I like a predictable life. I like normal routines and schedules. It sets my mind at ease to know what is happening day in and day out. But what happens when God starts pressing in on your heart to step out in faith and do something new? Something unpredictable? Something you never would have imagined yourself doing in a million years? I can tell you from experience that it rocks your world, but it is such a blessing.
I’ve been an educator for a long time, over two decades. For 20 years I’ve worked in public education here in Oklahoma as a teacher and principal. I love education. It’s predictable (well, except for the crazy things that get sent to the principal’s office). There’s a daily schedule with routines established. It is my comfort zone and I’ve effectively served God through that career in various ways over the years. I even have my doctorate in education administration and my superintendent’s certification. I love working with students and families in at-risk situations.
Imagine my surprise (and fear, panic, stress…) when I started feeling God press into my heart that He was about to rock my world. It started out with me having some really tough work situations stretch me, grow me, and force me to focus on Christ and Christ alone. My husband left full-time ministry as a church planter about 5 years ago right around the time all the stuff started happening in my work as well. God was moving and it was scary. I pressed into my own idea of what God wanted for me and our family, but God was using that time to completely change our trajectory of ministry.
A little over 3 years ago we began attending CRBC and our connections class. Soon we realized that several of our class members rode motorcycles so we began riding together and that resulted in the formation of our Hellfighters Oklahoma City Unit through a long process.
Hellfighters is an international motorcycle ministry made up of men and women who boldly seek to equip believers for the sharing of the gospel to a lost and broken world so that others can experience the same love, peace, and joy that we experience through Christ. We even have foot soldier and supporter opportunities for those who don’t ride but want to be involved.
So what do we do?
We reach out to those motorcyclists who may not feel comfortable entering a traditional church setting on their own. We connect with them, build relationships with them, share microbursts of the Gospel with them, and share the love of Jesus with them. We have seen God do some amazing things through Hellfighters and feel so fortunate that He is using us as a tool in this manner. Some of the visible things we do include benefit rides for hurting families, parades, festival set ups to share the Gospel and pray with others, and hospital visits. We’ve passed out around 600 Bibles over the past year. A larger portion of our ministry falls into the unseen aspects of mission work in the motorcycle community in our state.
When you consider foreign missions and how a culture must be learned and respected to truly impact the individuals in another country, then you might grasp the depth to which God has allowed us to invest in this culture. We know and continue to learn about this subculture in our country so that we can minister to them. As with some foreign mission experiences there are some aspects that remain private out of respect for the culture.
My involvement in this ministry has been life-changing. I never would have imagined this 5 years ago when we were in full-time ministry as church planters, but here we are. I just resigned from public education and feel that God is calling me to focus on ministry, devotional writing, and coaching others toward overall well-being in life. That is totally outside of my comfort zone, but I’m trusting God along the way.
I encourage you to find a way to be involved in outreach ministries of some sort. God has called us all to share the Gospel and to disciple others. He can use us when we submit to Him even when it’s scary and outside of your norm. I promise you, He will equip you for what calls you to do. Just be faithful and trust Him. You may not have an interest in motorcycles, but maybe that momma down the road needs a friend during the week. Maybe Whiz Kids needs extra helpers. Maybe a nursing home needs people to go sit with and invest in relationships with its residents. You can find a way to minister outside the walls of the church and it will radically change your life. Step out in faith and watch God move.
Meet the authors!
Twylla Hester and her husband, Hank, love CRBC, their connections class, and the Hellfighters Motorcycle Ministry. They have 2 adult children and 1 in high school. She enjoys riding motorcycles with her husband and going on coffee dates, doing things with family, and investing in the lives of others through various ministry opportunities. Find her on Facebook or Instagram and follow Hellfighters Oklahoma City on Facebook as well.