God's Rolling Thunder loves Jesus, motorcycles - KMSP-TV

God's Rolling Thunder is church with a specific mission to reach people that aren't comfortable at church. The members share a passion for Harley Davidson motorcycles and Jesus.

Larry Colley and Dakota Schultz wear their message on their sleeve: More Jesus, less church.  That's the motto of God's Rolling Thunder, an independent Christian church founded by Schultz, a Vietnam veteran and self described black sheep.

"Did a lot of drugs and alcohol and a lot of women, abusing, and kind of lived my life that way until one day. Back in 2002, or 2001, I felt this calling to do something for God and I didn't know what it was," said Schultz.

What God's Rolling Thunder turned out to be is a church, for people who felt uncomfortable in a typical church.  

"I said look, this is not a politically motivated church. We're not going to be up in each other's business. This is about Jesus. It's about Jesus and it's about love," said Schultz.
     
At 320 pounds and over six feet tall, Colley is a large man and self described nice guy. He delivers the message each Sunday, but he prefers the word teacher to preacher.  

"A lot of us have tattoos, a lot of ink and stuff, and shaved heads and we wear a lot of leather and jeans and have patches. And we're just normal people. We're just a little non-conformist and we like what we like," said Colley.
     
Baptizing in what they describe as living water, they worshipped at Lake Allatoona on a Sunday.  

"Just been living hard for a lot of years and this church here brought me in the walls by the presence of God which has probably saved my life," said member Joe Pothier.

It was in a series of local bars that God's Rolling Thunder was founded and grew.  When they're not passing out cross pennies and cross necklaces at biker rallies, festivals and parades, they come together to worship at Latimer Hall in the shadow of Woodstock United Methodist Church.

"Our basic motto is more Jesus, less church. It's not that you don't need church, it's just that you don't need the dogma of church. Too many times the church wants to direct or control your worship or your life and really it's just a one on one relationship that everyone can have with Jesus Christ," said Colley.

"How can you do that if you're riding a motorcycle and your tattooed and you meet in a bar and stuff like that?  How is that even possible? And that's the beautiful thing about it is to make people understand it's not only possible but it's perfectly normal," said Schultz.

For more information on God's Rolling Thunder, click here!