Jericho Riders History

EUREKA SPRINGS—Saturday’s showdown in Basin Park turned out to be a relatively peaceful intermingling of diverse elements of the region’s culture—very fitting for Diversity Weekend. With only a minor exception or two, the Christian motorcycle groups and the gays in pink hats and rainbow attire shared the park, some casual conversation, the music, and the sunny day without much incident. Other visitors in the park seemed oblivious to the potentially troublesome conditions.
But it never would have become volatile, according to Pastor Mark Kiser, president of America Asleep kNOw More and leader of the Christian rally, who said his group had no intention of being confrontational and would have gone elsewhere if there was a problem—they were not here to protest anything.
“God intended for us to be here, so whatever happens will be right,” he said in an interview Friday evening. “Our ultimate goal in coming to Eureka Springs is to lift up the name and person of Jesus Christ.”
Kiser’s group was met in town by other Christians, mostly motorcyclists, who came from all around the region to support Kiser’s effort to “dynamite Christians out of the pew and take our faith out of the four walls of the church.”
While Christians spread out literature for those interested, gays passed out pink hats and posed for a picture in the park.
A lady in a pink hat who preferred to remain anonymous remarked that she wished “They would just leave us alone,” referring to the Christians. But others in pink hats engaged in conversation with them, and seemed willing to share the weekend in the park with them.
With the rock music of the Off the Wall Band playing from the bandshell Saturday at noon, Christians and gays gradually comingled through efforts of those like John McCann of Bikers for Christ whose engaging smile quickly broke down barriers, and Purelight Ministries who were passing out free bottles of ice cold water in the sweltering heat.
The Christian group ignored Trella Laughlin’s chanting of “You’re evil people, go home.” And a young man performing a dance with red flags who identified himself as a Wiccan said all Christians do is talk.
But within about an hour most of the pink hats and rainbows had drifted off to other environs.
McCann said he would like to see more Christians step up and be more vocal about what they want for our town.
Freedom Seekers Ron Hutchins, Don Bapst, and Don Farley of Blue Eye said they were here to share a message of hope to those who are struggling with drug and alcohol addictions.
And David and Leisa Price of Gravette, members of the Christian Motorcyclists Association, are concerned by the direction the city is going. “It’s going to hurt this place,” said Price. “I’ve talked to many of the shopkeepers and they say they have noticed a steady decline in business over the past year.”
Mark Kiser, who is pastor of a nondenominational church called Pillar of Iron in Springfield, started America Asleep kNOw More with the goal of waking America up and helping restore the nation to its foundations on Jesus Christ. Rallies such as the one in Basin Park, he said, are one way they attempt to do so—“to proclaim Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”
They also hold rallies called “Shake the Nation.” One is scheduled in the Springfield area for Aug. 24-25.
After watching the news and seeing that the city council had passed the Domestic Partnership Registry (DPR) in Eureka Springs, Kiser said he would no longer feel comfortable bringing his family of seven kids here for vacation and spending money to support a town whose city council promotes the DPR. They have spent many vacations here, and he and his wife, Susanna, spent their honeymoon here.
As an important member of Kiser’s team, Gregory Thompson, ex-Superintendent of Schools in Humansville, Mo., works closely with him in his rallies. Thompson was fired by the School Board in Humansville in March 2004 for posting the Ten Commandments on the wall of the school, having a Bible on his desk, and praying at a school event, but the people of the city supported him and voted him onto the School Board in Sept. of that year.
Also working closely with Kiser is Jim Carroll, leader of the Jericho Riders, a Christian motorcycle ministry begun on Dec. 25, 2006 that tries to share the love of Jesus wherever they go, and sometimes gets involved in controversial issues.
Contrary to rumors around town that have sometimes swelled the number of Jericho Riders to mythological proportions, Carroll said there are not 500, but only him and his wife, Linda, for the time being.
They have been in Eureka Springs every Saturday for the last six weeks “talking to folks and getting the feel of the town,” and he senses there is “a big desire for change here.”
He and Linda have spent a lot of time in Eureka, including at the Fire on the Mountain motorcycle rally held recently at the Great Passion Play. In his travels he hears from many people who have said they don’t want to come here any more, and that’s a concern to him because he doesn’t sense the DPR represents the majority of the people here.
For more information on America Asleep kNOw More, call 417-754-8774 or 417-818-0143.