WATCH: Why Texas Pastor Neil Tomba is Biking Across America

At a time when people seem almost irreconcilably divided over political and cultural issues, something needs to be done to cut through the discord and bring people back together. Neil Tomba, senior pastor of Northwest Bible Church in Dallas, TX, is doing something a little untraditional this month in an effort to do just that: biking across America.

His journey isn’t for exercise or competition, but to have civil, caring conversations with every day Americans about life and spiritual matters, even when opinions and outlooks disagree.

My Faith Votes talked recently with Tomba about his 3000+ mile mission. He shared with us the motivation behind the bike ride and how he hopes to see God move. Take a few minutes to watch the inspiring interview.

Starting in Santa Monica, CA, and pedaling across the country to Annapolis, MD, Tomba hopes to strike up conversations with the people he meets “about things that really matter in their heart — issues of faith and of the soul.”

Aside from the sheer physical and mental hurdles of biking across the country, Tomba faces challenges connecting with people too. He admits it can be intimidating to strike up conversations about serious heart matters with others and that some aren’t too willing to open up and share.

Perhaps the simplest challenge is finding a complete stranger every day willing to talk. Tomba isn’t deterred and says he learned years ago the key to striking up meaningful conversations with people is to be “lovingly curious about somebody else’s story.”

He remembers starting a conversation simply by complimenting another rider’s bike. After the man told Tomba all about his bike the conversation shifted to details about where he lives, what he does and about his family.

Click here to read more.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Jason Yates