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Note: This is part two of a series of posts. To read the previous post, go here.

I thought it would be good to explain a few things before I actually dive into specific areas that I think these two groups could learn from each other. After all, when you use words like Church or Motorcycle Club (M.C.) you cover a lot of diverse areas. There are so many different ideas of what is meant by Church. The same is true when it comes to Motorcycle Clubs. So, let me take a few minutes and explain what I mean with both terms.

The Church

When it comes to Church, I am speaking of an institution that is made up of people who consider themselves followers of Jesus Christ. I am not talking about a specific denomination or style of worship. The Church is an incredibly diverse subculture. As such, it can be very difficult to define. Many critics of the Church argue that one of the primary problems of the Church is it’s lack of respect for various cultures. They argue that the Church strives to force people of different cultures into specific molds. Timothy Keller, in his book, The Reason For God, argues that nothing could be further from the truth.

Christianity … allegedly forces people from diverse cultures into a single iron mold. It is seen as an enemy of pluralism and multiculturalism. In reality, Christianity has been more adaptive of diverse cultures than secularism and many other worldviews….Christianity was first dominated by Jews and centered in Jerusalem. Later it was dominated by Hellenists and centered in the Mediterranean. Later the faith was received by the barbarians of Northern Europe and Christianity came to be dominated by western Europeans and then North Americans. Today most Christians in the world live in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Christianity soon will be centered in the southern and eastern hemispheres. (pp 40-41)

When I use the term Church it can be very difficult to generalize. How the Church functions in North America can be very different than in Asia or Latin America. So, let me be clear that since my experience with the Church is limited to Canadian Evangelicalism, I will be talking about the Church in that context. I’m sure that most of my criticisms and suggestions can fit nicely into any part of the North American Protestant Church, but I wont assume such.

Also, please note that when I use the lower case church, I am referring to a local body of Christ followers. For the most part, it will be Bikers’ Church that I am referring to. The Capital “C” Church is the larger context of the Global Church.

Motorcycle Clubs

In many ways, we face the same challenge when we talk about Motorcycle Clubs. After all, there are a lot of different types of motorcycle groups. There are Clubs, Associations, One Percenters, Affiliations, and groups that simply rally around a specific cause. In some cases, these groups have very little expectations or rules that dictate the behaviour and expectations of their adherents. Some have formal memberships, some do not. In some cases, it’s as simple as going to a website and ordering a “patch.” For other groups, membership takes years and requires a number of steps that the potential member must pass. Some groups have hundreds of members in one location, while others limit the size of each “chapter” to a few dozen at most. Even Wikipedia’s definition of a Motorcycle Club is unbelievably general: A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles. No kidding.

When I speak about Motorcycle Club, I am talking very specifically about those groups that follow a very clear set of rules and expectations. Generally speaking, these rules and expectations can be found in just about any group that has a three piece patch. Most of these clubs also have a small patch with the words M.C. on it. While all outlaw clubs (One Percenters) will follow these rules in some fashion, the rules are not limited to these clubs. There are many Christian clubs, family related clubs, sobriety clubs, law enforcement clubs, to name a few, that also follow the general rules of an M.C. As well, there are groups who choose not to use the M.C. label (Motorcycle Ministries (M.M.), for example) who often follow the same expectations. You can see the challenge one faces when endeavouring to write about Motorcycle Clubs.

While this may seem over simplified, I believe there are a general set of rules and expectations that one assumes have been met and are being followed when they see a biker wearing an M.C. patch. It is from this list of expectations that I will draw on some ideas that I think the Church could learn.

Misunderstood

Now that we’ve made that all clear as mud, let me talk about an area that both groups have in common. Both are very misunderstood by those outside of their groups.

I believe both groups are often misrepresented by the Media. Now, I’m not a “let’s blame everything on the media” type of guy, but the reality is, both groups are often thrown in with the “radicals” of their respective groups. Call it lazy reporting. Call it misinformed sources. Call it bias. Whatever the reason, the fact is that most of the time, M.C.s are labeled as gangs. In fact, often a Motorcycle Club is actually referred to as a Motorcycle Gang. I’ve seen Christian and Sobriety M.C.s referred to as “gangs.”

The reality is most M.C.s are made up of law-abiding people. In fact, many have zero tolerance for any type of illegal activity among club members. Are the members of some clubs actively involved in criminal activity? Sure. But they are the exception, not the norm. In fact, there’s a reason why some Clubs wear an additional patch with “1%er” on it. Most do not, and almost all of the ones that do not wear the “1%er” patch have zero interest in illegal activity. The debate of questionable behaviour within “1%er” Clubs is best left for another time. Although it’s an interesting debate to say the least.

At the same time, the Church is often labeled because of the behaviour of a few. The majority of Christ followers strongly believe that their role is to make a difference in the lives of their family, friends, and the people of their community. They’re not mean-spirited, judgmental, or bigoted. They don’t hate certain groups. They love God. They love Jesus. They strive to live a life that would represent Jesus to others. Yes, there is a small group of “fanatics” who do stupid things. They carry signs that speak of God’s hatred for certain groups. They justify their behaviour because they believe the end result is what truly matters, even if the behaviour is contrary to everything Jesus taught. However, I believe that this group is a very small group – perhaps the Church’s “1%ers.”

I love what Keller says about Christian fanatics in The Reason For God:

Think of people you consider fanatical. They’re overbearing, self-righteous, opinionated, insensitive, and harsh. Why? It’s not because they are too Christian but because they are not Christian enough. They are fanatically zealous and courageous, but they are not fanatically humble, sensitive, loving, empathetic, forgiving, or understanding – as Christ was….What strikes us as overly fanatical is actually a failure to be fully committed to Christ and his gospel.

How very true.

Reasons for the Misunderstanding

As I already said, I’m not a “blame everything on the media” kind of guy. I think there are a couple of other reasons why both these groups are so misunderstood by the general public. Motorcycle Clubs are designed to keep people at a distance. Let’s face it, grab a bunch of big guys with long hair and beards, dirty jeans, leather jackets and loud Harleys and you’re going to intimidate some people. And, for most Club members, that’s just fine with them. If someone is intimidated by you, they are less likely to bother you. Most club members like being left alone. They are part of a group because they’ve connected with others. They are quite happy just hanging with their brothers, and the less you bother them, the better. Bikers like having a bravado or machismo that keeps others at a distance.

I love the video of a well known Christian motorcycle group that shows a bunch of the members pulling over to help a lady in a broken down car. She’s sitting inside with the doors locked, refusing to unlock the door or roll down the window. The guys show her their patch which clearly identifies them as Christians, and yet she remains frightened. It’s no surprise if you were looking at the situation through her eyes! Even today, although I’m not a part of an M.C., if I’m riding in a pack of bikes, we intimidate those around us. Cars generally move over when they see ten or fifteen bikes pulling up behind them.

Most Motorcycle Clubs have little interest in changing this perception. They want to be seen as tough and intimidating. Yes, I’m speaking generally here, and there are a few exceptions. For the most part club members have little interest in changing this misunderstanding.

The misunderstanding that the Church faces is different. Most Christ followers do not want to be viewed in the same light as the fanatics. The challenge for them is how to change the public perception without coming across as self-serving. You see, a Christ follower focuses on doing things quietly, behind the scenes. Most are not wanting recognition for the good that they do. That’s not why they do it. Christ followers serve their communities because they believe God wants them to do just that. They don’t do it so that people will applaud them.

So, how does the Church change this public misunderstanding. To be honest, I don’t think they need to worry about it. I believe that when Christ followers focus their attention on loving their family, friends and neighbours, they will achieve more than any “media campaign” could ever do. I believe that Bikers’ Church has proven this. I have heard or read of many times when a biker in Ottawa has criticized Bikers’ Church by lumping us in with “all churches” only to be corrected by another member of the motorcycle community. Often, the person doing the correcting will say something like, “I’m not a part of Bikers’ Church, but they are good people and they are nothing like what you are describing.” I believe the more we do good within the motorcycle community, the less we’ll have to explain public misunderstandings about the church.

Alright, there you have it: one way that the Church and M.C.s are the same is the misunderstanding both experience within the general public. However, the reasons and response can be somewhat different.

Next time, I’ll start to focus in on some of the specific expectations that you find in an M.C. and what the Church could learn from them.

Feel free to share your comments.

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