Cowboy Churches

When getting a PREACHER, I have learned over the years to be extremely careful. I make sure I've seen and heard him live before turning over my responsibility to minister to the people God has called me to lead.

When calling a SINGER, I'm not that careful. I'll take a recomendation from another pasor I trust, or even watch them on YouTube. They are coming to sing, not preach, and my people know to accept them that way.

Once I pray and decide to call them, I contact them, either through email or phone, and discuss it with them.

All preachers are not alike, and neither are all singers of course. If you are new at this, be careful, pray, and trust the leadership of the Spirit of God. God's in no hurry. But when He starts to move, get out of His way!

I strongly recommend some folks you'll find at the bottom of the home page on our web site. I've been pastoring almost 40 years now, and have known some of these a long time. I promise you they'll bless your people. They usually make a loop through a given part of the country once or twice a year, and you'll have to choose a date in that time frame. Be blessed, and if we can be of assistance in any way, please let me know. Andy Starks CornerstoneCowboyChurch.com

Andy, you said a mouthful.  We have been doing Cowboy Church for 40 years as well and can attest to the fact that we should not have had some of the speakers we did. Just as important, we wish we would have learned earlier in our ministry how to effectively shut someone down when things were 'going south'.  That goes for people sharing in between their songs as well or trying to promote their style of worship. 

Our Cowboy Church is an outreach to the unchurched and unsaved as well as a blessing to those of us who love the country music and country way of life.  We have learned to warn the people we have invited to participate that if they can't stay within the peramiters we set, we will have to shut them down. Part of OUR mandate is to 'despook' people that have been hurt by churches and their run-ins with Christians over the years and their are lots of them.

Thanks for the advice, it is appreciated.  Many times we would have been saved 'a wreck' if we had listened to that 'glitch' in our spirits as the Holy Spirit tried to lead and we weren't listening, or didn't know how to deal with the situation. 

Please pray for us as God seems to be leading us to start a Cowboy Church once a week in yet another location.  We need the Holy Spirit's guidance. 

Ross & Claire Pollock

Diamond Willow Cowboy Church.

While I've attended cowboy church and led worship in cowboy church services, I was not intimately involved with a cowboy church until May of last year when I became the worship leader/music director of Spur Cross Cowboy Church.  The church had lost one pastor, then the other one quit.  The board nearly shut everything down, but decided instead to struggle through. They did an extensive pastor search and finally picked one - who has turned out to be an excellent choice.  (PRAISE GOD!!!)

God sent us to several dysfunctional churches before we came to our current church.  I look back and realize what all He was teaching us.  Here's an example:  We went to one church where the worship leader had been hitting on women.  When confronted by the pastor, he assulted the pastor which resulted in a restraining order, a trial, conviction and probation.  I was asked to lead worship.  My husband and I love to do service.  He's REALLY good at technical stuff.  Had we been informed of the history, we might have decided not to become involved.  We didn't find any of this out until later.

The former worship leader's wife was on the board of the church as well as the worship team.  For the entire time we were there, his wife did everything she could to sabotage the worship and the board, ever holding a place for her husbands return, as soon as the restraining order expired.

Through our experiences, we've learned that we need to be "in the church and not of it".  The work we do in any church is for the Lord.  We have been to churches that were dieing and had no idea that they were.  We've been to churches that were cults of personality and didn't even realize it.  We've been to churches who thought they could allow sin to run rampant (openly acknowledging that it existed) and that they would still be blessed. 

Thank God, we've also been to churches that fought the good fight, built themselves on the word and did everything they could to be the church that God wanted them to be.  That, I think, is where our little church is today.  The past leadership has not had the integrity it should have.  Many folks have left.  It's sad to see some of them go because they've contributed so much, however, based on personal observation, it seems their motives were not in the right place.  They used the church for their personal aggrandizement rather then for their stores of treasures in Heaven.  What's left are those who are committed to making things work.  The church is being rebuilt from the cornerstone on up.

I'm one of those people who had been hurt by churches and Christians in them.  As a non-Christian, the folks that made the most impression upon me, personally, were those who lived it rather than give it lip service.  There was a quiet confidence about certain people.  I would ask them what was different about them and they'd tell me they were followers of Jesus Christ.  That would usually send me running away screaming.  I didn't want anything to do with Christianity.  When I did come to Christ, I did it kicking and screaming.  I was a Buddhist up to the moment I became a Christian.  I've run into several former Buddhists since then.

We would love to see our congregation grow from the ground on up - cowboys, cowgirls, bikers, addicts - come one, come all.  Also, Buddhists.  We'd love to see more Buddhists in the seats.  Personally, I don't care if we never grow huge.  We'd lose the intimacy we have now.  What I want is that we grow strong in the Lord, that I can grow strong in the Lord along with the church.  God saved me for a purpose, and I think He saved our church for a purpose.  We've got a ways to go.  I pray he leads us with His light and that we're all smart enough to follow.

As for the music, I am the only one doing it right now.  The pastor wants us to keep things consistent until we start leveling things o

We also agree, we have had to learn that the true church is not a building but our Lords church and as Christians we all make up that one church. When I begain my ministry I prayed long and hard for how the Lord wanted me to proceed. It didn't take long for his answer for me to know that I was a minister if music and not a speaker. As a result I have been welcomed more openly to many different churches. The one thing I have found through prayer is that the Lord will direct us, and that we all have one common belief and that is the ( birth, life, death, & resuraction of Christ our saviour ) as long as we hold to theses truths we will never go wrong and. I strongly belive in my case that I'm to prepare the people for the pastor through music for who knows his people better than he does. I follow my Lords direction then I should never offend anyone or cross denomation lines.

Music is the ministry I was called for and the talents I was given.

Howdy Karmann at Spur Cross Cowboy Church in Arizona!

We have have sang there a couple of times, I know you guys have gone through a lot but you have a great pastor now and I pray that your ministry there will grow.

We have always enjoyed the warmth and fellowship when we have ministered there.

Sorry, not sure what happened, we had a power surge and things went wonky.

We're quite different than many of the cowboy churches that I've encountered. The following are comments on ministry differences, they are not criticisms, as we must each minister the way God has called us.

We consider ourselves a full service church that does a great deal of teaching including seminary level theology. Many cowboy churches are strictly outreach focused. Outreach forms a big part of what we do, but we have intentionally tried to integrate those who come into a Christian community.

Our music is country and our dress is cowboy. We minister to those with an affinity for the western lifestyle. Being located next to a major urban center many of our people could best be described as cowboy at heart.

In many ways, our services might not look all that different from a more traditional evangelical Christian church, but we find the atmosphere allows non-believers and seekers to feel very comfortable. On average there is a year between the time people first hear of us and actually attend a service.

Here's the line up for a typical Friday night service.

4PM set up crew arrives
6PM people begin arriving for soup and sandwhiches
7:30 PM service commences
Prayer

Opening musical set

Announcements

Scripture Reading
Little Wranglers - children's time

Prayer and praise

Special reading/music

8:30 coffee break (usually 15 minutes) - Kid's go off to children's church at this point

Band calls us back with a tune

Preaching (usually 45 minutes)

Closing set

Closing prayer

Cowboy blessing

Typically we wrap up about 9:45

We kick the stragglers out at midnight.

First Saturday of the month - men's breakfast

Monday Mornings - men's coffee

Monday evenings band practice.

Wednesday afternoon and evenings - Bible study

Sunday afternoon and evening - theology classes - two afternoon, two evening classes with a meal between the classes shared by all.

That keeps us hopping through the week.

We travel and share the gospel through music. We sing souther gospel and use keyboard, guitar, harmonica, horn and sometimes a banjo. You can see our web site at www.JordanGospelMusic.com

http://youtu.be/YEm8xm-gydg Bro Chris preaching on the power to be free through Jesus Christ!!!

The issues/addictions/thoughts that have held you bound can be loosed when you touch Christ in your desperation and need...

You can check out our church page:

www.gracechapelag.com

FB:  In His Presence...

We are a little country church filled with a Mighty Powerful God in Gilbertown/Toxey AL

I sing Christian Country/Country Gospel Music on a full-time basis. I am looking for a couple of dates to fill while I am going to be in the Ben Wheeler area on March 25th. I am presently booked at The Heritage Trail Cowboy Church in Ben Wheeler on the a.m. service, but I could really use a Sunday night or even a Sat. or possibly a Wednesday on the 28th if anyone knows of one. God Bless you all and thank you so much for allowing me share my message in song. www.ronbrewermusic.com 

Got a call about possible cowboy church plants in the Middle Tennessee area. we are in need of pastors for these church plants. If you know of anyone, have them contact us.

Just wanted to say Hello to everyone.. This is truly an amazing site....  I have enjoyed reading all the comments...  and viewing some of the website........ I would like to take a moment and invite you all to visit my website www.paultillmanmusic.com and take a few minutes to browse and listen...  would love to talk to some of ya about coming and ministering at your church Thanks to all and God richly bless each of you.........Tks Paul

I have a question for ICCN leadership and the member/pastors:  Cowboy churches don't usually make a big fuss over taking an offering each week.  Historically there is a box or bucket or hat in the back for anyone that would like to to drop their tithe or offering in.  I attended a new Hispanic Church on Saturday night and there offering time was a time of celebration!  No offering was too small but most everyone participated.  Should we at Cowboy Churcdh reconsider our "tradition"?  Please RSVP.  I would like to hear your thoughts.

Hey Gary,

I'm excited to hear you just starting out!  Remember...this is GOD'S WORK...if you are following His call...HE WILL BE WITH YOU ALWAYS!!!! We just had our 2 year anniversary...2 and a half years ago, I was somewhat in your boots...we had NO support and EVERYONE thought I was CRAZY!!! -  We started with NO support and after we started for the first year the only support we had was 300.00 a month and only one person accepted Christ.

No looking back over the 2 years I can't  believe how AMAZINGLY God has provided....We started at the Fair Grounds just like you, this month we moved into our own building and we've seen 22 people accept Christ and be baptized this year!  

I just want to let you know...you are NOT alone...God WILL provide...IN HIS TIME and DON'T QUIT! Cowboy Up! :)

We will add you to our prayers....God Bless you Bro...

- Pastor Brian - Hope Corral Cowboy Church 

Hello Everyone!

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18 Shirt-Pocket Devotionals

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80 Full Color "The Value of You!" Brochures for men & women

100 Tough Times Devotional Brochures

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"Sharpening Your Focus"

If you were to ask all the pastors in America who they are trying to reach with the message of salvation, 90% would probably give you the same answer, "Everybody!" That is exactly why many are not doing it. If you are trying to reach all people of all cultures, you will probably wind up very frustrated.

The cowboy church is a specialized ministry with a special focus, at least, we claim to have a special focus. The problem is, that we often change our appearance, but not our focus. We still use the ‘scatter gun’ approach to our ministry and try to hit everybody. Then we have no focus.

When you became a cowboy church, you automatically became a very exclusive ministry. The vast majority of people in your community will never enter your doors. It will never cross their minds to attend your church. They won’t be ugly about it, they’re just not interested. They don’t associate with cowboys any other time, so it would never cross their minds to associate with cowboys on Sunday morning. Let the contemporary churches reach out to they. You’re a cowboy church. Reach out to cowboys.

We would not expect a Spanish ministry to appeal to the Oriental population of a community. Neither would we expect the deaf ministry to reach out to the bikers. Then why do many cowboy churches lose their focus on cowboys and try to reach everybody? If we are a cowboy church, we should do everything with that in mind. Our cowboy decor’ alone will not meet the need. When visitors come to a cowboy church, they expect to find more than a costume party; more than people having a contemporary worship service, with contemporary music, and contemporary preaching; more than just the surface differences. They expect to find cowboys having church! Cowboy dress and decor’ of course, but also cowboy music and cowboy preaching; cowboy discourse before and after church; cowboy activities; cowboy lifestyle manifest in cowboy worship.

When reading ‘western’ novels, you find many that are cops and robbers in hats and boots; detective stories with a cowboy facade; romance stories with a twang. It’s easy for a cowboy church to fall into the same trap. If the focus of the church is cowboys, then the focus of everything they do should be cowboy. The physical location, the church name and sign, the exterior and interior decor’, the places and means of advertising, the events and their locations, etc. Go where the cowboys go. Advertise in what the cowboys read. Get ads on the country radio stations. Put up signs at the local arenas and sale barns. Put card in their rest rooms. You’re not going to reach everybody, so stop trying! Focus all your attention, efforts, finances, etc. on cowboys.

The more ‘cowboy’ you make your ministry, the more effective you are going to be. It may be time to sharpen your focus.

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