Evolution of Patches

In the beginning God placed in my heart the desire to minister and teach those who did not fit into the church scene. Even though the Jesus movement was happening, I noticed that at many churches that the biker was not fitting in. Some places the church folks ignored them and some even deliberately made them feel unwelcome. When I would talk with them I would hear things like, "I stop going because they don't want me there," or "I'm going to quit going to church because I cant make any friends," or "I don't feel at home." I started praying about starting something where the biker could come and feel at home and get taught the Word of God. Even the church I was attending at the time and was bringing other bikers to told me the bikers were my ministry and not really the churches because they didn't know how to communicate with them and it was my thing anyway.

So that clinched it. I actively started working on studies in the Christian basics or fundamentals if you will, to prepare for teaching and welcoming those who did not fit in anywhere else. 

In the Spring of 1980 I met (4) brothers, (Richie, Ted, Scott, and Larry) on a couple of construction projects who rode and were looking for a church to attend. They were bikers that I had been praying about. They were having a hard time fitting in. They actually had a large church that they were going to for a while. They decided one Sunday they would ride to church, then head to "The Rock Store" closed the doors in their faces. Then they found a little church would let them in, but the pastor kept directing comments towards them in his sermons about long hair, beards, and looking like a Christian, etc.

So by the time I met them they were not open to churches. I told them that I was a Pastor and they asked if I would come to their homes and teach. So I would go out to Santa Monica once a week and teach. 

Over the course of about a year, we had talked about starting a club, but first we though why re-invent the wheel? We tried hooking up with Christian groups that rode. 

There were three groups back then. Once that I had seen at a Christian concert but found out that they fell by the wayside. The other two were CMA (Christian Motorcycle Association) and ICBA (International Christian Biker Association.)

The CMA group shunned us when we showed up to a couple of their runs on Harley's and not Honda's. The leader at the time was more into getting membership money. 

The ICBA was out of Canada and very Pentecostal. Their services were a little over the top and very unruly. Not something we were into. 

Some of you remember the early years of Arroyo Grande? I remember having many late night talks about the gifts of the spirit with a lot of people until the wee hours of the morning those first few years of Arroyo. Quite a few of the others that attended the run asked if we would come back and teach the Word. So we did. This became the "Son Run" sponsored by a group of independent brothers and sisters from Northern California. Still miss those folks and that run. 

Anyway, back to before all this, by the early summer of 1981 I picked up my 36' knucklehead and by the end of that summer with the help of the brothers, I rolled out a freshly painted and repaired 36' knuck, and also we rolled out our first patch, "Riding For The Son" with a center piece of a wheel with wings coming out from the axel. (I may still have one packed away somewhere) 

We took the patch to a few local outlaw groups out of respect to let them know who we were and what we were about and why the three piece patch. Some were resistant at first but when I pointed out that Jesus was the ultimate outlaw in that everyone whether church or government wanted him dead for telling the truth, they agreed and we shook hands and went out way. I told the guys, no matter what, we must set the example of Christian behavior and balance in all we do from this point on. maintaining a consistent witness and biblical teaching is what set CMC apart from a lot of the early Christian Clubs. I would get comments from the outlaws that they noticed we didn't inappropriate at their runs. "Your guys didn't hang around for the wet t-shirt contest," or "they weren't drinking and doping" things like this. Because of consistency, many would receive tracts and bibles from us and tell us "you guys are real." Some at their runs came to us for advice about how to change their lives. 

Anyways, back again the sequence of early days. After a few months we heard about a group called "The Wheelers" that had been around for some time, We found out that our design was very similar to theirs right down to their colors. Out of respect, we changed the center piece so as not to be confused with them and to be unique in our own right with the present CMC center piece. We also changed the color of the rockers to a light brown with dark brown letters. That's why the early "CMC" patch had the original "Riding For The Son" rockers with the CMC Center piece. 

By the summer of 1982, every other Christian group was either calling themselves by our name or using our rocker as their slogan. many of them were out there, so we decided to end any confusion of association by coming up with a new set of rockers which is the present CMC patch configuration and colors. We rolled this patch out late 1982 early 1983 after once again letting other groups know of the change. The LAPD Biker Detail called and wanted to meet us and to take pictures of the group and the patch. Richie and Ted went with me to meet them. So Somewhere in the LAPD outlaw records are photos of the three of us. They showed us their multiple three ring binders of motorcycle clubs in California. After looking at all the other clubs, we also found that no one had dark brown letters on light brown rockers, so it was a good choice. We kept the CMC center piece even though the detectives thought it would cause trouble, seeing it was and wing and motorcycle logo. We explained the wings are our interpretation of archangel wings and the motorcycle is actually the letters CMC formed into a motorcycle.  

IT'S NOT EASY PATCHIN' UP

All the while we were at the Orange County Bike Swap Meet and we had quite a few interested in what we were about. By 1983 we were finally patched, recognized by law enforcement and accepted by the local outlaw groups. From 1983 to 1986 we started teaching systematically through the books of the Bible, with a focus on context and knowing the definitions of the Greek and Hebrew used to translate our English Bibles, and we watched many grow. Some moved on to their own ministries which is awesome to me. 

Some of you may remember Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa letting us use one of their rooms to meet once a week. We met quite a few doing this study. How about the Marines from Camp Pendleton? Even had one of them who used to hitch hike to the studies. (Talk about committed!) He finally got a bike and saved money on shoes. While at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, one evening a few folks who wandered into our room looking sorta freaked out and leaving pretty quickly. Later Pastor Romaine told us they got the room numbers confused and were looking for the group that helps those with "Agoraphobia." To quote Larry the Cable Guy, "I don't care who you are, that's funny."

How about the Monday prayer meetings at Lee and Cindy's house? Where we would gather and some would pray in tongues, "no wait, that was snoring." Oh yeah, sorry for the mess Cindy. Anyway, there are too many of you to list much less all those we ministered to and ministered with. 

There has been a lot of ministry with memories, a lot of family with ups and downs, swap meets, the gun runs, our toy runs, the "In One Accord" meetings etc. The many studies which I did enjoy teaching you all even though there was some whining about it. Maybe some remember the "What does the Bible Say'" We used to do this on any subject that came up for discussion. It was to promote the idea of no "opinions" like "I think this means this," or "I believe this," with out any biblical basis, and we would not accept things without biblical backup. I believe this helped many to be able to read and study the bible and understand what it really says and not just have an opinion. 

In 1986 we incorporated CMC which morphed into a church around 1988 and a corporate name change to Calvary Chapel Mid-Cities. So, now we had CCMC and CMC under one ministry. From 1986 to 2000, the Lord allowed us to minister in all of the LA County jail systems: San Quentin State, Atascadero State, and all of LA County Juvenile Detention Centers. We also put on a Toy Run which was very helpful to smaller organizations needing toys for their ministries and so much more that I can't remember all the ministry we were allowed to do. 

One thing that was always a major blessing to me was that CMC and CCMC didn't need to be hero's, We would come along side other groups to assist in whatever what we could. If we did take the lead on something, we always had the doors open for others to come along side us. 

By the spring of 2022, we disbanded the corporation and went back to CMC for many different reasons, but there is still a core group meeting one Saturday a month. I personally believe that because CMC's influence, many were given a solid foundation and living examples of Christ to follow which encouraged some to start biker ministries all over. We all may have fond and not so fond memories of CMC, but the reality is we're a family of misfits who sis not fit in that were and still are ministering to others who so not fit in. So please, don't forget that CMC history, the good, the bad, and the ugly as it may be. 

Many of you reading this were and are part of CMC's and CCMC's history. The Lord always allowed us to have a strong core group which greatly helped in sustaining the ministry and re-enforcing biblical principles whether many or few were with us. 

You may not realize how your example has affected many souls over these many years by being consistent and staying biblical in word and deed. Personally, I know I am amazed and bless when i hear from someone or am told by someone that this person or that person was influenced by CMC and CCMC. Thank you Lord for letting us be a good influence and even after 34 years. 

So my encouragement no after all these years in to "keep on keeping on" and remember you may not see me, but I'm still around watching and praying. 

Live for Jesus, Ride Forever

Stan Denning

Founding Member