Skatechurch is Invading Canada

I’ve been getting a lot of phone calls this week from skater’s moms. We put my cell phone number on the Canada trip information sheet for the purpose of financial questions. But not surprisingly parent’s questions have less to do with money. This year, we’re taking jr-highers as young as 11 years old. Although the trip is very well supervised I imagine is scary sending your kid across the boarder with a bunch of skaters.



The guys we’re taking have faithfully been attending Bible Study. This is something they look forward to and work hard for all year. It’s a great opportunity for discipleship and mayhem. There’s the imminent food fight with the vans in line at the boarder crossing, gallon challenge (gallon of milk in an hour, never completed successfully, always attempted around garbage cans), 2am wakeup with ice cream sandwiches in the face, that looming potential trip to the ER (7 stitches in the lip last year). I’m not even allowed in two 15-passenger vans that the skaters are riding in. For good reason I’m told.



18 student skaters,12 staff, 5 vehicles, 10 skate parks, 3 water parks, leaving Monday Aug 25, returning Aug 29 Lord willing.



Pray for an easy boarder crossing both ways, no injuries, deep Bible studies, rest for the staff, and skater hearts on fire for Christ.

Argentinean for Jesus, Portland, and Skater Hooligans

When evangelist Luis Palau heard God’s call to reach a younger generation, he went to his good friend Paul Anderson. Paul who is the founder and director of Skatechurch, partnered with Luis to create Livin’ It, a ministry using extreme sports to share the Gospel with youth.

This weekend is CityFest, a festival which is expected to attract thousands to the Portland Waterfront. The Livin’ It stage is featuring Christian Hosoi, Anthony Carney, Vic Murphy, and Kyle Loza. Sure to attract a crowd. Paul will also be sharing the Gospel a couple times through the weekend. I’ve been busy recruiting volunteers for the past month. Right now a team from Skatechurch is downtown setting up ramps for the skate and BMX demos. I’ll be helping in the greenroom most of the weekend and am anxious to get down there.

Pray that God would do a mighty work on the hearts of those attending. Pray for no injuries and most of all that He would be glorified.

Working Rebellious Soil

Last Tuesday at the High School session there were 2 new kids, LB and ZB. They were a problem from the very beginning. They lied to 3 different staff about being under 16 to get out of wearing helmets. When it was time for the talk they hid in the foam pit and it took 5 minutes to get them to come out and listen to the Gospel. When Dave finally got them to sit down they purposely coughed loudly the whole time. After the talk, Dave took them outside and spoke with them for a while showing grace by letting them stay for the rest of the session. At the end when the lights went out, they kept skating and staff guys had to physically get in their way to make them stop. Later when we looked over their forms we found that their mother had lied as well about being the birth parent for both (legally we have to have a birth-parent signature). And today I continue to rejoice.

I know it sounds like a lame story but it’s actually super encouraging to me. God brought LB and ZB to Skatechurch last week for His purpose. Though they didn’t respond, they heard the Gospel. They talked with multiple staff, were corrected, disciplined, and shown grace by Dave. I don’t know what the Lord is doing but I’m excited they were here. Among the Christ-following skaters, so many of their stories began like this. The guys live in Ashland so they may not ever come back. Whatever part Skatechurch had, working the soil or planting seeds maybe, it’s a privilege. Pray that God would continue the good work He began.

Skatechurch History and Vision

One More Skater Lifting Hands to Jesus

A few months ago, a couple was walking near the warehouse during a skate session. They came inside to see what was going on. I talked with them for a long time and explained who we are. The next week they came back with their 15-year-old son CW. At first, it looked like he was another punk with blue hair and one word responses. However, after a few weeks it was clear God was softening his heart. He once spent almost an hour of his skating time sitting next to me talking… skaters don’t usually do that. He shared with another staff guy that he used to attend a church and became very close to a youth pastor there. When that pastor committed adultery, CW became disgusted with Christianity and resolved to have nothing to do with it again.

Last Tuesday, Scott shared his testimony. Scott heard the Gospel for the first time as a Jr Higher at Skatechurch. God perused him relentlessly for years after that through bunk-mates in the Army, strangers in classes, and Skatechurch staff who called him even after he left. Through drug-rehab, drunken parties, and all sorts of rebellion, God’s voice was grabbing at Scott to come to Him. Finally Scott gave up the fight and ran headlong into the arms of the Savior.

At the end of Scott’s talk, he gave an invitation to do the same. He left 45 seconds of awkward silence before CW boldly stood up and walked to the front.

I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling since. I’m so psyched! The Lord accomplished something amazing! CW and Scott talked for almost the whole second half of the skate session. I’m praying that he shows up to Bible Study tonight… I’m sure he will. Pray for CW and for Scott as he disciples him.

Alice - David - Goliath - The Living God

Monday night, Alice asked me about the mural of David & Goliath on the wall. Unlike so many of us, she did not grow up going to Sunday school. I had the great privilege of explaining the story of David & Goliath to her for the first time. It was absolutely incredible watching her jaw drop and her eyes grow wider. The youngest brother, a shepherd, with a rock defeated an enemy that the entire Israelite army ran from. Why? Because David had faith in the Living God. I have never felt the weight of this story like I did Monday night while watching Alice’s face. This is the same God who’s called Alice into a relationship. The same God who, in the midst of my rebellion, intervened and rescued me from death. Whew!

A Girl Named Alice

This spring, a girl named Alice started coming to Eden Bible Church. She came with a skater named Kyle whos been faithfully following the Lord and is now on staff. Alice is 17 and just started walking with the Lord after life changes revealed to her a need for The Savior. One Sunday in July I took her out to lunch after church. Over some scrumptious RR Clucks & Fries, she shared with me her story, desire to know the Lord and His Word. Her eyes lit up when I suggested we meet regularly to study scripture.

The next day she came to the Skate office and we spent an hour together praying, reading, and chatting. We’re studying the Gospel of John right now. We take turns reading out loud and then stop to explain context and answer questions. When it’s time for the skate session to start up, she’s always sad we have to stop. It’s amazing to see Alice’s hunger for God’s Word. To her, it is clearly an aroma of Life (2 Cor 2:14-17).

In the beginning I felt very inadequate to disciple a new believer… and I am. But when we sit down together and examine the Word of God, His Word does the work. I share knowledge that I have been given but the Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom 1:16).

Canada Trip

We are coming up on this year’s Canada trip. This is a trip we take annually with the skaters who’ve been coming to Bible study consistently. The list of qualified skaters has gone out and we’re anxiously watching the team form. This is a photo of the team from last year (Minus Courtney who was behind the camera).

TADA! Betsy’s first blog entry!

I’m not quite sure what to say… opening statements are so important. How many people discard a book after reading the first lame chapter. In that case I’ll stop now and copy in my support letter. Here you go.


May 2008

It was nearly three years ago when my good friend Courtney and her husband Dave asked me to help with High School Skatechurch. It began as a 3-hour weekly commitment checking forms, applying wristbands, and handing out high-fives. Eventually it grew to be 3 or 4 nights a week, up to 15 hours, plus weekend travel with the demo team. As I grew in the knowledge and love for my creator, I was moved to dedicate more time to serving this ministry that has been producing fruit for more that 20 years.

Skatechurch began in 1987 when 2 sponsored skateboarders, Paul Anderson and Clint Bidleman, realized their influence on young skaters. Out of obedience to God, they began skating with local Portland youth eventually establishing a formalized ministry. Over 8,000 local skaters have heard the Gospel through the ministry of skatechurch. Over 1,000 of those have responded by professing faith. The demo team has traveled all over the West Coast, Canada, Ireland sharing with Nearly 18,000 skaters. Skatechurch has helped establish numerous skate ministries all over the world including Luis Palau’s Livin’ It extreme sports ministry.

In the past year, God has made it clear that Skatechurch needs to expand. In January we lost a portion of our rented space which cut our skatable area nearly in half. Since then we have seen a drastic drop in the number of skaters coming which means fewer skaters hearing the Gospel.

This past fall it became evident that the Lord was changing things in my own life. It was time to leave my job at the advertising firm and the long hours I was spending at Skatechurch were becoming even more of a joy. I also began spending time with the Director of Development, Sauna Winsor. She and I found that our gifting and skill sets complimented each other in such a way that we made an amazing team.

After much prayer and patience, I wrapped up things at the advertising firm and hired a replacement. April 2nd was my last day and I immediately began work on Skatechurch’s benefit dinner. Sauna and I got to see first hand that the Lord was blessing the work we did together.

My official job title is Development Assistant. I will continue to oversee registration for the evening skate sessions and mentor the skater girls and young staff women. In addition, the vision is to obtain a new facility that will accommodate the growing number of skaters. We foresee this costing 2.5 million dollors. Thus, the majority of my time will be spent supporting the fundraising efforts. Using my administrative gifts and obediently doing what God tells me to do.

The benefit dinner was a great success and now that our follow-up is done, it’s time for me to raise support so I can give Skatechurch my undivided attention. Currently I am living off my savings until I reach full support. I have faith that God is going to provide for me as He has called me into serving for His glory. If He has called you to participate it that, I invite you to contribute prayerfully and financially. I’m seeking partners who will commit to giving monthly $50, $100, $200 or however the Lord calls you to do so. All donations are tux deductible and there is no overhead taken out of donation given to my support.

It is an honor to be called into participation with God in His ministry to Skateboarders. My commitment to you is that I will diligently and sacrificially serve in whatever capacity the Lord dictates.

Betsy Wecks