February 2008

  From The President's Desk

There is always a certain amount of anticipation anytime a group changes leadership; let me share with you the collective vision we found together as a group at the winter rally this past month.

The men and women were able to attend all shared a common love for the CSBA and for Christ; this is why I participated and this is why they also gave up a weekend and spent the money to show up. The common ground we shared as a group of believers is that we believe the CSBA can be an effective witness. We also know that we can do a better job and still have a lot of fun in the process. If you read the accounts of the winter rally on the forum you will gather a much clearer understanding of the people who participated. In their own words they can portray their feelings far better than I can type out in a single paragraph in a monthly newsletter.  I would encourage you to check it out. It was a powerful weekend and the Holy Spirit was at work.

http://www.christiansportbike.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3103

Our goals to serve were common and what we needed to do was to find a way to put these into action. So that our visions would materialize, we needed to know what we could do as individuals to make it happen.

When I had the chance to speak to the group I had used the analogy of a gym membership. As men and women, we know that we should be in good physical shape; we also should know that we should be in good spiritual shape. We know that being in spiritual shape will help us confront and deal better with the bumpy road of life that we all travel.

The key to the gym in our case is the blood of Christ; it gives us admission to the gym and the CSBA. Christ’s sacrifice is what gives us the access to the tools that we need to get into shape. I feel that as a group the CSBA contains all of the necessary equipment, but that it was not always used to its potential. I think all too often that when a new member enters the door of our “club” they are left standing by themselves wondering: “what do I do next?” They mill around and they may or may not find a workout buddy… they may or may not find someone to help them with the equipment.

This is really evident when you look at our members and see that some, such as myself, were lucky enough to find workout partners.  My time in the CSBA has yielded me many close friends; it has yielded me some of the best times and moments of my life and has become an integral part of my spiritual life. The same simple dynamics that make me feel welcome are no different for you.  All of us know firsthand what it is like to be made to feel welcome in new church or made to feel welcome at work or in any social setting. By knowing this simple truth, it should not be a problem for us as a group to extend the hand of friendship and the love of Christ.

Here briefly, are some of the simple things we need to understand to be effective as a tool for the master craftsman who is Christ:

We need to be well founded and well versed in the Word; our Father gave us this letter, the Bible, so that we may better understand our spiritual relationship and His wishes for us. Getting into the Word is like using the equipment at the gym; you can talk about working out but it is the sweat and the hard work that will yield results.  Our spending time on the equipment is the only way to get stronger; it takes a steady routine and commitment to build muscle. This same type of dedication is needed in our spiritual life. I taught from Ephesians 6: 10-19 which describes the armor of God and how to use it. Our first step is for our leaders to be well grounded and versed in the Word.  It is the only way we can be effective in the spiritual realm. Our second step is to make a point to guide new members into the fold or even to take back members who have just slipped away from our fold. This is done simply by praying for each other, contacting each other and encouraging each other. It is very simple for us to invite others on rides; it is simple to put another’s interests and well-being above our own. When someone joins our group, it is often to fill a void in their life. It up to us to be intuitive enough to recognize their needs which are, after all, no different from ours.

What can you do to help and also reap the benefits of fellowship and a closer relationship with your Father?

Get yourself a workout buddy, someone you can pray with, someone you can be encouraged by and someone you can encourage.  If you aren’t already a workout buddy, offer yourself as a spiritual partner!  We all need that person that will tell us you can do one more rep even though it hurts and we think we are spent. This can be done only by reaching out. You cannot sit behind a computer screen and gain a meaningful relationship; it takes phone calls and personal contact. It is something you will achieve by being pro-active.

We as a group need to gather for more rides.  We need to reach out to our lost sport bike brothers and sisters and let them know that we exist, so that they can see the love of Christ and the hope of Salvation. We as a group have the key to inner peace, we have the key to everlasting life, and we should not hoard our treasure but share it.

As the new president, this is what I am looking for, this is what I am hoping to get from you;

We need men and women who make a point to welcome new members to the CSBA and to act as a sponsor for them; This means praying for them and inviting them on rides. It means more than just saying you belong to the same group, but that, for better or worse, you are their brother or sister.

We need leaders who are willing to put on rides; this means taking the time, finding a ride location and route, getting up the posters at the local bike shops and hangouts.  It means posting on the local forums and inviting everyone to show up.  It means sharing the Word with people you do not know, we have local chapter leaders who can help you in this area. If you are in an area where there is no local chapter both Art Lohman and I are available to share the Word. If you feel committed to putting on a ride but are not sure you can handle the teaching part, we can help.  We can also help you learn how to put together a short lesson that can be used while on the  road in this type of setting.

I have also given some prayer to this: if any chapter wants to host a riding school for a weekend ride, I will be available to teach, except when racing. Art is available to any leader who needs help in any way; he is a gifted and inspirational speaker whose gifts should not go unused.

 
We need our members to be part of the forum; this is our outreach. It is the first place people go when seeking Christ as sport bike riders. We have over 1,000 members, yet only about one third of them are registered on the forum-- less than half of that number are active on the forum, This is the place to share, it is the place to get fed, it is the place to feed and encourage others. Every member should be part of this. If you are un-comfortable in an online capacity it still means that you should be checking out the prayer section of the forum. Building common bonds is the first step. If you are an active chapter leader, please send me a note and let me know where your chapter stands. There are many people listed in our directory and unfortunately almost half of them, I do not know. Some are active some are not. If you feel you would like to put together rides and feel that you can be a leader in the CSBA please contact either Art or myself about getting started.
 

If you read this and feel that a lot of this may just be a little overwhelming and that you are just looking for a place to ride with your Christian brothers and sisters but cannot find that buddy to pray with, then please contact me.  A brother or sister should never have to stand idle, wondering what do next.

Your brother in Christ,
Bob Brown

Target Fixation

Pastor Art Lohman, CSBA Chaplain

Riding with a couple of buddies beneath the patchwork of shadows, falling on the gentle twisties, from the overhang of sprawling trees, it seems that every good thing is possible this sunny afternoon.  Staring at the back tires of da boyz out front, watching as each bike in turn drops into a deep lean to devour the sweepers…and suddenly, you're entering a turn too wide, speed's too high, there's not enough road to make the apex of the curve.  Most of us have already crashed at this point, even though the reality is, we could have made it.  But because our eyes locked onto the apex of that curve, or the guardrail, or even the oncoming pickup truck, we sentenced ourselves to a hard wad because our heart surrendered as we focused on failure…

Having heard repeatedly the warnings of instructors, racers and track officials, to avoid target fixation, and experienced one or two (or more), close calls on the road, I felt I was fully prepared to deal with this threat when I rolled onto the track.  Boy was I wrong!  Picking up the line of a fast bro coming into turn 3 at Shenandoah, I realized my own line was wrong for the speed I was hitting, and immediately the apex was there.  I determined my own point of impact when I locked onto that apex, trying to scrub off speed that I knew was not going to prevent the inevitable…Sky, dirt, sky, dirt…dirt.  Bruised body and broken bike, I learned another lesson about target fixation.   

It is this same target fixation in our walk as faithful followers of Christ that inhibits our witness, covers us in fear, and leaves our testimony wadded in the dirt.  Because we often focus on the failures of faith, both in others whose images and misdeeds are flashed throughout the media, and in our personal lives, where we have been insulted, ridiculed or felt inadequate to share our faith, then when we fixate on these things, the outcome is as sure as if our bikes have just crossed onto the shoulder and our eyes are ping pong ball wide, locked onto the ditch and road sign.   

Your identity is not found in the failures of others, nor can our shortcomings, trials and painful encounters with others during our growth in faith, be the factors that define who we presently are in Christ.  On the track we learn to "look through" the curves and our bikes will follow where our eyes are leading.  In our faith, it is Christ to whom we set our gaze upon, and our lives will follow His example through the most difficult of trials ending with us growing in His likeness.   

Throughout the Bible, we are repeatedly encouraged to "set our affection on things above, and not on things of the earth."  Why is this?  What's so wrong about earthly things and the people around us?  The fact remains that though men may have moments of greatness and accomplishment, we, like all the things of this world, are subject to temptation, selfish decisions and decay.  In fact God tells us that, "the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."  2 Cor 4:18. 

However, when we prayerfully fuse our own works, with an understanding of our identity and purpose in God as we grow in knowledge of Him through the Bible and encouragement from other faithful brothers, then, our lives can make an eternal impact in the lives of those around us.  Life's curves will still be challenges, but we will see through them and endure to the other side, because Christ endured all things for us--suffering in His physical flesh, abandoned and betrayed, even to His death at the hands of false accusers and unjust judges, willingly laying down His own life for us that we might be forgiven in God's sight.  With eternal hope when we die, along with peace and purpose while we yet exist in the flesh, look to Christ, for your identity is in Him!  Not in our failures or the failures of others.  When it is time to share your faith at CSBA, you are not declaring yourself, but the testimony of an imperfect, hungry soul, fed the Bread of Life and the perfection of God's love for all mankind. 

Blessings Bros and Sisters,

keep the CSBA in your prayers,

Art.

Brian Pilcher - Triad NC Chapter

I read this passage this morning and just thought it fit the current direction of our group. We need to keep building strong brothers and sisters to keep moving forward.  

Exodus 18:17-24

17 Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. 21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will

share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain and all these people will go home satisfied." 24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

Official CSBA

Business minutes

If you weren’t at the Winter Meeting, WOW!…. You really missed out!  However, we wanted to include everyone in the minutes of that meeting.  Some important changes took place as a result of the Board meeting and votes.  Changes included regular CSBA business as well as some minor Bylaws changes.  Bylaws changes are already posted on the CSBA national site.

January 19, 2008

Members present; Bob Brown, Scott Journigan, Pastor Art Lohman, Marvin Gurganus, Brian Pilcher, JonTreese, Brian Phillips, Bob Owens.  Also in attendance,  Pastor Dave Brown.

Board meeting minutes:

·    All new members will receive a patch as well as a sticker.  Also, he or she will receive a welcome letter from the president, vice president, and CSBA Chaplain.

·    The CSBA Chaplain will head up the discipleship of all new chapter leaders.  He will also assist where possible, the discipleship of any member in need.  All new members will be contacted by their chapter leader in an effort to continue discipleship.

·    It was brought up to promote easier access to pictures and easier posting of pictures on the CSBA national web site.  It is something we will be looking at to grant increased access to membership for the posting and hosting of membership and event photos.

·    The web site lacks some pizzazz.  It was agreed that it needs more, bigger,  better, etc, pictures, showing the “face” of the CSBA.  Members that have pictures of CSBA events are asked to contact the VP,  Scott Journigan and send him any pictures you may have so that they will be put on a member photo compilations disk and sent to the webmaster for inclusion on the national site.  As a result of the need for more “pizzazz” on the web site, we have purchased “Flash Templates” for ease of operation in changing our national site, and upgrading it so that we can make more visual enhancements to the web site.

·    It was also suggested that we have a virtual suggestion box.  That is something in the works at this time.

·    The free Bible Fund has been removed as a service of the CSBA.  In lieu of this, we , as an organization, will provide the CSBA Chaplain with bibles and other inspirational tools as necessary to promote the discipleship and outreach of the CSBA.

·    Dues have been changed from $20 per year, to $30 for a full member, and from $5, to $10 for an associate member.

·    The office of Servant has been renamed President.

·    A Board position of Foreign Missions has been added to the bylaws of the CSBA.

·    The primary office of the CSBA has been changed to 150 Mill St, Montour Falls, NY 14865.

Just a note…  Make sure you read through the bylaws and note the changes.  Some changes made affect board seats, leadership responsibilities, dues, bible fund, missions, etc.

If you would like something posted in the next newsletter, please let us know!  Send your entry to Bob.

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