Driver Lifestyles

Faith for the Highway

As we all know, the life of the professional driver can be a lonely existence.  Days and weeks away from home and loved ones can wear heavily on a soul, and for the driver who also has an active life in a church or ministry back home, that time on the road presents another challenge - how to fulfill his/her spiritual needs?

For the expediting driver or couple in a tractor-trailer or even a straight truck, once a suitable place of worship is found, parking is the next hurdle to overcome.

Because of this, for a number of drivers, the truck stop chapel is one outlet for their faith whether it's called a Trucker's Chapel or Transport for Christ:

"Truck drivers need the Lord just like everybody else," says Bill Stephenson, coordinator of a truck stop ministry in Florence, KY. "Most of them can't go to their church when they're out on the road, and a lot of churches don't want them in their parking lots. So instead of them coming to us, we go to them."

Here are the ways that some expediters have found to practice their faith while on the road.

Carroll and Dora Bean, Jr. are FedEx Custom Critical White Glove contractors who have operated as a team in a straight truck for the last ten years.  Carroll says,  "We haul a number of government loads that require one of us stay with the truck, even at a truckstop on a Sunday."

"When it's been possible, we have taken advantage of the truckstop ministries like a Transport for Christ.  We listen to the Family Channel on XM Satellite Radio which has a good deal of spiritual programming."

He says, "I read the Bible a lot and I know that my beliefs are grounded in Scripture.  The Bible says that Christ didn't have a church, the people were his church.  I feel that you don't have to be in a church, because the church is actually the people, not the building." 

"A church is  a place for his believers to worship together.  It's nice to gather together, enjoy fellowship and meet with other believers, but it's not something you have to do for salvation."

Carroll adds, "We're secure in our beliefs and we feel that it's your relationship with God that counts.  Dora and I are content with our vocation because we're secure in our faith."

Jim Short has been a cargo van expediter since 1997 and he says with his smaller-sized vehicle, he can visit just about any place of worship.

"When I'm on the road on a weekend, on Sunday I'll find a local Baptist church and attend it's services.  I've always managed to find one."

"I'm also a member of the Christian Motorcyclist's Association (CMA) and there are chapters all over the U.S.  Sometimes during the week, I'll go online and find a chapter near me.  If they're holding a monthly meeting, I'll attend.  I carry three different versions of the Bible with me and read those regularly." 

Jim says he was raised in a Christian home and he accepted Christ when he was thirteen years old.  He tells us that faith is an important part of life for he and his wife Alison.

"When I'm out on the road, the most important part of church attendance is the fellowship - to be associated with other Christians.  They help me stay on the straight and narrow." 

"And, with the CMA, there's always someone willing to meet for dinner and enjoy interaction with another Christian."

Ben and Melanie Easters are 18-wheel expediters who run for Panther II Transportation in addition to managing their own fleet of expedited straight trucks.

Melanie says, "When we're on the road, we don't get to churches very often, but we will 
use the truck stop ministries on a Sunday if we can."

Melanie says that to help meet the couple's spiritual needs, they enjoy the offerings of an organization called Firefighters for Christ (FFC)  This is a California-based group that provides tapes and CD's with testimonials and Bible instruction.   

"Anytime I can put in a plug for these people, I dox.  They've never charged us for anything they've sent us and from the time when I was a new Christian until now, that has always impressed me.  Since then, Ben and I have done what we can to support them, but if we couldn't, they would still supply us with material."

Melanie says that she can sit in a church and the pastor can put her to sleep, but she says of the recordings from FFC, "We can put in a tape or CD and run down the road for hours, be entertained and our spirits uplifted. 

"Ben and I also enjoy the Family Channel on XM Channel 170.  It covers all kinds of topics but from a Christian perspective."

She continues, "Over the years, Ben and I have passed on tapes to people because we feel that God puts people in front of you to witness to.  It's also amazing how many Christians God will put in your path to keep fellowship going."