Pastor
“You don’t always have to go to a church or sanctuary to experience the restoration and the power of God,” said Drayton, 61, a minister who also preaches at Mantels of Promise Ministries in
He began to drive for
“The car is such an ideal place to do this because it’s personal,” said Drayton, who now drives for
On a recent day, he began by praying in his impeccably clean 2017 Toyota Camry, and reciting Psalm 23 (“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…”). On a break from driving in
He always plays classical music on his car stereo (his favorite is
“That’s been the conflict, the repellent for healing and transformation,” said Drayton. “It’s discussion and debates that have caused holy wars.”
Reid also stays away from doctrine and focuses more on sharing her personal story, hoping it can help others deal with their challenges. Like Drayton, she feels that the church goes beyond the brick and mortar.
“This is something that God put me in a position to do,” she said. “And I love it because I just love inspiring people and encouraging them to never give up.”
Losses have marked her life, including the death of her mother, sister and the fathers of her two daughters. She often retells her story to passengers.
“I wanted to give up, but because of my faith in God, I’m still here standing” said the 40-year-old single mother. “And I just want to use my story to encourage others never to give up, no matter what you go through.”
In 2017, she began driving for
Passengers often buy her books or tip her generously and she proudly keeps a five-out-of-five-star rating. She usually plays
“When I hear people say, ‘You made my day,’ I know I can make an impact on people’s life,” Reid said. “It brings joy to me. It’s like I’ve turned my pain into a purpose to inspire others.”
Evangelism experts say ride-hailing can be conducive to talking about faith. Lyft’s guidelines do not expressly prohibit evangelism nor conversations about religion, but they do promote inclusion and forbid discrimination, including on race, gender, and religious grounds.
“It doesn’t come as a great surprise to me because thinking about Christianity, there’s a long tradition of using technology to spread the word of God,” said
He cited examples, including how — shortly after space flight became possible — there were people talking about how to use satellites to spread the Gospel and how preachers have used TV for decades.
“Uber,
People in customer-facing professions, such as driving for ride-hailing apps, often strike up conversations about life and its challenges, said
“In a world where interpersonal interaction is less common— our bank tellers are now all ATMs— faith sharing is less common. So people are finding creative ways,” said Stetzer, who is also dean of the school of Mission, Ministry, and Leadership.
“That’s what Christians have done for centuries, long before ride-share apps."
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