February 08, 2010
by Graham Lyons
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I heard the loud vroom, vroom of their motorcycles before I saw them. Ten men on motorbikes pulled into the parking lot by the entrance to Perry State Park near Topeka, Kansas. On that warm, June Friday, a small group of Christian men called the Calvary Cruisers—who meet once a month to ride their bikes, study the Bible, and mentor one another—had come to witness the baptism of Benjamin, my 9-year-old grandson. Benjamin's uncle Bruce, who rides with the Calvary Cruisers, was among the bikers.
Because Bruce had already planned to attend this family gathering, he suggested that the Cruisers join us and spend time together studying one of Chuck Swindoll's books titled Man to Man. After the baptism, we gathered around a picnic table and shared from Chuck's book. We were impressed by the mutual friendship these men had and by their openness in sharing life's experiences—an openness that gets at the heart of what the Calvary Cruisers are all about.
The group began as a benevolence association—men committed to meeting the needs of the less fortunate in and around Kansas City. However, after one member lost his wife to cancer, they incorporated a men's Bible study. Calvary Cruisers was reborn with a new goal: for older men to mentor younger men with the purpose of seeing them mature in Christ. The Cruisers hope that they will see young men grow to be wise, God-fearing leaders and that the youngest among them will see this kind of leadership lived out in the older Cruisers. Because most of the Cruisers have children or even grandchildren, their hope is that the lessons they learn together on their bikes, with Chuck's books, and in the Word will spill over into the homes of each of these men. Why? So that their children might grasp the significance of living a Christ-centered life.
That is why the Cruisers took the opportunity to come to Benjamin's baptism. As one of the Cruisers, Rick, noted, "We want to know that the faith we have in Jesus is truly passed to the next generation. Our hope in this life is inseparably tied to our faith in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice and to the incomprehensible grace of the Father." Now that's a biker with good theology!
The Cruisers ride to pass on Christ to others. Rick understands that the motorcycles might raise some eyebrows, but he, Bruce, and their fellow Cruisers are committed to persevering in their mission: "So long as there are diners willing to serve our leather-toting, headdress-wearing band of brothers, we'll be out there tearing up those old country roads and raising our voices in praise."