The Pastor Who Fixes Bikes and Broken Hopes: How One Rural Ministry Is Changing Lives in Valentine, Nebraska

In Valentine, Nebraska, Pastor Tim Wilkinson’s ministry runs on pedals, wrenches, and grace.

After losing his first wife, Tim shelved his dream of rural ministry, unsure whether he’d ever return. That changed when Valentine’s church called and his new wife urged him to say yes. “I fought with God about it,” he admits, “but He made it clear this was our calling.”

That calling took an unexpected turn. Years earlier, while in Omaha, he’d launched Three Nails Cycling, a family-led bike ministry pairing faith and bicycle repair. The idea sat dormant—until he arrived in Valentine and saw a bike-friendly town with no repair shop and plenty of kids without bikes.

He dusted off the old ministry, and today it’s thriving. Free bike repairs, parts, and helmets—no strings attached, funded only by donations. “There’s no charge,” he says. “Somehow, every year, God provides.”

Saturday mornings hum with the clatter of tools and the laughter of kids—many from tough situations, broken homes, or families battling addiction. “They learn how to fix something with their own hands,” Tim explains, “and they see what it feels like to restore something instead of throwing it away.”

But this is about far more than bikes. “It’s about trust, mentorship, and sharing Jesus naturally,” he says. “Some of these kids have never set foot in a church, but they’ll come to a garage and talk while we’re working.”

One memorable story involves a man biking from Tennessee to Alaska, carrying a past of addiction, homelessness, and jail time. His bike broke near Valentine, and Tim helped him out—never expecting what came next. A second breakdown, a phone call for help, and a long conversation led the man to stay in Valentine. Today he’s sober, housed, married, working in healthcare, and training to become an EMT. “No life is too broken for restoration,” Tim says.

That theme—restoration—defines both the bike shop and the church. “We call ourselves a ‘restoration church,’ and this is one way we live that out,” he notes. Future ideas include group rides, indoor winter spin classes, and faith conversations on the move.

His advice to anyone with an unconventional ministry idea? “Say yes. If He’s calling, He’ll do something with it. Stay humble, stay patient, and remember who it’s for.”

Because one pastor did, broken bikes—and broken lives—are being made whole in Valentine, Nebraska.