The TruthRiders is an official chapter of Christian Skaters.  We stand beside our brothers and sisters in Christ to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the greater Houston area. TruthRiders meet every Wednesday night at The Met Students building at 6:00 pm.  Come join us as we skate worship and learn about our Savior Jesus Christ.

Christian Skaters & Christian Skaters International is a Christian non-profit organization dedicated to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with this generation’s global skateboarding community. Christian Skaters is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on the financial support of churches, foundations, and individuals. We have been reaching out to the skateboarding community since the 1990s. Inspired from the movement of Christian Surfers, Christian Skaters was officially born in 2003.  Christian Skaters felt a call to link arms with skate ministries from a number of countries to form an international movement.

Christian Skaters exists to equip and encourage those with a heart to share Jesus Christ with the skateboarding culture.

What We Do –

1. Christian Skaters helps other start skate ministries. Whether it casting the vision to their local church, creating a mission plan, establishing programming & discipleship, promoting, ramp building, revamping a current skate church or ministry, adding a pro shop, planning events or outreaches, bringing in pros, coordinating camps and clinic, or organizing a short-term skate mission…Christian Skaters is here to come alongside you to build a successful skate ministry.
2. Christian Skaters helps build a strong body of skate ministries. Each year Christian Skaters hosts an international Skate Conference to equip, encourage and unite leader of skate ministries around the globe. We also partner with local ministries to host smaller regional events in place like the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, and others.
3. Christian Skaters helps send skaters to GO and share the Gospel through Skate Missions. We send teams around the world to skate, build ramps, and share the Gospel through events, demos, contests, clinics, camps and more. We also send teams to plant skate ministries, train leaders and introduce the sport of skateboarding and the love and grace of Jesus Christ around the globe. Our goal is multiplication through discipleship, investment & relationships.
4. Christian Skaters strives to impact the industry and reach skaters through a presence at industry events & social media. We also make it a priority to pour into and encourage those who love the Lord within the skate culture and reach out within the skate culture.

Our Goals

1. To evangelize the skate communities around the globe
2. To serve the local church world wide by providing a bridge between the church and the skate culture
3. To network Christian skaters world wide to create unity and a strong body of believers equipped to share the Gospel
4. To come alongside those called to share the Gospel with training, resources, and willing workers

Christian Skaters is evangelistic in intent and purpose on boldly sharing Christ, the gospel, and the Bible. Our heart is to mobilize skaters to reach other skaters, with the truth, love, grace, hope and forgiveness of the Gospel. We submit to serve and glorify Christ through skateboarding. We partner with ministries that are locally based and held accountable through a local Bible teaching church while working with God, and what he is already doing through others. Our goal is to equip and empower others to share the Gospel.

We believe that ministry occurs through relationships. We are committed to reaching out to the skateboarding industry, meeting skaters where they are at, building relationships, and being His salt & light.

We are volunteer based, mobilizing Christian volunteers for outreach, while helping them fulfill their God given calling and potential.

SEEK: Christian Skaters seeks out those who are called to reach skaters. We have a growing database of skate ministries around the world, and act as a networking resource within skate ministry to better equip the body. We have been blessed with partners and chapters, including home based Bible studies to reach many areas around the world and currently team up with over 90 countries around the world.

SUPPORT: Christian Skaters supports new and existing ministries by offering consultation on building and running various sized skate ministries. We offer discounts on software, insurance, merchandise, and more through the network.

EQUIP: Christian Skaters equips ministries by offering resources for Bible studies, small groups, ministry and skate videos, ramp plans, fundraising resources and more. We host annual Skate Conferences to train, equip & encourage in Australia, Africa, Europe and an annual international event in the US.

ENCOURAGE: Christian Skaters feels called to encourage those in ministry (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We all know that the battle is not with flesh and bones. Those in ministry are in the center of the battle. Christian Skaters hopes that our encouragement will keep those in skate ministry fighting for the truth. Christian Skaters meets skaters where they are at to share the truth of the Gospel and encourage skaters in their walk. Our pray is that we may be salt & light within the skate culture. As action sports continues to make an impact on our culture, Christian Skaters will use various media outlets to reach this culture with the message of Christ…video premiers, demos, concerts, distribute skate videos, use the web and more .

PRAY: Christian Skaters knows that the Lord hears our prayers (James 5:16). We are actively involved in a skate ministry prayer board and regularly pray for ministries, skaters, pastors, and those involved in skateboarding around the world. We know that pray is very important in our ministry.

PROMOTE: Christian Skaters wants to become less so that He may become more (John 3:30). Our monthly news, MySpace site, demos, etc. feature skate ministries from around the globe. Our vision is for every skater to have a ministry in their area. By creating a network, we are able to connect skaters with other churches and ministries who also want to meet skaters where they are at. As action sports continues to make an impact on our culture, Christian Skaters will use various media outlets as outreach tools. We will host video premiers, demos, concerts, distribute skate videos, use the web and more to reach this culture with the message of Christ.

Our Chapters

A typical CS partner/chapter hosts a weekly Bible Study to disciple local believers. These local skaters are integrated into their skate communities and led by a team of leaders from supportive local churches. Typical activities include regular meetings and evangelistic skater-friendly Bible studies, contests, camps and day trips, skate clinics, skate missions and outreach at secular events reaching the skate culture. Each affiliated partner or ministry agrees to Christian Skaters’ vision, core values and statement of faith. A typical CS partner hosts a weekly Bible Study to disciple local believers. These local skaters are integrated into their skate communities and led by a team of leaders from supportive local churches. Typical activities include regular meetings and evangelistic skater-friendly Bible studies, contests, camps and day trips, skate clinics, skate missions and outreach at secular events reaching the skate culture. Each affiliated partner or ministry agrees to Christian Skaters’ vision, core values and statement of faith.

Our Faith

We hold to an evangelical statement of faith. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not a denominational ministry, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only to their overemphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the body of Christ. We believe there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all. We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings; His substitutionary atoning death; bodily resurrection; ascension into heaven; perpetual intercession for His people; and personal, visible return to earth. We believe that He is one and the same as God. He was fully human and fully God. We believe in the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower in ministry all who believe in Christ. We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide. We believe that Jesus Christ baptizes the seeking believer with the Holy Spirit and power for service, either at the time of or subsequent to regeneration, which is a separate work from the indwelling Spirit for salvation. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all biblical gifts of the Spirit as reflected through the fruit of that same Spirit. We believe that all the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, and that they are the infallible rule of faith and practice. We believe all people are by nature separated from God and responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption, and forgiveness are freely offered to all by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. When a person repents of sin and accepts Jesus Christ as his/her personal Lord and Savior, trusting Him to save, that person is immediately born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit, all of his/her sins are forgiven, and that person becomes a child of God, destined to spend eternity with the Lord. We adhere firmly to the biblical teaching of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. We avoid any theological systems of belief that go beyond the written Word and thereby divide the body of Christ. We believe in the universal Church, in the living spiritual body, of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members.

CONTACT US:
Christian Skaters International
2000 S FM 1788
P.O. Box 61377
Midland, TX 79711
info@ChristianSkaters.com

Today as I listen to the pastor speak on compassion I think back through the few short years of the TruthRiders ministry. I think back to the past few days and search my own heart. Are my actions showing compassion? I really don’t have to go back very far in time to know. If your not a skater you probably don’t know this but the skate scene is quite dark and even demonic. It’s all about being whoever you want to be, anarchy is a common word that comes to mind. It can be easy as someone who tries to follow Christ to look at most skaters, the industry for the most part and think what is your problem man. To hate the hater is wrong! That’s why we do what we do. As an advocate for the skater that is lost. To be there when their down. To encourage to seek and save the lost. To help the down trodden. God has done so much in the past few years and I believe there area many great things to come. I’m thankful for all challenges we have see and yet to come. You may say why would you look forward to challenges, are you crazy? Well my brother with out challenges there can be no victories! Thanks to everyone that has helped us along the way! Your prayers and actions of compassion are a wonderful blessing to all.

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. (‭Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬ NKJV)

Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it? ” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (‭Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭2-3, 25-37‬ NKJV)

Skate it up 2014 is almost here and we are working hard pulling all it together. It seems like it was just yesterday when out of 100 skaters Hayden, Santino, & Brandon Ly took first place trophies and trips to Camp Woodward home. We hold this annual contest to reach out to the Skate community to profess the love of our savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Our goal is not to sell any products or get any publicity but it is to build relationships so that everyone can know the grace and mercy that God has freely give each of us.

The skate community was something foreign to me (John Hocutt) about 8 years ago when our Church The Met drop some metal ramps down on the students parking lot. I went to a Wednesday night service was drawn to the park and all the kids skating. Well I learned I was not ready to skate but after a couple of years I finally got my feet under me and today I can at least say I’m a skater. Well you say what’s that got to do with Skate it up? Glad you asked….all the skaters that had never really had anybody that seemed to even care about them much less watched their tricks or listen to what they had to say finally found someone that would. I watched hundreds if not thousands of tricks, listen to them all the best I could, cooked hotdogs, kept cold water handy and drove a many miles picking up and dropping off skaters.

One of the most consistent questions we got early on was “can we have a contest.” Well we found out it was easy to have a contest but not that easy to have it done right! So over the past 7 years or so we have tried different types of contest like series with points, qualifiers with a grand finally, street, bowl, and even a snake run contest. We have strived to have unbiased professional judges and give away great prizes. It’s been a challenge that I have enjoyed and learned much from. But we only try our best because that is what God wants us to do, our best.

This year is turning out to be a year that has come together rather slowly but that’s ok. We’re going to have fun, skate, pass a good time and praise the Lord . Here’s our flyer and I hope you can come out and join us. Sign ups start at 11:00 and there’s free Catfish and fries.  I’ve been told they have never run out of food so lets see if we can eat them out of house and home.  

ARE WE FREE IN AMERICA TODAY?

Amendment I

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Recently there has been a lot of anti religious groups in the U.S.A. speaking out against the public display of religious symbols, or quotes. Most of them have been against the Christian faith. They range from removal of a cross in the desert to the display of the ten commandments in court rooms or schools.

You may find this strange but I’m not the religious type and in fact I’m anti-religious. To worship a cross or to think idols or rituals will save you are a grave mistake. Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Yet these things remind us how we should live just like a post it note reminds me of someones phone number.

When someone or a group complains, or flies federal lawsuits against a public display of a cross or a copy of the ten commandments and states it is a violation of the bill of right it confuses me. I’ve read article one of the bill of rights several times and I just don’t get it. What they are saying is citizens can’t say what they want where they want when they want, while that is exactly what they are doing. The bill of right does not say freedom from religion rather it says.. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,…

So with religion aside we need to discuss freedom and the difference between right and wrong. What is freedom, defined by merriam-webster.com?

Definition of FREEDOM the quality or state of being free: as
a: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action

Placing a cross, sign or commandment on public property does NOT constrain or require anyone make a specific choice or action. Now when you don’t allow a cross, sign or commandment to be placed or posted on public property then YES you are constraining someone’s freedom. Now you may say well if we let everybody put whatever they want up then who knows what they will post. It could get out of hand and this is where right and wrong come in. Deep down we are all corrupt and given enough chances we all with eventually make a shelfish or wrong decision don’t you agree?

Definition of WRONG
1a: an injurious, unfair, or unjust act : action or conduct inflicting harm without due provocation or just cause b: a violation or invasion of the legal rights of another; especially: tort2: something wrong, immoral, or unethical; especially: principles, practices, or conduct contrary to justice, goodness, equity, or law

How do we know what an immoral, unethical unfair or unjust act is? My point is if we don’t have a base for Truth and true right and wrong then what are we living for? You can argue with me if you want but murder is wrong. Definition of MURDER : the crime of unlawfully killing a person especially with malice aforethought
Now I could go on about several other immoral or unethical issues such and adultry, lying, stealing, and honoring your father and your mother but lets just stick with murder.

If there is no absolute truth that murder is wrong then people could go around murdering people with no legal consequences. Now is that what we want in the world today. Well that is esxactly what these people or groups that say hey your cross, your sign, your ten commandments posted on public property is against the law. They are saying our freedoms are being taken away, we want freedom from religion but that’s not true they want to take away our freedom and replace it with their beliefs that there is no absolute truth about right and wrong or God. Some people say we live in a world of gray….that is a lie we live in a world of black and white, just look out there and see for yourself.

If the Son makes you free men, then you are really and unquestionably free. John 8:36

http://youtu.be/lC7oq1fF_Fc