A SCHEME aimed at engaging churches with young adults through
their interest in motorbikes was launched this week.
The REV Project uses the iconic imagery of motorcycling as a way
of sharing the gospel to generate interest and engage young
people.
The project director, Dan Harris, said: "Many churches have lost
contact with the 18-to-25 age group, and churches are starting to
look old. The REV Project helps churches to build long-term
relationships with young adults through a community project that
grabs their attention. Motorcycles are cool."
Mr Harris, a youth worker with the United Reformed Church in
Canterbury, has based the project on the work of his charity, Full
Throttle UK, which has offered Christian support to young bikers in
the town for the past 12 years. It currently has 50 regulars.
He said on Monday: "We created a community with good
relationships with the young to share the gospel. Now we want to
launch it with other churches. Initially, we are looking at the
south-east, but one day we want to take it nationwide.
"Most young riders don't have their own space to meet; they have
to use more adult spaces, such as pubs or bike cafés. Our
attraction for them is that we offer a dedicated space for them. We
promote it through social media, and a lot come through word of
mouth from friends.
"Its not like an Alpha course, where you come because you want
to know about the gospel; we focus on the motorcycles, but we have
what we call the God Spot, where we do 45-minute presentations
which can take a motorcycling theme, so that even if people are not
interested in the gospel, they can understand the point we are
making, and those who are interested can take it to a deeper
level.
"We have had about 15 people come to faith over a three-year
period, which, for a small, local project, is quite good; but
relationship-building is the primary focus for us. There's no
pressure."
The Tuesday-evening meetings last about two hours, with an
emphasis on people discussing their biking interests and talks from
experts, including the police, fire brigade, and motorbike
instructors.
Mr Harris, who had his first bike, a moped, as a teenager, said:
"The bike scene does have a community."