We were so privileged yesterday to participate in the Blessing of the Bikers event held this year at Victory Biker Church in Lennon, Michigan! My husband’s band, Lively Pelts, was among several Christian Rock Bands invited to share in this amazing venture. Also attending were Second Day Story, The Savior’s Army (TSA), and the church’s house band, Anchored in Christ. That church band can sure rock! The lead guitarist/singer, “Crow”, is also the church’s worship leader–wow.
Lively Pelts, Marty–Lead Guitar & Vocals, Roy–Drums, & Michael–Bass & Vocals: 6-17-17
This day also featured a special guest preacher, The Machine Gun Preacher. This is the real man upon which the movie by that same name is based–he actually said that there is a movie sequel in production that should be out in a year or so. Machine Gun Preacher shared some of the moving stories based on his intensive involvement in all types of ministries in Africa, where he lives and works full time. He appears to be doing serious kingdom work over there and his ministry is well worth investing in.
Machine Gun Preacher at Blessing of the Bikers, Victory Biker Church, 6-17-17
Check out his website here: http://www.MachineGunPreacher.org/
Victory Biker Church seems like quite a unique place for real world fellowship and teaching. They obviously cater to bikers but were very warm and welcoming to us band families too. There were people of all ages and races present and they really exhibited a Family of God atmosphere and a come as you are mindset. This seems to be a church where The Rubber Meets The Road–Literally! Please feel free to stop by and visit them if you are ever in the region of Flint, Michigan on a Sunday–you are sure to be blessed!
Poster for Blessing of the Bikers, from VictoryBibleChurch.org
Following the concerts the Bikers were going on a Hundred Mile ride, fanning out across Michigan to share their faith in Christ along the road. This was a day for real ministry to the real world by real people, many of whom have a background of brokenness, but have surrendered their hurts, habits, hangups, and history to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and He is using them mightily! How many of us can truly say that about our own walks with the Lord if we are being completely honest?
Poster for Machine Gun Preacher, from VictoryBikerChurch.org
There were quite a few trials the band faced in participating in this event from power outages, technical difficulties, & even near collapse from heat exhaustion. In fact, when “Crow” took the stage just after the Pelts set, he declared “It’s hotter than hell-fire up here!” That was no exaggeration…so the guys really had to press through on multiple fronts. However, this was a venue and event that bore tangible fruit in the Kingdom of God, & we were so blessed to be there & to be part of at least Four New Souls coming into the Kingdom by accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord & Savior! Thank you, Lord, that your Love is not limited to one type of person but is poured out freely to us all!!!
Blessings,
Valerie
A version of this quote below adorned the men’s room wall at the Biker Church and my husband enjoyed reading the quote aloud to various family members Sunday. In honor of Father’s Day, and manliness, this perspective seems extremely apropos!
from a Bing.com image search for “what a ride quote”
PS please check out Michael’s band’s Reverb Nation page…or find them on Facebook…
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I love that “Life should not be…” eat sleep drive poster, gives me another idea for a post, if I haven’t done it already. I’ll have to dig in my past posts and see. I’m surprised I haven’t heard of the machine gun preacher, but maybe I have as those things are not extreme to me as I know our Loving Savior uses all sorts of avenues to bring his creation to Him. It makes me wonder how much Jerry Seville and Jesse Duplantis and yes even Kenneth Copeland interact with them as they are suppose to love that type of bike riding?
I’m going to come back later and listen to the music, as I’m the only one awake so far in the house and that music must be listened to at a certain volume, which I don’t feel I have the freedom and liberty to do at the moment. lol.
All those guys are handsome in the Lively Pelts photo. I’ve always liked the 80’s rock long hear on guys. Which is ironic when it comes to my husband as he keeps his head shaved, so I married a bald man. I guess bald is beautiful too as the saying goes, but I much prefer the long, long hair. Maybe the next time around if I get to do that. (oops, did I say that out loud – lol)🤫
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I love the concept in that poster too! It’s a great way to look at living life to the fullest, God willing 🙂
In the hair arena in Michael’s second band, Harken, the drummer was an ’80’s hair kind of guy. I think he wished he could have been playing in the spandex era LOL He had previously been in some secular band & told us of being on stage with a guitarist in “butt chaps” whose naked, sweaty butt was on full display in front of him while he was pounding those drums–yikes! Now Dave is playing in a Poison tribute band & playing for pretty big audiences, to hear Michael tell of it 😉 Dave is on the right in this pic from Harken days 🙂
https://gab.com/ValerieCurren/posts/110871738859700848
I gabbed that info out so am putting the link here in case it generates any interesting conversation on Gab 🙂
I really enjoyed the Pelts’ music. I wish that the Reverb Nation recordings featured my husband playing but it was a prior bassist in them. However the bass lines were similar as the Pelts usually wanted M to stay in prescribed lanes. The bass tones might be a bit different though depending on settings & brands. Back when M was in the Pelts he often practiced to those recordings so the sounds really take me back!
Michael’s first band was Binding Faith. Their entire CD was also put on Reverb Nation so that’s a treat for us to listen to too! Michael helped write lyrics for some of these songs & also fleshed out his own bass lines. He collaborated on the creation of some of the music, but most of it existed when he joined the band. There is a possibility that these guys will put together a reunion tour “soon”–Can’t wait!!!
https://www.reverbnation.com/bindingfaith/videos
That video for Binding Faith was recorded at a church during a local community festival in Metro Detroit. Good times! The drummer has been in several bands with Michael, including the most recent one that’s currently on Summer Break. This band, not officially named yet, features our oldest son as lead singer. We didn’t know he could really sing until he shared this contest video with us (filmed in our neighborhood & featuring Michael’s car jack LOL):
Here’s Michael’s most recent band, that played out ❤
& where I gabbed the info out too, for archiving purposes:
https://gab.com/ValerieCurren/posts/110871804034833120
& here's a Gab on the Lively Pelts, for archive purposes
https://gab.com/ValerieCurren/posts/110871820995785158
So I need to get more sleep but am having too much fun playing in the past LOL & you don't even have to pull this comment out of moderation 😉 😉
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Yeah, I don’t understand why some comments need approving and others don’t, whatever. I do know to check now, so they usually don’t stay in the pending area very long. Still haven’t been able to listen to the music. Everyone is up, so no excuse now, other than I will need to go to the grocery store soon.
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I think part of the approval process is if someone has never commented on your blog, or if it’s been a while. Also if they include links, & I think in your blog settings you can specify how many links will require approval. One blog I participate on allows up to 8 (8 is great) links before needing approval. This blog vigorously vets people who are allowed to comment so once you’re in, unless you get banned, which has happened to a few people who showed themselves to be trolls over time, comments w/ 8 or less links in them are auto approved.
Hey no rush on the music, I was just passing stuff along, not trying to clog up your day or life. Hope your shopping excursion is decent–I go into sticker shock if I ever enter a store! 😡
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