What Is Ministry – Azusa StreetRiders International

By Rev. Johnny W. Carr

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
I have had something upon my mind for over a year now and I would ask the question, do you
know what it is the be in Ministry?
To be in ministry is to be a servant, that is to serve others, to be in attendance to others, to be
in service to others.
Azusa StreetRiders is a Ministry. As a Ministry we are not in this for ourselves. We are not in
this just to have a riding group, even though it is fun getting together with like minded
individuals and with the fellowship that comes with it. But if your are in ASR just for a riding
group, then your in ASR for the wrong reasons.
Being a servant isn’t popular, in fact most of the time your going to get ridiculed, your going to
be talked ill of, crucified in your flesh for your beliefs.
And with our way of serving God, there will be many that are going to think that we take it to
far! That all that isn’t necessarily needed.
If your in ministry for popularity, then you might want to rethink your take of what ministry is.
But we not only serve others in Ministry, we are here to serve our great and wonderful Lord
Jesus Christ! To Him be the glory forever and ever.
Paul says it like this:
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not
to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God
hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same
office:
Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether
prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Rom 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he
that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
We are all called to some portion of Ministry, as Paul says, according to our gifts. So whether
we stand behind a pulpit or we simply sit upon a pew. We all have our portion of the Ministry in
which we serve.
So let us examine ourselves, what is my ministry?
If your doing nothing, then I am so bold as to say, your not ministering but only serving self!
Your not using the talent given to you and as such God will take your talent and give it to
another that he can depend upon. We are all called to reach the lost in some shape, form or
fashion.
ASR is and should be an extension of your church’s ministries. Most churches have many
different ministries other than being a preacher. There is Sunday School, Youth Groups and Bus
Ministries, just to name some main ones.
ASR can be and should be included in that. But just as some do not feel a burden to be a
Sunday School teacher, it is same with ASR. Just because you ride a motorcycle does not
mean your called to be a part of the ministry within ASR.
Can you be supportive of other ministries? By all means that should be a big YES! For
example, I am not and do not have a burden to be a Sunday School teacher, but I support our
Sunday School Department, with whatever is needed if I am able. We have a Celebrate
Recovery Ministry, in which again, I do not carry the burden for it, but have helped them raise
funds with benefit rides, to help with its support financially.
Now I am not trying to place anything on or take away from anyone’s part of being in ASR. But
we all need to step back and examine ourselves. What is my part within ASR? Am I just a
supporter or am I one that has a burden for this ministry?
There is a lost world out there and it is not just those that ride bikes that we minister to. Every
time we go to Walmart, at convince stores, public events or anywhere we wear our vest with
our patch emblazoned on the back, it brings attention. People are curious about it, some will
even ask questions, others may feel intimidated and will forego asking anything.
But what of those that feel intimidated? What makes them feel that way? And how can we
break that and get them to feel comfortable?
Questions like this we all need to think about. It goes hand in hand with this Ministry.
We all need to examine ourselves and ask the question, is this ministry for me? Am I in it for the
right reasons? Am I ministering or am I just a supporter?
I know ASR’s main theme is raising monetary funds for Motorcycles for Missionaries. It is a
worthy goal, but what about the mission field here in our own land? I dare say, that not only are
missionaries sent to other countries but we are starting to have missionaries sent to us from
other countries.
With ASR, we should be the missionaries within our own country. So when your out and about
riding that bike, look around for the fields here are white and ready to be harvested. But we
lack laborers to bring in the harvest.
Invite someone to church, give a Bible study, pass out church cards. Our pastor brought out a
good point about church cards. If you give out 1 per day for 6 days, you have contact with 6
plus people with a card a day. Now multiply that times the members within your church that
also pass out the same church card every day. If your congregation, we will say, is 150 in size.
That would mean your church just had contact at the minimum with 900 people. If only 10%
responded to your contact, that would mean 90 visitors in church come Sunday morning.
So reach for the lost, you never know who might be hungry.