Topeka ? Francis Nelson, pastor of the Redemption Center Church in North Topeka, has been riding motorcycles for years, but never seriously gave much thought to ministering to other bikers until earlier this year.

Let Nelson explain.

“I’ve been riding bikes all my life,” he said, “but I kind of put them away for a season — kind of got out of it.

“Then, a few years ago, I bought a Harley. I told everyone that when I got old, I was going to go slow and buy a Harley.”

About the same time, Nelson started the Redemption Center Church, which meets on Saturday nights at the Papan’s Landing Senior Center, 621 N.W. Paramore. The church is an off-shoot of Gleaner Outreach Ministries, of which Nelson has been an active part for many years.

Once he started traveling on two wheels again, rather than four, Nelson began to see many other bikers that were on the road.

“I noticed there was lots of opportunities for ministry in the biker world,” Nelson said. “There’s lots of people doing motorcycle ministry, but just as churches meet different needs, we saw some different needs that we could meet.”

Revving up the ministry

Nelson didn’t jump into motorcycle ministry until Lonnie Hawkins started coming to the church about a year ago. Hawkins, Nelson said, had been involved in motorcycle ministry in the past.

“After he’d been with us about six months,” Nelson said, “I shared with him the thoughts I’d had about starting a motorcycle ministry.”

Nelson said Hawkins was ordained as a chaplain through the church, and before long the Second Harvest motorcycle ministry began to move forward.

“Both of our hearts are to reach the lost,” Nelson said, “so it’s up and running and doing well.”

Several other church members are longtime bikers and have taken active roles in the motorcycle ministry.

Most of them wear black leather vests with their name patches on the front and a large insignia of a cross on the back.

Bikers with rules

The Second Harvest motorcycle ministry team has been highly visible this past summer at area events, as well as at places bikers are known to frequent.

“We’ve been attending as many rides as possible,” he said. “We’ve been supporting as many rides as possible with finances and making ourselves friends to the biker community.”

Nelson said those with the Second Harvest motorcycle ministry have reached out to “your normal kind of bikers, plus the 1 percent club, which is the outlaw bikers.”

Nelson said ministry team members “go to their clubhouses and visit with ’em, and we’re well received.”

Though the motorcycle ministry members do represent the church, Nelson said, they don’t pretend to be perfect.

“They can still have some hangups, like alcohol or tobacco,” he said. “But we’re real picky about what we allow them to do when they’re wearing the vest.”

No smoking or drinking is allowed on days when team members are representing the Second Harvest motorcycle ministry, he said.

“We do have some rules,” he said.

Both the church and the motorcycle ministry got their names from those who traditionally would “glean” usable grain products left on the ground after a harvest, Nelson said.

Blessing of bikes

The Second Harvest motorcycle ministry also “blesses” bikes before they take off on roads. Many bikers consent to have their motorcycles blessed in a brief ceremony lasting only about a minute or so.

In the impromptu ceremony, Nelson or Hawkins will anoint a motorcycle with oil, lay hands on it and pray for God’s protection for both the rider and the bike. The motorcycle owner usually is standing by and also may be the recipient of a prayer or blessing.

Without being heavy-handed, the motorcycle ministry team will go up to bikers and ask if they would like their motorcycle to be blessed. A surprisingly high number agree. Those who have their cycle blessed are offered a free decal with the word “Blessed” in white lettering.

“Most people — they want God’s blessings,” Nelson said. “They don’t always know where to go or how to do it.”

Clean consciences

Some of the bikers have had accidents or known others involved in crashes.

Staying safe is nearly always on their mind, though they may not talk much about it. So, in that regard, the prayers are often welcome.

“It’s dangerous out there on a motorcycle,” Nelson said. “People don’t watch out for us.

“I’d hate to see anyone end up in hell because they hadn’t heard the Word. We’re giving them that opportunity to at least hear the Word, so they’ll have that choice. Some people don’t know they have that choice. But, sometimes, no decision is a decision.”

Hawkins said he keeps his blessings and messages focused on Christ, attempting to dispel any misconceptions bikers may have about Christianity: “It’s about God coming into your heart, not how you’re dressed,” he said.