June 13, 2005
The Blessing of the Bikes has become an annual event at Murrysville Alliance Church in Murrysville, Pennsylvania. After nearly 100 attended the first Blessing in 1997, word spread that the Murrysville church is open to bikers, and every year more motorcyclists want to be included.
“Pastor Dan was hesitant to pray over an inanimate object at first,” says Carmen “Ragu” Enciso, who presented the idea to Rev. Daniel Lawrence. Along with two of his riding buddies, sporting road names Gasbag and Travelin’ John, Enciso showed the Murrysville pastor the value of holding such an event. “It’s really a blessing for the safety of the riders,” he says. “It’s a way to show the love of Christ and present the gospel.”
The Murrysville biker outreach has led many to Jesus, and the church’s attendance continues to grow. The 2005 Blessing of the Bikes drew 6,500 bikes with nearly 11,000 people. A local, nonbelieving radio personality who attended the first event astutely summed up the experience, “This is the closest a person could feel to first century Christianity.”