Ride Nature is a 501(c)(3) non-profit mission organization dedicated
to sharing the Gospel and
equipping leaders through action sports to the ends of the earth.
OUR MISSION IS TO
Leveraging every opportunity to build relationships, serve people, and faithfully and boldly share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
share the gospel
Equip leaders
Providing leaders with training, resources, relationships, experience, and opportunities that prepare them to faithfully serve their communities.
VISION
OUR LONGTERM
Until ALL HAVE HEARD…
Through a heart of generosity and as a platform to share the gift of salvation, it is our vision to make surfing and skateboarding accessible to children globally. To date, we have given away over 10,000 boards to kids in need around the world.
It is our prayer that every individual in the action sports community globally would be reached with the Good News of Jesus Christ so that they have the opportunity to hear, see, and respond to the Gospel.
With the hope of igniting a movement of disciple making globally, we are committed to equipping and mobilizing leaders within action sports who are committed to carrying the Gospel and making disciples to the ends of the earth.
“I’M STOKED TO PARTNER WITH RIDE NATURE TO SHARE MY PASSIONS AND REACH THE ACTIONS SPORTS COMMUNITY WORLDWIDE!”
-Bethany Hamilton (Purpose Film Media Project)THE HISTORY
The vision of Ride Nature was birthed in November 2009, shortly after Mark and Shannon Koch were married. At just 25 years old, Mark sensed God’s clear calling for their family to step into full-time ministry, though the shape of that calling was still unknown. In prayer one evening, the Lord put a vision on Mark’s heart that would soon become Ride Nature.
The concept was simple yet powerful; through the act of generosity, the goal was to get skateboards and surfboards into the hands of children who may otherwise never have the chance to surf or skate, and use that gift as a platform to share the greatest gift, hope and life through Jesus Christ.
Their heart for ministry was deeply influenced by organizations such as Voice of the Martyrs, Samaritan’s Purse, and Operation Christmas Child. While Ride Nature was birthed outside those umbrellas, it has carried the same DNA; meeting tangible needs while pointing people in some of the hardest-to-reach places toward the eternal hope of Jesus.
What began as a small seed has grown far beyond what was ever imagined. Through their obedience, God has ignited a global movement sustained by countless prayers and strengthened through faithful partners. Today, Ride Nature continues to carry the torch they lit, advancing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth!
“you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8AN Acts 1:8 Model
“To the ENDS” has been our tagline since 2009. But more than a tagline, this Acts 1:8 model defines how we operate.
We start where we are, strengthen what surrounds us, and pursue opportunities far away.
1. Locally // “Jerusalem”We believe ministry starts where we are planted. Locally, this means pursuing Gospel saturation and a commitment to discipling those in the community we exist.
2. Regionally // “Judea and Samaria”As leaders are equipped locally, we multiply regionally, linking arms with churches, ministries, and action-sports leaders across our surrounding region.
3. Globally // “To the Ends of the Earth”To the farthest corners of the world, we are called, compelled, and committed to carrying the Gospel and making disciples through action sports.
our hq or ministry "hub" is made up of 5 main spokes
-
As an organization, our heart has always been for the unreached. Those who are still waiting to even hear the name of Jesus and the hope that is found only in Him. Yet, simultaneously, we also know that God has called us to be a light to those right around us and we firmly believe in leading by example and. This starts with those in our backyard.
We are leading consistent and regular local outreach programs through action sports in the community in which we exist.
This includes a variety of sports and/or strategies but every effort is centered around providing Gospel conversations so that every youth in our community has the chance to hear, see, and respond to the Gospel.
Through regular, consistent, and intentional action sports outreach, we are seeing lives changed not only in far away places, but also locally.
-
What started organically in 2011 after 3 young college graduates came to intern with the organization has evolved throughout the years.
The internship is focused on helping develop character and Spiritual foundations, while also providing hands-on experience and opportunities to grow both in ability and confidence in ministry.
Through morning prayer huddles, staff-led Bible studies and personal discipleship, hand-in-hand with local outreach in the community, we hope to see young leaders trained, equipped, empowered, and mobilized.
-
With the vision of further training and equipping leaders globally while also complimenting our local outreach efforts, we have established our first “Business as Mission” model in Fort Myers, Florida.
This space, known as “The House of Ride Nature” serves as a light within the community while also modeling sustainability and furthering our ability to train and equip others in sustainable mission strategies.
-
Through mobilization efforts, we are working on creating resources to train, equip, and serve leaders across the globe.
Our goal is create a global network of “Regional Mobilizers” committed to carrying this same vision into their part of the world so that leaders in each region are truly seen, empowered, and equipped to lead others.
-
Mission Sending is the long-term vision of Ride Nature and our hope to see some of the hardest places to reach in the world, targeted with the Gospel.
Through mission sending partnerships, we are working toward mobilizing international missionaries to use action sports as a tool for Gospel saturation in closed countries.
It is our desire that each of these missionaries that are sent would take the previous 4 strategies with them as tools to most effectively impact the part of the world they go to. As bi-vocational missionaries, they establish a “reason” to be in the country and legally are able to operate there longterm. As they introduce local outreach and discipleship through this space we believe the Word does not return void and faith-filled communities will be birthed globally.