By Donna Harris

Cherokee Tribune Staff Writer

Heaven Skates has found a new home.

The skateboarding ministry started by Bill Mohler in 1997 had to shift gears when its host church, Calvary Chapel Christian Fellowship in Alpharetta, moved to a new location in June that didn't have room for the ramps and skaters.

But Sunday, the skateboarders, rollerbladers and scooter riders will once again be enjoying their favorite sport in a safe, spiritual environment.

Mohler, a member of the North American Mission Board, has worked out a deal with the owners of Radical Ramps and Rails to use the skate park in an industrial area near Dixie Speedway in Woodstock all day on Sundays for Bible studies and Christian-oriented skate sessions.

"Thank God for a place like this," the Woodstock resident, 43, said. "This is a safe place for parents to drop the kids off. (Owners James and Barbara Holland) make the kids wear their helmets and buckle their helmets. They watch the kind of music that's played. And they won't let a kid leave here without a parent."

Bible studies for all ages, including parents, will be conducted from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Skaters attending the study can skate for free from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and for the reduced price of $8 from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Lower prices are offered to students with A or B averages.

No skating will be allowed during the Bible study, and only Christian music will be played during the skate sessions.

Mohler, a former contractor who now works with the ministry full time, has a God-given desire to lead young people away from a life filled with filthy music, violent video games, illicit sex and deadly drugs to a life filled with the love of Jesus Christ.

"This is a hard group to minister to these days," he said, referring to skateboarders and rollerbladers. "The music they listen to is beyond cuss words. It's into filth, absolute filth. Our kids are being attacked with bad music, bad video games, drugs in school."

In fact, before he started the ministry at First Baptist Woodstock, he admits he was afraid of the seemingly rough crowd that wore chains and had multiple body piercings.

"But God called me as clear as can be to go out and present the Gospel to these kids," he said. "When I got to know them, I felt bad for judging them on their looks. They're really sweet kids - they just need attention."

Society is even more guilty of judging youth who don't fit the mold of an ideal teenager.

"People are so quick to point out what's wrong with kids, but they don't look for the good things," Mohler said. "You've got to look for the good in kids. They want to feel like they're part of something."

Mohler, who has been a Big Brother for 10 years and has an adopted son, said his goal is to reach a small portion of the 67 percent of young people who don't attend church anywhere.

"So many people pick on the way kids dress that it's hard to get them into church," he said. "You have to go out to where they are and teach them about Jesus where they're at."

Though his No. 1 concern is teaching them about Jesus, Mohler reaches out to them beyond the spiritual aspect of their lives. He encourages them to do well in school, rewarding them with discounted skating rates for good grades, and if they're in legal trouble, he will attend court hearings with them or allow them to work off community service at the skate park.

"A lot of kids out there are in big trouble," he said.

The ministry, primarily made up of ages 7 to 20, is a step in the right direction, Mohler believes.

"They're exposed to the word of God and good Christian music," he said. "Some of them are getting up and going to church, doing good in school. And a lot of them are getting rid of the bad music and the bad video games."

Mike and Tina Ruiz's four children - Randall Ruiz and Chase Albritton, both 11, Cody Albritton, 8, and Amber Albritton, 12 - are not part of the 67 percent of unchurched young people that Mohler is trying to reach, but they love participating in the ministry's activities.

Mrs. Ruiz said the Woodstock family found out about the ministry when they were attending First Baptist Woodstock and have been involved with it off and on for five years. The two 11-year-olds are the most involved, and Cody and Amber attend whenever dad goes along.

"Heaven Skates has been a big influence on all our children," she said. "The kids there learn to make the right decisions and know right from wrong. They learn to follow what God wants them to do, and it's a wonderful thing."

The ministry has also encouraged Randall and Chase to make good grades in school and do their chores at home so that they "get to go with Bill on Saturdays and Sundays," Mrs. Ruiz said.

"They can make the decision to go to other skate parks, but they want to go where Bill goes," she said. "They love it."

And she has nothing but praise for Mohler, whom she called "as absolutely wonderful person."

"Bill is such a positive influence on all four of our children's lives as well as mine and my husband's," she said. "We're involved with him in everything he does. We love him to pieces."

Mohler said the call to start this ministry came when two young people, one skateboarder and one rollerblader, were hit by a car while skating in the street.

"I didn't know anything about skateboarding, but I thought we needed to get the kids off the street," he said, noting one of them was killed.

First Baptist Woodstock allowed him to build a few small ramps for the skaters, but after 4½ years, a lack of space forced him to relocate.

"We had 6,000 square feet there, but there was no room to go any farther," he said, adding he had 1,500 registered skaters by the end of the run.

The group then moved to Calvary Chapel, where it stayed about a year before once again being pushed out due to lack of space.

The skaters were still going to meet every week, however. Mohler put all his equipment in storage and used a bus to take the young people to other local skate parks. Some of them were an hour away, and none of them had any set guidelines.

"There was cussing, drugs, inappropriate things with girls," he said. "It was hard to do a 45-minute Bible study then deliver them to a park that has no rules. It defeats the purpose."

But after nine months, the ministry has found a home that supports the ideals Mohler has established, and he is looking forward to increasing the number of registered skaters, which dropped when they moved to Alpharetta.

The indoor skate park, designed by the Hollands' son, Austin, consists of 4,570 square feet of skating area along with lounges for parents and skaters that will double as Bible study classrooms. Outside, Mohler is building more ramps, if the rain ever lets up, to give young people a total of 12,000 square feet of skating area when completed.

"I had no idea what this would become," he said. "It started with one day a week, five kids coming and a few small ramps, and it's ended up with a lot of kids."

Mohler relies on community donations and church support to run the ministry.

"We have so many needs," he said, adding a pressing one is the 100 sheets of half-inch plywood needed to finish the outdoor ramps. "This is a hard time to raise money. But God keeps providing stuff. About the time I think we're going to run out, something else comes along."

Besides the Sunday Bible studies, Mohler travels to different parks around the country with a skate team, which has inspired churches to start their own skate ministries. He's currently working with churches in Gainesville, Fla., Kenosha, Wis., Springfield, Ill., and Anniston, Ala., to establish programs.

Working with Mohler in the ministry are treasurer Steve Hyland, publicity chairman Jim Pietrowski and Rick and Linda Willoughby, who will lead the adult Bible study. He is trying to find teachers for the 10-and-under class.

The skate park is at 603 Industrial Court off Highway 92 in Woodstock, about a mile west of Interstate 575. The phone number is (678) 445-2605.

For information on the ministry or to make donations, call Mohler at (404) 312-0726, e-mail him at , write him at 134 Meadow St., Woodstock, Ga. 30188 or visit www.Heavenskates.org.