Mountain Bike Outreach to International Community in Atlanta
January 2025
Building trust through relationships is one of the most effective ways to share the gospel with internationals from least-reached countries. At the heart of this trust-building strategy lies repeated social interactions around shared interests—creating opportunities to naturally introduce them to Christ.
Here in Atlanta, there’s a vibrant international community of students from least-reached nations who are eager to connect. In fact, a recent survey revealed that about one-third of these individuals are interested in learning how to mountain bike—a perfect bridge for forming friendships and sharing the gospel.
Thankfully, God has uniquely equipped the Encompass community to meet this need. We have two staff members and one former staff member who are all passionate mountain bikers. And one of them even has professional experience as a mountain bike instructor! Together, we’ve developed a plan to host bi-monthly rides where we’ll offer instruction, enjoy a group ride, and share a meal together.
But to make this vision a reality, we need your help. Currently, our biking team only has access to one personal bike, which limits them to inviting one person at a time. With your support, we aim to purchase five high-quality entry-level mountain bikes, along with safety gear, support equipment, and necessary tools. This will allow us to invite up to six individuals who don’t own their own bikes, dramatically expanding the reach of this ministry.
We’ve already seen the potential of this outreach. One international student has begun joining them on rides, which has resulted in mutual joy as the relationship forms. We’re confident that with additional equipment, many more will come. Some may even enjoy the sport enough to invest in their own bike, allowing the group to grow beyond what we provide.
You can partner with us in reaching this community by donating to our Mountain Bike Outreach project. By making a contribution, you’re not just providing bikes and gear—you’re creating opportunities to share Christ with people from nations that are often hardest to reach. Together, let’s pedal toward a future where more lives are transformed by Jesus’s love!
More Stories
When Anna* was challenged to think about her goals for 2026, she sensed a clear nudge from God: begin preparing material to train others....
February 17, 2026
“In the 1980s, if you walked into a Christian bookstore in France, you’d find maybe two shelves of Christian books,” Florent...
February 13, 2026
As someone who’s spent much of his life planting churches in Asia, Ted now serves as the Director of Encompass...
February 10, 2026
Reaching the unreached is a beautiful idea, but it’s a lot easier said than done. Even so, Auburn Grace Community...
February 9, 2026
“I had no idea what Japan was,” Kya says. “Then my parents took me when I was 10, and now I wake up every day and think about...
January 30, 2026
Mika* grew up in Japan as part of a family that was culturally Buddhist, yet God gently placed people in her life who...
January 29, 2026
Grace Church in Simi Valley, California has been partnering with Encompass for over 60 years now, making us their primary missions agency. That...
January 23, 2026
The environment a child grows up in becomes their baseline for what’s normal. As you can imagine, children growing up overseas often form a...
January 23, 2026
“I never set out to become a crisis response person,” says Barb. In fact, if you had asked her younger...
January 21, 2026
