| Living in Stephenville, Texas - a town known as the | | | | where they came from, or whatthey wear." |
| Cowboy Capitalof the World - supposedly home to | | | | I've heard that this was true but never personally |
| more professional cowboys thanany other town in | | | | looked into it untilrecently. According to an article that |
| the country, one cannot help but notice that | | | | appeared in Charisma Magazine, |
| cowboysare king around here. Personally, as a city | | | | "[this Cowboy Church phenomenon is] part of a |
| boy born in Chicago, Illinois I'venever even ridden a | | | | move of God neverbefore seen in the rodeo world. |
| horse. I sat on one as a child but couldn't make herdo | | | | It's a revival found at livestock auctions,in cowboy |
| anything. | | | | churches, and on isolated ranches and farms that dot |
| I've attended the local Cowboy Church and was | | | | the rurallandscape of the Western United States. And |
| blessed each time Iattended, the room filled with | | | | it's one that 1930s |
| men in cowboy hats, boots and Wranglerjeans. They | | | | Pentecostal preacher Smith Wigglesworth reportedly |
| come as they are, for sure, and the parking lot is | | | | prophesied wouldcome not only to, but also through, |
| filled withmore pick-up trucks than you'll find | | | | the cowboy community, a less-than-accurate but |
| anywhere on earth at one time. Infact, the last time | | | | useful term for describing the culture. This |
| I attended there, a tattooed cowboy was baptized | | | | awakeningencompasses ranchers, farmers, horse |
| inthe horse trough outside. Before the service, men | | | | trainers, professional rodeocompetitors, cowboys |
| on horseback directedtraffic on the grassy parking | | | | and, of course, cowgirls." |
| lot. While chatting with other Christiansafter the | | | | Did you catch that? According to the article, |
| service, several made mention of being accepted for | | | | Wigglesworth prophesiedthat a revival would be |
| whothey are in Christ and not rejected for what | | | | coming THROUGH - not only TO - the |
| they were wearing. | | | | cowboycommunity. |
| A few years ago, Stephenville got its first "Cowboy | | | | The article went on to say: "People are being saved |
| Church." Thechurch grew rapidly and got my | | | | by the tons in thecowboy world," 66-year-old Glenn |
| attention when, on an Easter Sunday,they packed | | | | Smith, the acknowledged "granddaddy"of cowboy |
| the pews in a banquet room of a local bar with over | | | | evangelism, told Charisma. "They can come to |
| 500attendees. I've not only visited the church several | | | | cowboyservices just as they are, in dirty Levis and |
| times and said a fewwords from the pulpit, but I was | | | | with cow stuff on their boots,and leave saved." |
| invited by the pastor to teach an 8-weekseries on | | | | THE COWBOY WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE |
| the cults one night a week. These days, as I make | | | | The article in Charisma stated that, "As recently as |
| my rounds as a | | | | 30 years ago therewasn't a single outreach aimed at |
| Workplace Chaplain - a "circuit rider," as Cowboy | | | | cowboys. Now there is a multitude ofevangelistic |
| Pastor Charles Higgscalled me - it seems that | | | | efforts, many of them charismatic and Pentecostal. |
| everywhere I look, I see a new Cowboy Church. | | | | In additionto preaching the same gospel, these |
| THE WORD FROM WIGGLESWORTH | | | | efforts share at least one othercharacteristic: mobility. |
| The following was found on the website for the | | | | Ministering on the rodeo circuit, providing pastoralcare |
| Nashville Cowboy Church: | | | | for county-sized ranches and cowboy congregations, |
| "In The Last Days The Gospel Will Be Spread By | | | | discipling potentialleaders and maintaining relationships |
| Cowboy...This was aprophecy of noted English | | | | with new converts requires so muchtravel that some |
| Prophet Smith Wigglesworth in the late 1800's. | | | | cowboy ministers live in recreational vehicles |
| After the coming of the new millennium, it seems | | | | year-round." |
| evident that this prophecyis being fulfilled. "Cowboy | | | | The central theme of the New Testament is that |
| Church" type services are enjoying atremendous | | | | Jesus is Lord. the word "lord"comes from the Greek |
| resurgence. Regardless of the setting, the one thing | | | | 'kyrios" which, literally means "owner." God wantseach |
| that manypeople seem to feel is the simplicity of the | | | | of us to make Jesus the Lord of every aspect of |
| message and the informal "Comeas you are," down | | | | our society - even the cowboyaspect. What other |
| to earth, God inspired love toward one another. | | | | segment of society needs to be surrendered to |
| Peopleare hungry for something real. Cowboy Church | | | | Christ? Theanswer lies right there in the segment in |
| is breaking down the wallsthat have separated | | | | which each of us spends the majorityof our OWN |
| people from enjoying a personal relationship with | | | | time. |
| theirmaker, no matter what their background is, | | | | |