2023 ANNUAL REPORT

 
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Dear Friends and Family,

         As we look back at 2023, it is a joy to reflect on what the Lord has done as we also prepare eagerly for what we pray He is yet to do. Our theme as an organization over the last year has been “For the One”.

Jesus tells this story in Luke chapter 15. “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search FOR THE ONE that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”

What would you do to find the one? What would you leave behind? What would you risk? For us as a ministry these questions and this thought has carried us through a little over 14 years of ministry. The search “for the ONE” truly has been the driving force that has kept us pushing to the ends of the earth. The action sports community is continuing to grow. New communities of skateboarders and surfers are popping up all over the world. Many in which are in areas where the Gospel has had very little exposure or has yet to penetrate. What an incredible tool that God has allow us to use to pursue “the ONE” with everything we have to give. 2023 was no doubt one of the largest and most productive years we’ve ever had as a ministry. 16 incredible mission trips around the globe to proclaim the name of Jesus, purchasing the Nicaragua Mission Base, and the launch of Ride Nature California are just a few glimpses of the faithfulness of God.

        For us as a ministry, we measure success through our faithfulness to pursue in obedience the mission that God has placed on our heart. This mission is the hope that the Good News be proclaimed to all of the action sports community. This growing number has surpassed 200,000,000+ individuals globally and continues to rise. Many of these individuals lacking any Christian influence or positive role models in their lives. These are the ONES that we press onward toward. The results are up to the Lord. We rest in the fact that this is His work and we pray that the seeds planted will take root despite many times feeling like the soil we are tilling is seems as rocky and tough.

        Below are some stats that we have gathered from the past year. Every board we gave away carrying the message of the greatest gift of all, the gift of life and hope found only in Jesus. Every Bible study that we led, our leaders striving to faithfully teach as ones who do not need to be ashamed and who correctly explain the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15). Every outreach event we hosted, desiring to  boldly explain God’s mysterious plan and the Good News. (Ephesians 6:19). And every young person discipled, trained, equipped and empowered, prayerfully being raised up to go out and flip the world upside down (Acts 17:6). We believe God has great things in store for this upcoming year and this is just the beginning. The foundation has been poured and God is building something super exciting. Thank you for considering partnering alongside us and linking arms until every ear has heard of the Good News of Jesus…to the ENDS of the earth!

All for HIS glory,

 
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Mark Koch
Global Executive Director

 

“And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.”

- ACTS 17:6

2023 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

 

$1,553,977
Raised in 2023

Thank you to every person who donated in 2023
and helped us to hit this goal and do all
that we did over the past 12 months!

 


PARTNER WITH US

 

It is undeniable that so much of the impact listed above is to be credited to the faithfulness of so many individuals who have prayed for, partnered with, and have given sacrificially to the work we are leading. We can not do this work alone. We want to honor and thank all who contributed to the ministry in 2023 and we are beyond grateful for your support as you are championing us as an organization. Your ongoing advocacy is one of the greatest ways you can support the work we are leading.

As we prepare for 2024 and the months ahead we would like to invite you to prayerfully consider partnering either for the first time or once again alongside our efforts. Below are a list of some of our 2024 Projects that we hope to accomplish and your support will be instrumental in allowing us to do so. The harvest is so plentiful and we are praying that 2024 will be an even greater year of fruitfulness than anything we have experienced so far. We can’t thank you enough for joining us in the pursuit to reach every individual in the action sports world with the Good News of Jesus Christ!

To the ENDS,

- The Ride Nature Team

2024 FUNDING GOALS

  • These funds will allow us to travel to 20 different countries and lead 26+ trips in 2024 as we continue to share the Gospel and raise up new leaders using action sports as a tool for evangelism and discipleship.

    FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN

    26 international Mission trips // $52,000
    ($2,000 in travel expenses per trip)

    52 Gospel centered outreach events // $26,000
    (Estimated $500 per event)

    International Work Projects // $5,000

  • A Call to Action is a three day action sports conference featuring keynote speakers, live music, worship, and numerous workshops to equip and empower a movement of disciple making to the ends of the earth.

    This will be the first conference we’ve hosted as a ministry and look forward to seeing how the Lord will use it to both encourage current leaders in ministry while also hopefully empowering a new generation in leadership as well. With one of our pillars being “Generosity” it was really important for us to eliminate the financial barrier for anyone wanting to attend this gathering. With this goal in mind, we have made the decision to make this event/conference 100% FREE for up to 500 individuals to attend! These funds will help us to cover the cost of speaker’s travel expenses, lodging, and a small honorarium.

    To learn more about this conference or to register to attend click HERE.

  • Raising up leaders and sending them back into their communities to replicate the ministry they have seen and been a part of first hand through our discipleship program is hands down one of the areas where we have seen the most fruit within the ministry.

    The cost of running (6) homes, staffing programs, maintaining properties with repairs and maintenance, and cultivating discipleship communities between 3 locations is a costly operation but one that we believe is so worth it!

    These funds will not only help cover the discipleship programming expenses/facilities/and other expenses involved, but for the first time ever it will create a scholarship fund for us to be able to offer these opportunities for individuals globally. We have been blessed to serve and work in over 40+ countries since 2009 but the financial barrier for young leaders to travel to the States and participate in this program has always prevented us from offering this opportunity to many in developing countries. We pray that 2024 will be the year where this all changes.

  • We believe media is a powerful tool that can reach far further, far faster than we can physically. Over the past 14 years we have produced multiple media resources that have reached hundreds of thousands of individuals globally. Our goal in 2024 is to continue creating content that will help us accomplish our mission.

    These funds will allow us to capture media through photography and video on each of our international trips as well as produce (2) new episodes of the To the ENDS series.

    Financial Breakdown

    • New Camera/Lens/Mic - $4,000

    • To the Ends Film Series // South Africa Episode - $5,000

    • To the Ends Film Series // Baja Episode - $3,500

    • Pursuit Collective // Vol V - $10,000

    • Through the Lens Book // Vol II - $5,000

    • Skate Church Movement - French Translation + 250 Books - $2,500

    • 12 International Trips // Media Travel Expenses - $18,000

  • Over the next 24-36 months we will be preparing for the launch of the next Ride Nature International Headquarters. We are so excited to share with you soon where that location will be, but as we prepare for a 2026/2027 launch, we are working toward raising $400,000 for that new base. These funds will help to cover the first 24 months of operational expenses as well as set up the team with basic needs to begin local and regional outreach.

  • There are several expenses that we would love to invite you to partner in supporting our efforts. These are listed below.

    FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN

    General Liability Insurance // $8,500

    Storage/Warehouse Space // $24,000
    ($2,000 Per Month X2 for FL and CA)

  • We pride ourselves as a ministry on trying to be as frugal as possible. We truly strive to stretch every dollar to the fullness of it’s potential.

    With the goal of creating replicable ministry models that can lessen the barrier for entry for anyone interested in leading local ministry, we have strived to lead as many local outreach efforts on as minimal of a budget as possible. These funds include the following outreach efforts between Florida, California, and Nicaragua.

    FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN

    Skate Church // $24,000
    ($200 per month x10)

    Surf Church // $7,200
    ($200 per month x3)

    Wake Church // $2,400
    ($200 per month)

    Dirt Church // $3,600
    ($100 per month x3)

    Shred Sisters // $7,200
    ($200 per month X3)

    (16) Gospel Centered Outreach Events // $16,000
    (16 events at $1,000 per event)

  • Between California and Florida headquarters we have been nursing along two old 15 passenger vans that are both beginning to become very costly with ongoing mechanical bills. We use both of these vans all the time for local outreach.

    These funds, alongside the money we are able to add with the sell of our current vehicles will allow us to upgrade both of these vehicles for vans much newer and more reliable.

  • Between our men’s and women’s discipleship homes in Florida and the Florida headquarters property, we currently hold mortgages combined for a total just shy of $1,000,000. While this might seem like a large number, the combined appraisal value on these properties is nearly 2X this amount! We feel so honored and blessed the Lord has allowed us to purchased these properties but we are working toward raising the funds to pay off this debt.

    Our goal is over the next 5 years to raise $200,000 per year toward this building fund to move toward being completely debt free. Not only will this financial burden be lifted but the savings on our monthly mortgage payments will be close to $7,500 per month!


2024 ONE-TIME FUNDS NEEDED
$922,900

*This one-time funding goal amount reflects the one-time funds needed to hit a $2.1M total operating budget. The remaining balance of this budget is currently being raised through regular/committed monthly partners.

 
 

SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS
IN 2024

 

For non cash donations or other opportunities to support our efforts
please email us at info@ridenature.com.

check donations can be made payable to “ride Nature” and mailed to our florida headquarters located at THE house of RIDE NATURE
2464 2nd Street - Fort Myers, FL 33901

AS a 501(c)3, ALL DONATIONS GIVEN to ride nature ARE 100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW WITH I.R.S. and A STATEMENT OF GIVING FOR YOUR TOTAL YEARLY CONTRIBUTIONS WILL BE SENT OUT AT THE END OF THE fiscal YEAR.

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