Cowboy churches - how are you at praising God on a horse? [Archive]

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Chuck Bao

6/24/2010, 10:50 AM

During my travels in the US, one of my most surprising relevations was the growing popularity of cowboy churches. They seem to be springing up all over Oklahoma. I noticed some on my trip to Eastern Oklahoma to see Olevet. My sister was the head of the women's ministry at one and her daughter competed in roping for her church group. Yeah, my niece is a roper and if that brings her closer to God, well bless her.

I attended their church. If you aren't clear on the concept, the church is geared to farmers and ranchers and workers and the service was held within a barn (the city fare grounds barn in this case). They provide an atmosphere of come-as-you-are and a free meal They had a band playing the praise music music and it bordered close to Honkey Tonk. It got my a feet a tapping and I was inches close to a two-step.

Anyone here attend a Cowboy Church? I like the idea of opening up the religious experience to make it more relevant to a particular lifestyle, if you catch where I am going with that. And, I don’t even ride a horse, or I haven’t in 30 years.

It is a pretty new phenom and the church I attended went to 150 attending the morning service just two years after the start up. This is what Wikipedia has on it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy_church

Cowboy churches are local Christian churches within the cowboy culture that are distinctively Western heritage in character. A typical cowboy church may meet in a rural setting in a barn, metal building, arena, sale barn, or old western building, have its own rodeo arena, and a country gospel band. Baptisms are generally done in a cattle tank. The sermons are usually short and simple. Some cowboy churches have covered arenas where rodeo events such as bull riding, team roping, ranch sorting, team penning and equestrian events are held on weeknights.

The TFCC (Texas Fellowship of Cowboy Churches) [1] places the emphasis on the "no barriers" model developed by Ron Nolen of Waxahachie south of Dallas, Texas, where he planted the first and currently the largest "cowboy church" within the TFCC. The "no barriers" church model removes from the worship service the traditions that are believed to have no biblical basis, such as the "altar call" and passing of the collection plate. Tithes and offerings are simply placed in a boot, hat, or wooden bird house at the rear of the meeting room.

Even though most of these churches are located in Texas and Oklahoma, cowboy outreaches are springing up in other parts of the US through various other cowboy church groups. One such group is the Cowboy Church Network of North America, which has member churches in Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming, as well as Alberta (Canada).

Leroy Lizard

6/24/2010, 10:56 AM

Protestants rule!

BudSooner

6/24/2010, 11:04 AM

I've heard of them but never known anyone who has attended a service at one of them, in the end I guess as long as it brings people together in fellowship then that is all that matters.
In retrospect I guess this counters the type of churches i've been asked to attend, you know the type where the discussion is not focused on the bible/Jesus/the disciples but rather how much you have in your bank account/stock tips/what car you drive/how big your house is.
Personally i've been to those and can testify that they had all but turned me off of religion but my daughters boyfriend had asked us to attend a revival at a local church in Peggs and though it was small that was what made the difference, it did not matter that some came dressed in overalls or a suit, it's that people can get together to discuss the various topics of the bible and learn from one another.

Curly Bill

6/24/2010, 11:04 AM

I've seen em, never been to one. If it works for folks, let em have at it.

StoopTroup

6/24/2010, 11:06 AM

Leroid on a horse.

zzpyuZ2D5e0

Leroy Lizard

6/24/2010, 11:12 AM

In retrospect I guess this counters the type of churches i've been asked to attend, you know the type where the discussion is not focused on the bible/Jesus/the disciples but rather how much you have in your bank account/stock tips/what car you drive/how big your house is.

:rolleyes:

stoops the eternal pimp

6/24/2010, 01:06 PM

I've spoken at a few of those churches around here....a couple of biker churches including a new one that just started here in town...one took like a hymn of some sort and put the lyrics to some AC/DC music....

I have no problems with any of that

Serge Ibaka

6/24/2010, 01:11 PM

Cool. It seems to me that if you're going to celebrate a religion, that experience should be at least somewhat fluid with the dynamics of the church's community.

Leroy Lizard

6/24/2010, 01:14 PM

Maybe, but the purpose of a church is not to be cool. There is a fine line between making a parish comfortable and pandering to their lifestyle. (They call it "selling out.")

Serge Ibaka

6/24/2010, 01:16 PM

That's all relative to your understanding of religion and church. And since nobody talks to God, I would say that any understanding on the matter is entirely problematic and subjective.

StoopTroup

6/24/2010, 01:16 PM

Leroy Lizard

6/24/2010, 01:26 PM

That's all relative to your understanding of religion and church. And since nobody talks to God, I would say that any understanding on the matter is entirely problematic and subjective.

Correction: Protestants can talk to God all the time. (Although I'm not going to say that I have.)

Leroy Lizard

6/24/2010, 01:29 PM

Serge Ibaka

6/24/2010, 01:34 PM

Correction: Protestants can talk to God all the time. (Although I'm not going to say that I have.)

Re-correction: maybe but probably not.

stoops the eternal pimp

6/24/2010, 01:35 PM

Maybe, but the purpose of a church is not to be cool. There is a fine line between making a parish comfortable and pandering to their lifestyle. (They call it "selling out.")

its purpose is not to be cool, but traditions and methods aren't holy, the message is...

Leroy Lizard

6/24/2010, 01:36 PM

Re-correction: maybe but probably not.

I would suggest "maybe or maybe not" as more correct. You can't really say "probably not."

Serge Ibaka

6/24/2010, 01:38 PM

I would suggest "maybe or maybe not" as more correct. You can't really say "probably not."

I can dig that.

Leroy Lizard

6/24/2010, 01:40 PM

its purpose is not to be cool, but traditions and methods aren't holy, the message is...

True. But if the church stopped the practice would the people still attend? Why or why not?

It's like art. The best artists understand what their audience likes but understand that they need to remain true to their own artistic criteria.

Serge Ibaka

6/24/2010, 01:46 PM

True. But if the church stopped the practice would the people still attend? Why or why not?

It's like art. The best artists understand what their audience likes but understand that they need to remain true to their own artistic criteria.

Your understanding of what makes artists the "best" is problematic and subjective.

I'm not wanting to argue that much. I just don't understand how any sort of logic can be usefully applied to this topic.

Chuck Bao

6/24/2010, 01:47 PM

Leroy, dood, it sorta sounds like you are judging people who are expressing their religious beliefs and having fellowship in a barn. I don't know what part of that is pandering or selling out.

What they are telling me is that many of the cowboy church goers wouldn't or haven't attended a conventional church.

I didn't get that you had to have a horse to attend or any such snobbery. But there are plenty of horse people there and I am not going to say that they aren't a bit touched in the head. I know my sister is. But if they want to ride together and compete in cowboy games, then God bless them. How is that any different from the First Baptist Church now sponsoring little league baseball?

Leroy Lizard

6/24/2010, 02:13 PM

Your understanding of what makes artists the "best" is problematic and subjective.

Of course it's subjective. Almost everything discussed here is subjective. It's called opinion.

Leroy Lizard

6/24/2010, 02:21 PM

Leroy, dood, it sorta sounds like you are judging people who are expressing their religious beliefs and having fellowship in a barn. I don't know what part of that is pandering or selling out.

I didn't say it was. I am saying that churches need to be careful about crossing the line. At some point, the desire to be popular and cool can become a problem. After all, we warn our kids about falling into some of these trappings, which can form into cliques.

I think the cowboy churches are a great idea, btw.

What they are telling me is that many of the cowboy church goers wouldn't or haven't attended a conventional church.

Which begs the question: Are they there to be in God's company or to socialize? (Only they know for sure.)

swardboy

6/24/2010, 06:33 PM

And some of you people blast the church because it's too homogeneous....

Crucifax Autumn

6/25/2010, 04:45 AM

Churches are gay?

OhU1

6/25/2010, 09:14 AM

Jim Bakker's son has a "punk rock" church that meets in a bar. He calls himself an "outlaw preacher". I'm sure there are skits, "relevant talks", contemporary music and casual dress.

C&CDean

6/25/2010, 02:07 PM

I've got a cowboy church a couple miles from the house. I don't have a problem with it - but the dude who runs it is kinda scary. He has signs out that say things like "This Sunday there'll be healing and annointing, stop on in!" and "Fasting is drinking only water for a day. Try it, it's a miracle!"

Anybody who claims the old "healing" thing gives me the willies.

Leroy Lizard

6/25/2010, 04:19 PM

Does he mean healing in the medical or spiritual sense?

C&CDean

6/25/2010, 04:21 PM

I don't know. Go ask him. I'd have to assume medical. And wtf is "annointing?"

KC//CRIMSON

6/25/2010, 04:23 PM

I don't know. Go ask him. I'd have to assume medical. And wtf is "annointing?"

When they spray your forehead with WD-40.

C&CDean

6/25/2010, 04:25 PM

Oh. So they're curing the arthritis. I'm down with that.

Leroy Lizard

6/25/2010, 04:26 PM

I don't know. Go ask him. I'd have to assume medical. And wtf is "annointing?"

Baptism could be considered a form of annointing. Laying on of hands could also, in a figurative sense.

C&CDean

6/25/2010, 06:58 PM

Yeah, it says that laying of hands crap too.

I was raised Pentecostal, Pilgrim of Holiness, and I've seen some of that stuff. Here's the rub. When I see the fat ladies at church complaining about the hussie who wore a short skirt - then they go to Furr's and eat their ****ing weight in chicken fry. Lay your hands on this.

I'm down with God and believing, it's the stupid people who think they're more Godly than you and me that **** it all up.

olevetonahill

6/25/2010, 07:05 PM

Dean , Im kinda with you cept Ive seen folks that were prayed over, anointed with oil and The laying on of hands.And it work

Not sayin every time but enough to make me go HMMMMMMMMMMM
As far as the fat folk I am All the way in agreement bro

Leroy Lizard

6/25/2010, 07:30 PM

I'm down with God and believing, it's the stupid people who think they're more Godly than you and me that **** it all up.

Keep in mind that Christianity is not a hobby. God commands his followers to fight evil and exhort others to join the belief. Witnessing is not merely an option.

In other words, those Christians that irritate the public the most are probably those following His commandments the closest. (And no, I don't think the Westphal nuts fall in this crowd.)

delhalew

6/26/2010, 01:09 AM

I have attended a local biker church. It was a nice experience. They drop all the pretense and get straight to the Heavenly Father business. Pretty refreshing.
Every church I attended as a child only served to chase me away.

TUSooner

6/26/2010, 07:43 AM

A Methodist preacher once summed up the whole inclusion-exclusion deal very nicely to me. We were having a conversation about people who tend to exclude those who are different than them. He said, "They might think I'm not part of the body of Christ, but I am. I may be the a$$hole, but that's part of the body!"

JohnnyMack

6/26/2010, 07:53 AM

Never been to one.

Chuck Bao

6/26/2010, 11:13 AM

Honestly, I found the Cowboy Church very refreshing and inspirational. Like I said before, it was held in a barn at the city fairgrounds, next to the rodeo arena. The altar was a few bales of hay with an iron cross planted in the middle. They don't have an altar call nor did they take up a collection. If you wanted to give something, you could discretely drop something in a bucket or hat or something near the altar. Since all of the Cowboy Church ministers are lay ministers and they keep the costs low and money really isn't that much of an issue.

The music got everyone up on their feet and a stomping, clapping and singing. Traditionalists probably wouldn't like it.

I thought that it sometimes gets a little hokey. I was wondering why they had all of the fencing equipment there and fence posts evenly spaced down the middle of the church. But, the sermon was "Are you filling in the gaps?" and instead of the altar call, the preacher asked everyone to fill in the gaps between the fence posts and it got everyone up to stand side-by-side between the makeshift fence posts down the center of the makeshift church. If you have ever driven cattle, you know about the gaps and if you have ever fixed fence you know about the gaps. It was a very effective message, at least it was to me, of standing where you are needed and definitely not in any sense exclusionary.

Based on what some have posted here, some Cowboy Churches take more of a faith revival/healing approach. Others don't. It will be interesting how they deal with the scisms in religious beliefs. They seem to be springing up all over and I think the potential is much larger than the biker churches, at least in Oklahoma, so you may get a choice near your home. Who would have thunk it? Corporate downsizing and illegal labor and overseas outsourcing and all the other realities of the new economy. Religion has to follow, or preferably lead. We just need more cowboys, God Bless them.

If and when I move back to the US, I am a Cowboy (read my mind and heart and not what I am told) Christian.

Leroy Lizard

6/26/2010, 12:56 PM

KC//CRIMSON

6/26/2010, 01:30 PM

Nevermind Leroy, Chuck. He's the kind of troll that over-thinks a bowel movement.

Leroy Lizard

6/26/2010, 02:05 PM

(deleted)

KC//CRIMSON

6/26/2010, 02:07 PM

Nice, how Christian of you.

Leroy Lizard

6/26/2010, 02:23 PM

Deleting a post is un-Christian?

My, The Bible was very much ahead of its time.

Chuck Bao

6/26/2010, 10:31 PM

I don't think of myself in the US, at my home, as a tourist. But if I did, I see nothing wrong with churches as tourist attractions, as long as it spreads the faith.

Leroy Lizard

6/27/2010, 12:11 AM

I don't think of myself in the US, at my home, as a tourist. But if I did, I see nothing wrong with churches as tourist attractions, as long as it spreads the faith.

And as long as it adheres to the faith. Once it starts compromising to attract an audience, forget it.

Crucifax Autumn

6/27/2010, 06:52 AM

I prefer spreading the filth.

Leroy Lizard

6/27/2010, 10:59 AM

Got any pics of your apartment?

Okla-homey

6/27/2010, 12:03 PM

Leroy Lizard

6/27/2010, 02:19 PM

Not aware of any Cowboy churches in Tulsa, unless you count the local Poke State Alumni Chapter.

We do have a church called "GUTS Church" that caters to people who ride motorcycles.

http://www.gutschurch.com/

Wow. They speak in tongues. I haven't heard that since I was a kid attending a Pentacostal church.

Chuck Bao

6/27/2010, 02:55 PM

Got any pics of your apartment?

Sure, but I don't see that it matters. I hung that painting of the blue naked man that PG painted and most of you hated. Art works that way, elicting a feeling, and I like that and a bit of feeling and humor.

Like hands, which are the work of God. I had forgotten that I had bought a gold-leaf covered hand to give away on my travels to the US. Thai hands are beautiful and I put it in my bathroom to hold soap. What's wrong with that?

http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy301/ghuebsch62/th_Aprmayjune2010633resized.jpg?

I got a buddha in my apartment. He is showing the hand gesture (mudra) of of reassurance and blessing and protection. It is a "do not fear" gesture. He has a little stuffed bear in his lap. The bear is gay and needs to make no apoligies or show fear.

http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy301/ghuebsch62/Aprmayjune2010636resized.jpg?t=1277668782

And, I got people dancing in my apartment. I am not so sure why they are so happy but they are and that can't be a bad thing.

http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy301/ghuebsch62/Aprmayjune2010642resized.jpg?t=1277668905

You can say that I am not entitled to a direct link to God. I beg to differ.

Leroy Lizard

6/27/2010, 06:01 PM

And, I got people dancing in my apartment. I am not so sure why they are so happy but they are and that can't be a bad thing.

Dancing =

http://datingjesus.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/v.jpg

Leroy Lizard

6/28/2010, 02:41 AM

Check out Gutschurch's staff:

http://www.gutschurch.com/site/sections/10-the-staff

I might join after all. :)

bluedogok

6/28/2010, 10:36 PM

"Unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven"

If riding a horse or a Harley or even a Kentucky riding trainer gets him to the Church...I don't have a problem with it.

However...If he's Riding bevo he's doomed to hell IMHO.
The pastor who married my wife and I (7 years ago today) has a longhorn that he rides in parades and has left the church where we were married and opened up a Cowboy Church in south Travis County in Manchaca.