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Churchs message lets you take the wheel literally
Lanier Hills Church series focuses on shifting gears
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The sanctuary of Lanier Hills Church is filled with motorcycles to illustrate the idea of changing gears. - photo by Robin Michener Nathan
Taking responsibility for your own life and shifting gears is what a five-week sermon series is focusing on at Lanier Hills Church.

With three weeks left to go, local residents still have the chance to see the Rev. Randall Popham’s message — along with a sanctuary full of motorcycles.

"The whole idea is that we all come to a place in life where we need to make a shift," Popham said. "We know that, and we kind of took the idea off the ‘Wild Hogs’ movie and these four middle-aged guys ... just average guys who are in the middle of their life and are wondering what happened to us.

"In order to really get to the place where God wants us, you have to be on a different path."

Popham has shown clips from "Wild Hogs" to illustrate that wrong paths will lead you in the wrong direction.

"The whole series is based off of the text Romans 12:2," he said. "‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Not conforming also is what Michael West focuses on as a leader in the motorcycle ministry at Lanier Hills.

"Our whole purpose was to be able to go out and spread the word in places where regular church people would not feel comfortable or wouldn’t be receptive," West said.

West had a big part in planning the look of the sanctuary now decked out with motorcycles.

"I got in there with a couple of my people and reinforced the floor," he said. "Those members of my motorcycle ministry that had more than one motorcycle (displayed theirs) and some put their motorcycle on display even if they only had the one."

The motorcycles are changed and moved around each week and West thinks people are really responding to the interesting decorations.

"It seems like it gets them more in the mood to listen, to see what Randall has to say," he said.

This Sunday, Popham will focus on shifting responsibility.

"We have to be the one responsible for getting there (our personal destination) and take personal responsibility for our life," he said.

"It is so easy to blame everyone else, your parents, your relationships, to blame your DNA, McDonald’s for being overweight ... but we have to come to a place where we actually take hold of the steering wheel."