taking Bibles into countries where many other ministries do not go; and 20% is used for the Jesus film project that since it’s inception more than a decade ago, has taken the Jesus film, depicting the life of Christ, to over 200 countries.

The final 40% of the proceeds is used by CMA local chapters to reach the motorcycling community at events mentioned above. Pocket bibles, bible tracts and other handouts are printed and used as part of this ministry.

It is estimated that 4 million people have come to Christ as a direct result of the Run for the Son.

Anyone interested in learning more or in donating can go to http://cmausa.org/ or call 870-389-6196.