Serve in Japan 6 Sep 2018, 12:30 pm

Did you know…. Japan has more skateboarders than people who have heard the Gospel?

Serving in Japan

Meet Edgar. For the year of 2018, Edgar choose to move from his home in Mexico City to serve in Japan. He has been laying the foundation for Skate ministry within Miyagi-ken. Working alongside Christian Skaters and Samaritan’s Purse he has been building relationships within the growing skateboarding community and sharing his faith in Love and Action. In December his time serving will be coming to an end.

Please pray:

1. Pray for Edgar to be encouraged during his last few month in Japan
2. That many may to come to know of their hope and future found in Jesus 
3. Edgar needs about $2500 to purchase his ticket back to Mexico City. Pray that the Lord may provide the funds to cover Edgar’s return flight home.
4. Pray for the Lord to bring the perfect person to replace Edgar as a missionary to the skateboarders of Japan.

Connect with Edgar and send him a message of encouragement this month 

ENCOURAGE EDGAR

Interested in serving in Japan in 2019? Christian Skaters is looking for a skater who loves the Lord and wants to see lives impacted through the Gospel. You must be willing to commit 6 months to one year in Japan. Missionaries must raise their own support, however, Christian Skaters will work alongside you to help. Click below to email us and get more info.

SERVE IN JAPAN

See why Christian Skaters attended the El Gato Classic 2018 2 Feb 2018, 2:56 pm

Why did a small Christian Skaters team head to the El Gato Classic? Our goal was to serve as chaplains and to build relationships within the Pro skateboarding community.

Christian Skaters is built 100% on relationships. We realize that within skate, relationships are everything. Over the years, we have been blessed to build friendships with pros, company owners, and an amazing global network of believers that share our vision. Although some of those in the industry may not share our faith, we value their contribution to skateboarding and their friendships.

We know that others may come to know Christ by how we serve and love others. For this reason, it is important for Christian Skaters to be a support to those in the skateboarding industry. And, Christian Skaters strives to be a bright light in the industry. We know that pro skateboarders have enormous pressure to satisfy their industry sponsors, bring them the spotlight, continue to fuel their careers, juggle family and faith, and to be role models for many. We want to be a resource whom they can turn to when they need prayer and encouragement.

The Team

This year’s trip was spontaneous and God ordained as four leaders from around the US and Central America joined us in Palm Springs, California. For years, the El Gato Classic has offered us the opportunity to be part of this event. With skate ministry finances always tight, obligations like jobs and family, etc. traveling to this event always seemed impossible. But, this year, God provided a way.

A phone call to our friends at the Bible Bowl in Santa Anna launched a skate mission to the desert. Soon we discovered that CS Costa Rica family and Skatechurch Steamboat would also be joining us.

God brought together four solid leaders who have invested much into skate ministry for a day of fellowship, service and more.

About the El Gato Classic

The El Gato Classic was started by pro skateboarder and pastor Eddie “El Gato” Elguera and his wife Dawn Elguera. Eddie lives locally in Palm Desert. He was an early innovator of vertical skateboarding throughout the late 70’s and 80’s. He was also a two-time world skateboard champion and named Skateboarder of the year in 1979 & 1980.

On top of that, Eddie invented several vert tricks including the “Elguerial” and the “Frontside Rock-n-Roll”. Eddie helped advance and inspire the next generation of skaters that became household names including Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, and Christian Hosoi and he is now investing in a new generation of believers.

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The Founding Fathers of Skateboarding

Events like El Gato’s have increased in popularity as new skaters are learning about and paying respect to the “founding fathers” of the sport. Because of this the Elgueras were inspired to create a unique event in the Coachella Valley, that catered to this new demographic and united skateboarders across all generations.

Within the faith community of Palm Springs, the Elgueras run the Rock church. Through this church, he and his wife have visited our CS Brasil family several times to encourage those serving within skate ministry. They have been a key part in helping to promote the Skate Bible project in Brasil.

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Our Mission

Our hope was to encourage those skateboarders who are believers and to continue to build relationships with those within the skate community. We also had the opportunity to spend time with CS leaders from different regions and riders in the California area who have held true to their faith.

Uli Frallicciardi, Christian Skaters founder, with the help of the Bible Bowl, traveled to California from Florida. Tony Del Rio made the trip all the way from Costa Rica. Buck Chavarria from Skatechurch Steamboat recently made the transition to live full-time in California. He and local skate legend and owner of the famous Bible Bowl, Dave Kindstrand, made the trip from neighboring areas in California.

Each had opportunities to get to know one another better and spend time with those who have influenced the face of skateboarding. Legends like Steve Caballero, Lance Mountain, Mike McGill, Tony Hawk, Christian Hosoi and many others.

 

 

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Art and Music at El Gato Classic

Art, music and skateboarding have always had a symbiotic relationship. From the art that graces the decks skaters ride to the music that pumps up their adrenaline, they are the trifecta that makes up the community.

This year, the El Gato classic hosted several, artist, bands, and creative outlets. William Sharp’s  was on site with his new book “Back In The Day”. The book features hundreds of Sharps photos from the early pioneering era of skateboarding.

KC Armstrong is a photographer that creates stylized images of athletes and celebrities. KC displayed an amazing showcase of portraits of skateboarding legends that he has photographed over the last few years.

L.A. Artist Robert Vargas has played a vital role in revitalizing the Downtown LA art scene. He can often be seen on the street drawing huge portraits that draw crowds to watch. Robert joined the El Gato Classic to display his portraits of skateboarding legends. Many enjoyed the spontaneous live art collab with Vargas & Pops Hosoi.

 

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Music included bands like One Less Zero with skateboarder Allen Losi on guitar. His Eyes Have Fangs also performed with legendary skateboarder Tony Alva.

Skateboarders also inspired others at the El Gato lV Legends Talk with incredible stories & insights from heavyweights in skateboarding.

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What is Skate Chaplaincy?

A skate chaplain provides pastoral care for skateboarders and the broader skate community including the pros, ams, industry leaders, judges, coaches, event administrators and their families. Chaplains to sports communities have existed since the middle of the 20th century and have significantly grown in the past 20 years. Our goal is to have at least one chaplain at ever pro and major am skate event by 2020. You can help! Join us as a monthly ministry partner by giving just $10 a month or more. Start a local skate ministry or consider serving as a CS advocate or team member. (Contact us for more information)

 

Help Christian Skaters Continue to Be a Presence

at Pro Events Through Chaplaincy

DONATE NOW

Daily Skate Scripture 1-21-18 21 Jan 2018, 3:41 pm

Isn’t it incredible how huge trees grow out of tiny seeds! This principle runs throughout all of life. We can never completely get away from the seeds we sow. So let’s don’t try to fool ourselves while we’re trying to do a “snow job” on God. Let’s make sure the seeds we sow are the ones we want sprouting up! (Skater @dallasgodfrey @endurancebrand #tulsa #oklanhoma #skateboarding #skateministry #skateboarding #dailyskatescripture #GodsWord #reapwhatyousow #skatechurch #devo #christianskaters #csfamily )

Daily Skate Scripture 1-20-18 21 Jan 2018, 1:32 am

“Hang in there!” There are few traits more important than perseverance. Most important accomplishments in life happen because of perseverance. Most “luck” occurs when we’ve persevered long enough for the “magical moment” to come along. Edison said it best: life’s greatest feats, the world’s greatest discoveries, his own most fantastic inventions are “1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” “Hang in there!” and see the glory of God come through in you, not because of luck, but because of God’s grace, love, and Providence! @megabiskate of Kuchu

5 Reasons Why An Indoor Skate Park Is Not The Way To Start a Skate Ministry 20 Jan 2018, 4:15 pm

Original Post: JSAW International

Anyone who wants to start a skate ministry dreams of opening a big beautiful Street League style skate park in a massive facility. We usually try to convince them not to. When JSAW started out we had big dreams, so we built a 9,000 square foot skate park in a 20,000 square foot building that cost over $10,000 a month in rent. We had concessions, a skateboard shop, multipurpose basketball court, dance studio, offices and one of the largest indoor skate parks in the Midwest. Every week we held Bible study and saw thousands of kids come through our doors. Two years in, we were over $150,000 in debt and had to close the doors.

Everyone starts with good intentions: to see skateboarders come to Jesus. Unfortunately opening, maintaining and operating a facility like an indoor skate park has very little to do with those dreams of seeing kids come to Jesus. It has a lot more to do with being a small business owner, entrepreneur, marketing expert, 24/7 fundraiser, and workaholic who is financially broke. After 10 years of experience with this we have come up with 5 reasons opening an indoor skate park is a bad way to start a skate ministry:

1) The cost of a facility to house a skate park is extremely high because it needs a lot of open floor space and high ceilings. This type of property is most commonly found in an industrial park which is a terrible location for marketing, retail and developing any regular foot traffic.

2) The clientele are mostly 13-18 year old kids spending mom and dad’s money. If you’re intention is outreach, your favorite demographic tends to be the lost, broken, needy, poor, and outcast. Which it should be as Christ commanded us. However they definitely will not pay the bills of your giant indoor skate park. It is extremely difficult to generate enough revenue from selling candy, RedBull, skateboards and park admissions to a bunch rambunctious kids who are always hunting for a ‘bro deal’.

3) Indoor skate parks are seasonal. When the weather is nice an indoor skate park is the last place kids want to be. Skateboarding was born outside in the sunshine, back yard pools and on the streets down town. To survive the summer months indoor parks rely on intensive programming and events to keep kids coming indoors. Skate camps, demo’s and contests every week all summer long.

4) The competition is fierce. Here in the US the Tony Hawk Foundation, American Ramp Company, California Skate Parks, Spaun Ranch and others went on a mission to build thousands of free, easily accessible outdoor skate parks across the nation. Not to mention the sidewalk, parking garage, library and schools that provide plenty of opportunities for street skating. Then there is the local skate shop, which likely has a huge cult-like following of loyal die-hard skaters. There’s also the local bike shop, Walmart, REI, Zumiez, Tilly’s, and others that sell skateboards and don’t forget about Amazon, CCS, and the million other online retailers that can blow your prices out of the water.

5) Fundraising and grants are hard to come by and are not sustainable sources of income. There is no such thing as a grant for skateboarding and Jesus. Trust me I have looked. Donors will give, but let’s be honest they are much more interested in clean water, child poverty, Aids and breast cancer. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, those are amazing causes that need our dollars. Nevertheless fundraising is tough and will eat up at least 25-50% of your time.

Starting a skate park in order to launch a skate ministry is a terrible idea. It quickly becomes more about staffing a youth center, fundraising and marketing programs then skating and sharing Jesus with kids. The point is don’t try to start a ministry by opening an indoor skate park. Rather, open a skate park because the ministry you started has grown so much that a facility is needed. There are many ministries who have been successful like Ramp48, Steamboat SkateChurch, The Center and the original SkateChurch in Portland. They all began as a ministry and grew into a facility with an indoor skate park when it became necessary.

JSAW launched Help Board Shop after 9 years of ministry because we needed a place for our programs, our staff needed offices and our donors wanted us to have a home base. We are thankful for what we have been given, but our ministry is not dependent on the facility. Our intention is to challenge your thinking. Are you being called to share Jesus with skaters or are you being called to start a skate park and/or a shop?

There’s a big difference between the two. Skaters need a healthy relationship with someone who cares about them and spends time with them. Most of all they need a relationship with Jesus Christ. Building a skate park is not the way to accomplish that, but here are 3 simple ways to start an action sports ministry in your community.

3 Simple Ways to Start a Skate Ministry 15 Jan 2018, 4:25 pm

Original Post: JSAW International – With over 22 million riders and an industry producing 12.2 billion dollars a year, action sports is definitely here to stay. Skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, and other action sports have become trend setting definitions of youth culture worldwide. Yes, worldwide! From Ethiopia to Japan to Peru and everything in between. There are under 200 action sports ministries in the world working to see the culture transformed by and for Christ. Action sports ministries are in dire need of more people to help with this gigantic goal. But before you run off to start a non-profit organization or skate ministry and start reaching the masses, try one of these three simple ways to start a local skate ministry:

1. Take some photos or film a some clips. Skateboarders love attention. They like to show off and have a fan. Show up at the skate park with a decent camera and you will make friends really quick. If you are willing to serve and be the ‘camera dude’ trust will form into relationships which will form into opportunities to share the gospel with every rider you focus your lens on.
2. Feed them pizza. After a good session, skaters are hungry. After shredding the fresh powder and the rail yard all day invite everyone out to eat or better yet, just have it delivered to the chalet parking lot. Don’t forget water to replenish. Food brings people together and what a better way to show the love of Jesus than to provide for a strangers basic need for food and water.
3. Bring stickers to give away. Its funny but true. We all still like stickers for our board. Some nice die-cut stickers or even a simple crack-and-peel from the local shop can start a conversation that leads to new life. Just be sure the stickers are not too cheesy and don’t leave a mess on the beach.

To be real it is just about building relationships in your riding community. You don’t need a logo, a brand, a shop, a park or even the coolest tricks. Do everything to the best of your ability. Make it a priority to be an authentic person, who is willing to serve people in practical ways and have a relentless faith in Christ. Go try it this week, we dare you!

UNTITLED SKATEBOARDS DEVOTIONAL 2 Jan 2018, 1:58 am

Start off 2018 right. Download Untitled Skateboard’s 30 day devotional. It is designed to help skaters and youth understand some basic biblical principles and walk them through what it means to give their life to Christ.

Each devotion has scripture and is written by one of the skaters on the team. The devotional is also filled with skate photos from Untitled’s amateur and pro skaters.

DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY!

Skate Mission Colombia 31 Mar 2016, 12:33 am

Skate Mission Colombia

It has been a week since our team returned from Cartagena and we are still on a spiritual high from all the amazing things God did and continues to do there. We had a short two weeks to raise funding for the trip and the ramp materials, but God provided. He also allowed leaders from Bogota and Venezuela to make the trip allowing us to also put together a great leadership training during our time there.

The team included three leaders from Florida, three from Bogota, one from Venezuela and a handful of locals who all shared a desire to see the skaters of Cartagena transformed by the Gospel. Building on a roof in Cartagena was….well….HOT! Materials has to be brought up three flights of metal outdoor stairs. On the second day, the team ran out of wood and none of the local stores had anymore supplies in stock. We prayed and God provided needed rest and the needed materials.

They were able to host a Bible study at a local skatepark and train the leaders on the basics of sharing God’s Word in their local skate communities. On the weekend, the team hosted the first contest at the new skatepark. Hundreds of skaters came to be part of the event and heard the Gospel. Sunday, the team attended church and many of the skaters from the event joined them. Later that day, CS founder, Ulises Frallicciardi; Pastor Santiago from Calvary Chapel Cartagena; and CS Cartagena Leader, Tim Mallory; took time to invest in leaders from Cartagena, Bogota, and Venezuela. The next few days were spent finishing up the roof mini-ramp located on the roof of the church as a effort to continue to bridge a skate community and the church.

We thank each of you who helped make this skate mission possible through helping build, praying, supporting us, or sending donations of boards and prizes. The team and skaters of Cartagena where truly blessed. And, we are already seeing the fruit! Reports of the church being filled with skaters for Easter service were well worth the effort. We received so many messages of skaters whose lives were changed by the truth of the Gospel during the week. God is moving and we are excited to continue to see the impact Christian Skaters has in this region.

Reaching Skaters in Cartagena, Colombia 9 Mar 2016, 7:29 pm

Next Thursday, Ulises Frallicciardi and Zion are heading down to Cartagena. They still need to raise several hundred dollars to cover the cost of this trip where they will be coming alongside leaders of Christian Skaters Cartagena and Bogotá to host this event. While there they will also be investing in leaders, talking to church leadership in the area and doing various outreaches around Cartagena.

Tickets are $260 a piece. They have an on-ground cost of $25 per person, per day for food and accommodations. They will need a total of $750 to make this trip possible.

Would you pray for God to use the team mightily? Pray for the Lord’s provision. Pray for safe travels. Pray for may opportunities to build relationships and share the Gospel. Pray that the team might be used to encourage the local leaders and equip them in this new season of ministry.

To contribute to this trip, head over to our donation page.

Brotherhood 9 Mar 2016, 5:04 am

Skateboarding is a worldwide brotherhood that’s full of diversity. We, the Calling All Skaters Barcelona crew, represent many nations, ages, and skateboarding styles. We’re also part of the worldwide brotherhood called the body of Christ and we play an important role within that body. Our part is to represent Jesus and demonstrate his love within the skateboarding culture. Skateboarders are our people, we love them and we’re stoked that Jesus loves them even more than we do. Who are your people? The body of Christ needs you.

Filmed / edited / directed by TJ Tomayo @switchstance_sm @callingallskatersofficial