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Faith of a Skateboarder

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By Toni Frallicciardi
12/8/2007

When some think of skateboarders, they think of the 80s wave when skaters were portrayed as rebels and moms panicked when they realized that one of the most popular skaters at the time, Natas Kaupas, first name spelled “Satan” backwards.

With boards dripping with graphics ranging from a cross to a smiling devil, it is easy to see undertones of spiritual war in the sport. Let’s face it, to drop in on a 14 foot half pipe or ollie (jump) off a set of six stairs takes faith to believe that your board will be under your feet when you land.

Skateboarding has become a huge part of the youth culture today. You walk through the mall and see the influence it has had on fashion
Faith....How do we convey faith to a generation that has so much? Skate Ministry allows an opportunity to reach the youth in many ways. Let's face it. It takes a lot of faith to ollie off a stair case and think that your board will actually land under your feet. There are many lessons that we can relate to Christ in the most popular sport in the US Youth population today.
Tony Hawk has become a household name, and, XGames is the largest viewed sporting event in the 13 to 24 age range. Twenty percent of young people in the US alone skateboard. That’s over 15 million. To top that off, over 38 million more have expressed a desire to learn an “extreme sport.”

Youth today are being bombarded by temptation. We see the statistics on youth involved in sexual activity, drugs, alcohol, and crime. These rates are alarming. In fact, youth ages 12-17 who are frequently bored are 50% more likely than those not often bored to smoke, drink, get drunk, and use illegal drugs. As recess is being cut from schools, our youth are replacing physical play for MTV and MySpace. As the youth culture turns more to media for stimulation, the need to focus on relationship-building is evident and crucial.

So, how do we reach these youth? Jesus met people right where they were at and continues to do that today. As pastors begin to see this cultural shift, this need to reach our youth with culturally relevant ministry becomes apparent. To meet this need, skate ministries have beuan to pop up all over the world. Ministries like Skatechurch, Christian Skaters, Livin’ It, Untitled Skateboards, King of Kings, Boarders for Christ and Steelroots have stepped up to the plate to present the gospel in a way that reaches this culture. Skatechurch, the pioneer of skate ministry, was started over 18 years ago by two childhood friends, Paul Anderson and Clint Bidleman. Paul says, “Skating, drugs, alcohol, stealing wood to build skateboard ramps—it all went together. But at age 17, we both underwent a radical lifestyle change when we individually came to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord through the bold witness of obedient Christians. In 1987, we were 23-year-old sponsored amateur freestyle skaters while attending Bible College. Determined to follow the path Jesus had for us, we founded Skatechurch in the parking lot of Central Bible Church in Portland, Oregon.” Today over 7500 kids in the Portland area have heard the gospel through Skatechurch.

Christian Skaters was formed in 2004 by a few staff members at Ramp 48+ (a skate ministry of Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale) as a response to the need of a unified body of those involved in skate ministry. It also serves as a centralized location to equip others to reach skaters and its culture with the message of Christ. Joe Ferraro from Christian Skaters puts it this way, "Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost and there is a culture of kids we are trying to reach who are rotting and dying in their sins. As Christian skaters we want to be the salt of the earth, the preserving influence in the skate community and bring healing to the kids that hurt."

Livin’ It, Boards for Christ, and Steelroots reach the youth through demos, outreaches, and video, as well as, web, television and print media. Ben Cerullo describes it like this, “If asked to describe (extreme sports ministry) in one word, I would say: souls. Beyond skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, and youth culture, we are about introducing people to Jesus! Our desire is to provide opportunities for young people to have a life-changing encounter with their Creator. Steelroots has a passion to exalt Christ through action sports and communicate truth with excellence and love.”

Skate ministry opens the door to so many lessons. Skaters fellowship daily and build relationships, they takes steps of faith, learn to accept challenges, overcome obstacles and get up from a fall. There are a multitude of lessons that can be taught just by meeting them where they are at. Josh Kasper, a professional skateboarder that works with Livin' It, says, "There's a lot of possibilities with skateboarding being so involved with the youth culture. It's so exciting right now that when a lot of other things aren't working in youth groups and kids are losing interest and falling away - that's when skateboarding comes in. The kids will come to just hand out and skate with us for 15 or 20 minutesand then they'll listen to what we have to say. They trust us. John 10 talks about us being familiar with the voice of the shephard (Jesus), an we'll listen to that voice because we know it and trust it. Likewise, skaters will generally trust a skater, over someone who is unknown."

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Great article I really enjoyed it and would like to linkback to it on our blog. We are a skate ministry ourselves located in San Antonio Texas founded by Pastor Kit Tomlinson. If you get the chance take a look at what we are about and let me know if you have any ideas, comments or suggestions as we are always growing and changing. usk8usk8.blogspot.com

Robb 12:10:39pm on 10/21/2009

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Chech out skatelife.ca In the midst of a growing skateboarding industry and subculture, Skate Life is reaching out to young people in communities across Canada. A Christian mission loving teenagers in their world encouraging them to know Jesus Christ. There are many Skate Clubs around the Vancouver and the lower mainland. Check-out www.skatelife.ca for more info. Or link through http://web.me.com/skatecluboshawa

David 6:02:56pm on 2/15/2009

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so were is the skate park? im 13 and i live in CANADA BC VANCOUVER and it would be nice to go to skate indoors . i am christain and a strong beliver but a bad speller(: so if you can give me a number or an adress that would be great tank you god bless

dillan 8:10:19pm on 10/03/2008

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Hey, I from Vancouver, BC and I was wondering if they have anything like skate church up here..more specifically in the lower-main land. Thanks so much and God Bless! Cheers

Ellanna 1:07:10am on 7/04/2008

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I apologize for any mis-judgment, however look into the graphics on some of his older decks. This one called Devil Worshipper can be seen at http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u196/wheelbitedotcom/wi101blind/natas_devilworship_400.jpg Still, Natas ia a skater I have never met. Who knows how his life has been affected since those boards were made. All I do know for sure is that God loves him! Blessings, Toni

Toni Frallicciardi 8:04:36pm on 4/21/2008

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Just to clarify. Natas is of Lithuanian dissent. It is his real name. It has nothing to do with the devil. Be careful not to jump to judgment. I'm sure it was a sad time for Natas when the coincidence of his name's spelling was linked to the devil. Stay positive.

Steve 2:03:53pm on 3/24/2008

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