SHELBY – There’s a ministry on wheels in Richland County — two wheels, specifically.
James Taylor, 38, known as the “Faster Pastor” on social media, took up the moniker last year to bring attention to Shelby Help Line Ministries – a Christian charity organization that aids people by supplying clothing, utilities, medical equipment and more. T
Taylor’s current goal is to raise $1,000 for Help Line Ministries through Richland Gives by Aug. 16.
Motocross was Taylor’s first love.
“I’ve been racing motocross since I was 13,” Taylor said. “I just wasn’t any good at school sports.
“So, my parents were like, ‘Hey, let’s try something else because this isn’t working out.’ So we picked up dirt bikes, and I was actually pretty good at that.”
Taylor traveled across the Midwest during his teenage years, pursuing his new passion. As he got older, got married and started a family, dirt bike racing became a fleeting pastime.
“But, now my kids are riding, and I figured I can do (motocross) again, and I can find a better purpose for it,” Taylor said.
Combining his two passions, motocross and his faith, was the natural conclusion.
Heavy religious involvement entered Taylor’s life after motocross. Taylor’s parents became involved in Christianity after he was born. He was old enough to remember growing up in a non-religious environment, experiencing the trial and error of adopting religion alongside his parents.
Taylor became a lead pastor in his church five years ago — after his own tribulations with the church. His passion for religion began as a teenager. But after some disagreements with his church over its ideology, he distanced himself from traditional practice, focusing on finding his own take on religious practices.
“I found myself not knowing what I believed,” Taylor said. “I had some questions that needed to be answered, so I went without a pastor, without a church for quite a while, as I was searching for those answers.”
Taylor wanted to “cut the fat.” He started to realize he didn’t know everything, that his beliefs weren’t the be-all and end-all. He recognized parts of what he’d been told as toxic and started to rework his faith, excluding those aspects.
With questions answered, Taylor returned to Christianity. He began ministry work in 2019 after a long break from the church, leaving a job he loved. Taylor previously worked for Baker’s Collision, an auto body shop in Mansfield, doing automotive collision work.
The decision to change occupations stemmed from a deep-rooted desire to help others. It drew Taylor to Christianity originally, and back into motocross with his desire for greater purpose.
Then came the “Faster Pastor.”
Taylor adopted the name last year to push his charitable goals. It’s been a success. His reach has grown, and so have his goals. He raised $600 for kids in foster care last year, has brought people into his faith and has raised his goals higher each chance he gets.
Taylor has also partnered with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for a Christian motocross camp. It’s an entry-level camp, designed for kids with a background similar to Taylor’s, who needed or desired a non-traditional sport.
The unique brand Taylor has built works as an additive to his outreach. He hopes to inspire others to help the younger and less fortunate in interesting ways.
“I think sometimes we limit ministry to what happens inside a church building,” he said. “There are opportunities to share hope everywhere — in our workplaces, hobbies, neighborhoods, even at a motocross track. I want to encourage people to use whatever passions God has given them to make a difference.”
