Bringing the Gospel to the biking community

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Legions of Christian evangelists are always reaching out for souls to save.

Marty Acosta of Jacksonville is hoping to do just that, but with a little more horsepower.

That’s why he’s trying to found a local chapter of the Christian Motorcycle Association.

So far, there are 10 people interested in starting a chapter, which is the required minimum needed to start. Acosta said he’s hoping to find several more.

“We need to bring this to Jacksonville. It’s a great thing the CMA does,” Acosta said. “We’re a mission outreach. We bring the gospel of Christ to the biking community and the community itself.”

Acosta moved to Jacksonville in 2009 and while out on a ride, someone noticed his license plate — “PSLM 40” — and asked if he was a member of CMA. He said he had heard about the organization and went to a Springfield chapter meeting.

Soon after he became a full member, but he started thinking about establishing a chapter in his hometown.

“It’s been on my mind for a couple months now,” Acosta said. “I talked to my chapter and let them know this was something I really felt led to do. But really just the last couple weeks have we really gone after it.”

The CMA is an interdenominational and evangelical group open to born-again Christians.

The national organization holds rallies and conferences in each state but individual chapters spend most weekends riding and spreading the word.

“Just last week our chapter and three other chapters met in Decatur and had a bike blessing of 1,400 bikes,” Acosta said.

As road captain for the Springfield chapter, Acosta is responsible for planning the routes for trips. He said the group has traveled all around the state spreading the word about CMA or just doing good works.

But those starting the new Jacksonville chapter may bring new ideas to the table. Acosta said he’s still looking for a local church where the group can hold monthly meetings to talk about its goals.

“It’s kind of hard right now until we get together as a group ... to see what our direction needs to be,” Acosta said, “but I try to make our trips for Springfield not joy rides but actual missions.”

The chapter won’t be official until the group meets in the next couple of weeks with state and local representatives of CMA International. It will also have to formally elect officers.

After that, the work begins.

Acosta said the dubious reputation many motorcyclists have is by and large undeserved, but there are many the CMA hopes to share its message with.

“There’s a lot of lost motorcyclists out there,” Acosta said. “We had an ABATE show in Springfield and, you know, you had the Outlaws there and other groups there. They kind of respect our patch because we deal with them, we pray with them. And they’re just like you and me. They might be covered in tattoos, but they’re people. They’re pretty cool to talk to.”

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Information from: Jacksonville Journal-Courier, http://www.journal-courier.net