By Toni Terrell
The Answer’s Editor-n-Chief

The young skateboarder kept his head down as he coasted toward the podium passing through preachers, teachers and leaders in the Las Vegas Christian Community.

As his long hair brushed his shoulders, the long black shorts, the Buddy Holly-framed specs, and the unconventional words on his T-shirt amidst a media luncheon undoubtedly left his audience perched in animated suspense pondering what he had to say.

His introduction came on the heels of a polished male worship team, and an elaborate and carefully executed marketing presentation at the Desert Pines Country Club. The slow steps through the crowd spoke volumes and the vibration of the microphone bore witness to the nerves that shook inside him.
What can this kid say to encourage anybody to do anything – let alone save our young people?

“What Las Vegas means to me is get some cocaine, stay three days, drink until I pass out and get as many girls as I can,” the 32-year-old preacher’s kid said. The statement seized every sound and the room grew still.

“What Las Vegas means to me? My friend found his mom with a needle in her arm passed out,” he continued. The chill filled the air and some sat holding their breath.

Ryan Ries, a renowned skater, is famous for the tricks he can perform on a skate board, but who knew he could arrest a room of theologians?

“I managed a skate board team and traveled the world making tons of money. But spent most of my time slamming heroin, slamming cocaine, doing ecstasy and as many girls as I could,” Ryan said as he paced the floor pushing his testimony out. “I was a professional drug addict and alcoholic.”

Touring nine months out of the year, Ryan reluctantly opened the freshly healed incision God made when he surgically cut through his drug infested lifestyle to rescue him in Panama City on the road to sure death.
“I had taken about 15 hits of ‘x’ and had done some of the best cocaine ever,” he recalled. “I was being harassed by demons regularly and the night before they were in my room on my ceiling.”

Armed with unlimited amounts of money and easy access to all drugs, Ryan confessed he was not getting the same rush or high that he had been accustomed to in the past. Hence, he began mixing narcotics and making deadly combinations to heighten the effects.

“I had done that for a week straight and I was just empty,” said Ryan, fighting back the tears. Two full minutes crept by before words were able to tiptoe past the lumps in his throat. “I just didn’t want it anymore. I’d lie in my bed thinking I’m not going to wake up,” he confessed.

Crawling back through the memories of watching his friends overdose – some surviving from home remedy resuscitation methods, others lives snatched – Ryan pressed through his “sermon” on grace and mercy; unbeknownst to him.

“Houses, cars, money, different girls every night – none of it mattered anymore. I told God ‘if you’re real, come into my life right now.’ I just asked him to forgive me for my sins, give me peace and I will give it all up,” he said, almost making the plea again.
“I felt peace for the first time in 19 years,” he admitted.

Pastors’ eyes swelled with tears, leaders clasped their hands, some stood quietly – the young skater had overcome the crowd with his testimony.
 
Ryan represents one of several young adults who will share with the youth of Las Vegas on August 29, 2009 during the Exit Ministries concert at the Thomas & Mack Center, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway in an attempt to seek and save the lost generation.

According to Pastor Raul Ries, an evangelist for Exit Ministries and father to Ryan, “our desire is to affect people of all ages – from elementary schools to college campuses and beyond. Our vision is actually a calling from God, ‘save them with fear, pulling them out of the fire’ Jude 23.”

Exit Ministries is comprised of a host of well-known figures including Sonny Sandoval, front man of the famed rock band P.O.D., legendary pro-skateboarders Christian Hosoi, Steve Cabellero, and Lance Mountain, free style motocross riders Destin Cantrell, Dan Norris, Jimmie McGuire and X Game gold medalist, Kyle Loza.
The team coordinates concerts that include music, art, guest speakers, custom car and motorcycle shows, freestyle motocross and skate demons – all with an evangelistic message at the core. “We want to help them Exit out of darkness,” Ryan explained.

This year’s Exit concert series, which starts at 6:00pm and is free to the public, will feature Flyleaf, Blindside, Head from Korn, and Metal Mulisha in a jump show at 5:00p. “Some people question why we have people from the secular arena coming to a Christian event and why are we using marketing materials that have guns, sexy legs and other worldly images? Because this event is not geared toward attracting Christians – we want to attract the lost,” he said.
“Christian concerts and Christian bands attract Christians and that’s good. But we want to draw people that wouldn’t step within 50 feet of a church. Our goal is to go out and get them,” Ryan said.

“While you all are having church as usual and all going to heaven, your kids are looking at me and people like me as their role models and doing what I used to do and you have no clue,” he added.

Rex Wolins, General Director of Events confessed he had grown complacent in his pastoral position. “I have to admit, we as church leaders get ‘churchified’ and go about church as usual and we forget,” he said. “He restored in this pastor (himself) the passion for the lost. He has rekindled what we all need, which is our passion to go out and reach a lost generation.”
For more information on Exit, visit ExitConcerts.com or call (909) 859-5533.