Cowboy church
| Cowboy church | |
|---|---|
| iglesia vaquera | |
 Cowboy Church inMineral Wells, Texas | |
| Classification | Nondenominational |
| Orientation | Catholic,Protestant,andEvangelicalorigins |
| Scripture | Bible |
| Polity | Congregational polity |
Acowboy churchis aChristianchurchthat embraces thecowboyandWestern lifestyle.[1][2][3]
A typical cowboy church may meet in aruralsetting, often in abarn,metal building, arena, sale barn,Pueblo/Territorialadobebuilding, or otherAmerican frontierstyle structure. Often they have their ownrodeoarena, and acountry gospel band.Some cowboy churches have covered arenas where rodeo events such asbull riding,team roping, ranch sorting, team penning andequestrianevents are held.[4]
Common areas of belief are that the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God, serving as the ultimate guide for faith and aBiblical worldview.They uphold the doctrine of theTrinity,recognizing God as one entity in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Salvation is attained through accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and experiencing spiritual rebirth or what some may express as aborn againexperience. They practice water baptism by immersion either in thewildernessor in astock tank,and emphasize the importance of receiving the Holy Spirit. Additionally, they affirm the continuation of spiritual gifts as described in the New Testament.[5][6][7][8]
History
[edit]Originating in 1972 under former professional rodeo clown Glenn Smith this movement emerged as Smith began to evangelize on the bull riding and rodeo circuits. Smith utilized traditional western pursuits as conduits for the dissemination of Christian teachings. Presently, the United States hosts approximately 5,000 cowboy churches, reflecting the widespread adoption and growth of this distinctive form of worship.[9]
Churches
[edit]These churches are loosely associated through groups such as the American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches, the Cowboy Church Network of North America, and the International Cowboy Church Alliance/Network. And not all churches embracing a cowboy and Western theme necessarily accept the label cowboy church.[10]And while most arenondenominational,[11]they can be aligned with any number of larger denominations.[12][13][14]
Most of cowboy churches have very small town congregations.[15]And while mostly found in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, they can be found worldwide in Australia,[16]Asia, and Russia.[17]
Some cowboy churches can reachmegachurchscales in congregation size.[15]The Cowboy Church of Ellis County inWaxahachie, Texas,is known as the largest cowboy church in the world, with over 1,700 members.[18]The majority of these religious institutions integrate elements reminiscent of theAmerican frontier,with some like the Ellis County offeringranchingandrodeoeducation, along withfishingandgroundskeepingskills.[19]However, certain congregations opt to emphasize the ethos of contemporaryWestern United Statesculture, similar to a more traditional megachurch style.[15]Such as is the case with Sagebrush Church inAlbuquerque, New Mexico,encouragingoutdoor recreationwith a main large campus on theRio Grandebosque,and modern American West concepts like aclassicauto shows.[20]
References
[edit]- ^Vara, Richard (May 16, 2008)."Church unites preaching with the cowboy way".Houston Chronicle.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^"Cowboy churches rope in new Christians".NBC News.January 9, 2009.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^Begay, Mesha (March 20, 2024)."Local church honors fallen New Mexico officer Justin Hare".KOB.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^McQuerrey, Teresa (January 16, 2024)."Cowboy Church a rodeo tradition".paysonroundup.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^"Pecos Valley Cowboy Church".Pecos Valley Cowboy Church.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^"Who We Are".American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches.February 2, 2019.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^"Belief".ICCAN.August 11, 2010.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^"Missions".Cowboy Church of Virginia.March 25, 2006.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^Jones, Hannah (April 8, 2024)."Boots, blue jeans, and Bibles: the truth about cowboy churches".The Daily Campus.RetrievedApril 9,2024.
- ^Jim, Arizona (February 12, 2018)."Western, Orthodox, Charismatic".Medium.RetrievedApril 9,2024.
- ^Bacon, Su (July 28, 2015)."Cowboy churches in Kansas and Missouri find their own trail to faith".Kansas City Star.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^Kennedy, John W. (January 28, 2019)."Cowboy Church Pioneer Russ Weaver Honored with Award".TSLN.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^Nicolaus, Ruth (December 12, 2023)."Familiar faces return for Cowboy Church".Assemblies of God.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^Scudder, Charles (January 11, 2019)."Cowboy church in West Texas town of Bronte welcomes all".Longview News-Journal.RetrievedApril 8,2024.
- ^abcDallam, Marie W. (2017-12-21).The 21st-Century Cowboy Church Movement.Vol. 1. Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/oso/9780190856564.003.0004.
- ^"Home".cowboy-church.RetrievedApril 9,2024.
- ^"RUSSIA".CowboyChurch.Net.RetrievedApril 9,2024.
- ^"Cowboy Church of Ellis County".Atlas Obscura.May 12, 2017.RetrievedApril 9,2024.
- ^"MINISTRIES".The Cowboy Church.December 11, 2018.RetrievedApril 9,2024.
- ^Freeman, Laila (June 18, 2023)."Sagebrush holds car show ahead of 2023 Fathers' Day".KRQE NEWS 13.RetrievedApril 9,2024.