Blood And Steel Rodeo Revival

PREDICTION: On November 2nd of this year the residents of Aiken County will begin to feel the ground shake as a massive earthquake starts slowly and then builds throughout the day. Massive, accompanying thunder will also start slowly and get stronger and more powerful as they day progresses. This shaking ground and loud thunder will continue through the weekend. This will build to a crescendo and begin to ebb as Sunday draws to a close.

That's right, the first annual Blood and Steel Rodeo/Revival will take place starting this Friday, November 2nd, through Sunday, November 4th.

You will go back to another time when bikers got together in fellowship to rejoice in friendship as we praise God who allows us to enjoy the lifestyle we love. Along with the bike fun, games, and rides there will be prayer and worship tents set up and staffed by the spirit filled of our biker communities.

There will be camping on the grounds at Faith Community Fellowship Church (formerly Faith Riders Fellowship Church).

You don't have to be a biker to attend. All are welcome and encouraged to join us as we take this journey toward new friends and spiritual awakening.

THE ONLY COSTS FOR THE WEEKEND WILL BE FOR THE MOTORCYCLE RIDE ON SUNDAY. 100% OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THE RIDE WILL BE DONATED TO CHARITY. WE ARE NOT IN THIS FOR THE MONEY. WE ARE HERE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND TO REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.

SCHEDULE

Friday, November 2nd

6:00-8:00 pm     Registration/Camp Setup

8:00 pm             Opening Ceremony

8:30 pm             Revival Service

10:00 pm           Concert

Saturday, November 3rd

8:00 am              Break out Bible Study
9:30 am              Ride ($15.00 single, $20.00 double)
1:00 pm              Bike Games
3:00 pm              Break out Bible Study
5:00 pm              Dinner
6:30 pm              Revival
8:00 pm              Awards
9:00 pm              Concert

Sunday, November 4th

8:00 am               Morning Service
10:00 am             Break Down Camp

(At 10:30 am the Faith Community Fellowship Church will be having their regularly scheduled Church Services and all are welcome to attend)

"If you're scared, say you're scared."

How many times have we heard that phrase? How many times have we spoken it? I know I heard it from my younger brother, Buddy, many times. Usually it was said as a dare to try to get me to follow him on the next dumb thing he had in mind. Things such as taking a running leap off the roof of the house into the swimming pool or any of dozens of things that could have gotten one, or both, of us beat up, hurt, killed, or arrested. It always started off with that phrase, "If you're scared, say you're scared." He didn't mind doing things we thought were crazy, but he did want to take someone with him.

Us bikers ain't skeered of nut'n. Just ask us, we'll tell ya. We've got a church full of big, bad bikers but we've found that one thing that will make them step back. When it comes time for us to step up and pray with, and for, our brothers and sisters we don't move. We just sit there. Is it fear? If it is where does this fear come from? Why am I even bringing this up? It's probably a subject that will make some people angry, but it's an anger with roots in fear and in knowing that we aren't doing all that we should.

Yesterday while Ms. Diane and I were headed home from running errands in North Augusta she really hit me in the face with "If you're scared, say you're scared." Not with those exact words but it could have been. We were talking about the church and things that needed to be done when she told me that it's time for the men of the church to once again step forward and start doing what needs to be done. "This means you too. You need to lead this renewal." She could have been talking about any of a dozen things but she was hurt that on Thursday night when Pastor Ray and visiting minister Ric asked for prayer warriors to step forward, women were coming to the alter but the men were sitting on their hands and not moving. She wanted to know why we weren't stepping forward and praying for with those men who needed us. Pastor Ray had just talked Sunday about a lot of people in the Church just sitting there on their hands and not stepping forward for anything. He could have been talking directly to me.

What Diane said got me to thinking and questioning myself and man did I come up with the questions. Who among us is qualified to be a prayer warrior? What qualifies us to be be someone who can step forward and ask God to help someone? I had a lot more questions than answers so I decided to grab a book and do some studying. There are probably hundreds of books on the subject but I figured that the best book I could find on the subject was probably the one written many years ago and has stood the test of time, The Bible.

I did learn that the term prayer warrior is not found in the Bible. But I did learn that as Christians we are all called to be prayer warriors. "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the most Holy Spirit," (Jude 1:20) We need to make sure that we keep God first in our lives, read his word and pray aggressively so that we know that our prayers will be answered. I have no problem in my own room or somewhere alone saying a prayer for someone who has asked, but I always worry that I may do more harm than good by attempting to pray for someone else while we are at the alter. I have prayed earnestly on this and know without a doubt that the Lord will protect me from myself and will give me the right words at the right time to help those that need it.

As Christians we all pray, but what type of Christian are we? Are we the ones who just pray without much meaning as in "Lord forgive us our trespasses and we forgive our trespassers," or are we the Christians who pray in earnest, knowing that the Lord is with us and will answer our prayers in his way?

I am tired of sitting on my hands and I hope that each of you will help me and our Church as we return to what we were meant to be. For my part I will make a sincere effort to improve on my walk with God and I will pray earnestly and make prayer a priority in my own life. I will believe with my whole heart that my prayers will be answered, on my behalf, and on behalf of all that need my prayers. I will continue to read and study my Bible so that I may have the right scripture when I need it. Most of all I will trust in the Lord to allow the correct words to flow from my heart and my mouth as I attempt help and comfort for all who are in need.

Before I close this out tonight I would like to give a shout out to a true man of God who has no problem with praying for any who need it. I had never met Pastor Ric Lyons before this past Thursday evening when he came and sat in front of Diane and I. He knew things about Diane and I and the things we do in the church that he really should not have known. At first I put it off to Pastor Ray telling him certain things but as we continued to speak, he knew things Ray didn't. As we spoke he told me that I had ideas for the church and was a force to be reckoned with in the church and that it is time for me to take a stand. He said that he didn't know exactly what it was that I was being led to stand up for, but that I had ideas that could help lead and put the Faith Riders back on the course it needs to be on. I don't know what I need to do. I will tell you to get ready as his words gave me the confidence I was lacking to stand and fight for whatever it is I'm being led to do. I'm sure that with prayer and faith it will work out.

Maybe what I have written tonight was part of what he was speaking about, but please know that I, for one, will no longer be sitting on my hands. I will work for my God and for our church. I will not be afraid to stand up and stand out.

Come See Us For An Uplifting Experience

"Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." (Hebrews 10:25 NLT)

I know how many of you love to listen to Leon and the Faith Riders Band as they play and sing their outstanding praise and worship music. I know you get spiritually fed when Pastor Ray Boone brings his truly inspiring messages.

So where are you? You watch on the internet. You claim to be a Christian so why don't you have your butt in a seat at church?

I know that we have a lot of illness going around the entire country. The flu has hit in epidemic proportions this year. We have people who are sitting in hospitals, or homes, with their sick and ill loved ones. Yes, we understand. Occasionally we have to work or have commitments we absolutely must attend and we just can't make it to church. If we truly love God and our brothers and sisters, we will miss every moment we can't be with them.

I had my excuses. For years I told myself that I was done with Church because the people were hypocritical. They were judgmental and critical of anyone not exactly like they were. But I learned. People make up the church. People make mistakes. We all have our problems. Show me that one who has never been critical, judgmental, or hypocritical at some time during their lives on this earth.

Psalms 133:1 tells us, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity."

If we truly love God then we will love our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We want to be with them. You don't get the same fellowship and understanding if you sit in front of your computer screen or TV and watch church. Try it. There is an entirely different experience sitting in a seat at church. We want to be together! We go to church together, yes, but then we still don't want to lose that fellowship, that friendship and comradery as evidenced by the things we do outside of the church walls. We may head off to lunch after church together. We may meet before church for breakfast. We do things such as take trips together, go to different events. As the name Faith Riders implies we have several in the congregation who ride motorcycles. We love to go for rides together. Sometimes they are just short rides around town. Other times we may go on overnight trips or just a long peaceful Saturday ride just to be together.

By attending church we become a part of something bigger than us. We feel the spirituality as we walk into the church. We learn and we love. We need God in our lives. You need God in your life.

Statistics have shown that if you miss church for just one month there is a 50-50 chance you won't return for a year. We have seen that happen as some people started skipping a week here and there and then a couple of weeks, then we may or may not see them over the next month or over the next several months. It is like anything we do in life. As we start neglecting anything it becomes easier and easier to put it off. Sometimes forgetting about it altogether. We definitely don't need to forget our spiritual being.

We have seen some people walk away from the church over the past several years and if they left and continued with another church I can respect that. If they are happy, then we are happy for them. Each person has to find his or her own way. If someone left and did not continue in a church, please come back, if not to us, then somewhere. Please don't neglect God. He is a forgiving God but, we should always prioritize God.

We lose those we love. I lost my father years ago to cancer. My mother passed away several years ago. I loved my wife's mother and father as my own. Both are gone now. I lost a brother a few years ago. I didn't think he could ever be replaced. I lost my sister a few years ago. There is, and always will be, a place in my heart for each of them. My memories will keep them in my heart forever. I never thought I could fill that void and I didn't. I have been adopted into a new, and loving, family, my church. They have become mother, father, brother, and sister. They are my aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. They are my family. They are not an extended family. They are close family. I love each and every one of them. A new family has taken me in.

Do you have that piece of your heart missing? Have you lost family and friends you thought could never be replaced? We won't try to take their place in your heart. We will show you that your heart has a capacity for love that you never knew existed.

We will show you what family can be and God will show you he is the father you always wanted.

If you have a church you're happy with, great. If you don't and you want to see what it's like to have a loving family, come see us.

We love you all.