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Skatechurch Creates New Path for Gospel Message
REDWOOD CITY, CA (February 28, 2001) - Peninsula Covenant Church has been able to use sports to reach people for Christ, due in large part to the community center on its campus.
Skatechurch is the latest sports-oriented ministry to join the roster of activities, under the direction of youth resident Chris Probasco. This new program currently is averaging 70 youth per week on a semi-portable skate park located in the church parking lot.
A medium-sized street course and a four-foot mini ramp are available at Skatechurch, according to Probasco. On Saturdays, children fifth grade and younger meet in the morning and on Sunday the junior high and high school groups skate during the afternoon. Skaters ride for an hour and then listen to a 30-minute gospel message. The final hour of time is also open for skaters.
"There were six kids who stood up at a talk two weeks ago (and accepted Christ) and the fact that kids are even recognizing they have a need is good news for me," Probasco said. "We have eight official volunteer staff, a neat core of people who are excited about the ministry, but we need more godly adults who are skateboarders who can enter the lives of kids. The ministry can only go as far as the people who invest in it."
Probasco, a native of Coronado, California, a suburb of San Diego, has always enjoyed skateboarding, although he didn't think of skateboarding as a ministry until becoming a Christian at age 20. "Skateboards have always been a part of life," he said. "I remember first skating at eight years old and I've been at it ever since."
During his college days at Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon, Probasco became involved in a skate ministry at Central Bible Church, which had been in existence for a decade. He believes that his passion for skateboarding was a natural means for ministry.
While Probasco considered how to follow God's call, Peninsula Covenant Cburch was considering how to better minister to the skateboard community in Redwood City. In the summer of 1999, Peninsula Covenant was exploring the idea of a viable skateboard ministry when a church member, Brad Ciraulo, visited Central Bible Church and saw the impact a skateboard ministry can have on young people. Ciraulo talked to Probasco about his future and a few months later the church called Probasco.
"I was excited about the opportunity, but I wasn't sure I was ready to make a decision that would change the course of my life," Probasco said. "It was six or seven months before I actually decided to do this. And once I committed to this, it became more clear that this was going to work out."
Probasco hopes to find an indoor skateboard facility that can serve as a multipurpose facility. He also dreams of having an internship program to involve more skateboarding staff to disciple the many youth that seem interested in the gospel.
Peninsula Covenant Church has a form that releases the church from liability. Because the existing community center on the church campus offers activities such as swimming, tennis and basketball, insurance coverage is already in place. "Kids get hurt just as much playing basketball as they do skateboarding," Probasco said. "We haven't had an injury yet in two months - all kids have to wear a helmet. We provide helmets to kids who don't have their own, and we also encourage kids to wear other pads. But the sport isn't as dangerous as it is perceived to be."
For more information about Peninsula's skateboard ministry, contact Probasco by telephone at 650-364-6304, extension 248, or by email at chrisp@peninsulacovenant.com.
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