Anybody go to one or just visited? I have these visions of a preacher preaching from a pulpit of hay in a rodeo arena...

I see the stickers on the back of cars all the time in H-town and when I'm visiting relatives in Dallas.

Louisiana not so much.

I think your idea is pretty accurate. From an image search:

Just a church for people who like to pretend to be cowboys. Read an article on it a couple of months ago, the whole thing sounded a bit ridiculous.

My sister operates a Therapeutic Riding Center with a cowboy church next door. I have been a couple of times. It is interesting. The congregation meets every Wednesday night. They sing songs during the first thirty minutes of the service. Afterwards, the preacher gives a sermon for about thirty more minutes.

I appreciate a more traditional church service, so I wasn't as comfortable with the cowboy church. One thing in particular bothered me just a little too much though; some folks insisted on wearing hats in the church. Being raised with manners, I take my hat off inside buildings when it is appropriate.

In my opinion, though, anything that gets people to worship the Lord is good bull.

Bonz '02
"And on the eighth day, God created the Aggies."

I would have thought it was a church for actual cowboys or ranch type people where the service is a quick sermon for 30 mins tops so they could get back to making a living.

http://www.cowboychurch.net/mission.html

Hmm...looks pretty concise to me.

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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, simple, and life changing. Some cowboy churches have covered arenas where rodeo events such as bullriding, team roping, ranch sorting, team penning and equestrian events are held on weeknights such as Thousand Hills Cowboy Church in Kerrville, Texas. Emphasis is placed on the "no barriers" model developed by Ron Nolen of Waxahachie, Texas, where he planted the first and the largest "cowboy church" in the world. The "no barriers" church model takes out of the worship service 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, many have sprung up in other states across the Southwestern United States.

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hmmm...nevermind, this actually seems very reasonable compared to the regular churches i have attended.

[This message has been edited by jed1154 (edited 7/26/2007 2:02p).]

I like how there is no biblical basis for a passing of the collection plate, but I guess there is a biblical basis for placing money in a boot or birdhouse.

I think the idea is to put a boot in the back where people CAN place money, instead of passing a plate and guilting them into it. When i go to church, the wife feels like we are 'giving to the church', whereas i feel like its my entry fee and im paying to go there.

[This message has been edited by jed1154 (edited 7/26/2007 2:35p).]

Um...they have Cowboy Church at Love and War in Texas on Sundays.

Sounds great. But guys really ought to take their hats off.

Bum Phillips wore his Stetson inside the Astrodome until his mother chewed him out for it, saying inside was inside no matter how big the building is.

Besides, a real cowboy knows hat etiquette. Eating at the counter? Leave your hat on. Eating at a table? Hats off.

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I think the idea is to put a boot in the back where people CAN place money, instead of passing a plate and guilting them into it. When i go to church, the wife feels like we are 'giving to the church', whereas i feel like its my entry fee and im paying to go there.

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although i agree with you on the guilt trip, realize some people only get paid once a month and subsequently only put money in the offering place once a month. no guilt there.

my church offers online giving, which i prefer to do because i hate writing checks. so, i don't put anything into the offering bag. i realize that other people might do the same as me.

so maybe it's just your guilty conscience re: the offering plate ;-)

seriously, i've always wanted to check out a cowboy church. i like gospel music, and i like country music. and i like country people. but there aren't many country churches around here in Clear Lake.

There is a cowboy church on hwy 105 going out of Montgomery towards Navasota. It is just before you get to the Bears football stadium. Left hand side of the road. Everyone is welcome.

Cowboy Church Catholic Style-

It don' git much more redneck than that.

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Besides, a real cowboy knows hat etiquette. Eating at the counter? Leave your hat on. Eating at a table? Hats off.

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off topic, but true statement.

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Sounds great. But guys really ought to take their hats off.

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Why? Does it say in the bible that we are to take our hats off upon entering a building? Why can't we let people worship God without throwing silly man made rules at them. I am most confident that Jesus would have let them praise him with or without their hats on.

It has nothing to do with worship. The Good Lord knows that hat was designed for a purpose. Cowboys are shepherds of the animals and the land they are raised on. Jesus respects that, trust me.

It's just about manners. Plain and simple.

Bonz '02
"And on the eighth day, God created the Aggies."

My question is why is that good manners? Does it really offend you that people don't take their hats off? I guess it just does not bother me one bit.

its out of respect and reverance to take your hat off...otherwise good manners.



"Our Country won't go on forever, if we stay as soft as we are now. There won't be any America because some foreign soldiery will invade us and take our women and breed a harder race!"
- Lt. Gen. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, USMC

Taking one's hat off is one of those quaint, old-fashioned traditions that show proper upbringing and good manners that I miss....sort of like not wearing white shoes after Labor Day or writing actual letters, instead of emails.

Proper spelling is a lost art, also, but I digress.

Hat off in church to show your face to god. Man is in his likeness. That is why women wore veils originally in church. Made from man (rib)

Ive been in some local (to me) restaurants where the ranch hands walk in and leave their hats on. It drives me nuts, these guys must have been raised in a barn. Now, in reality, there is no place to put their hats, so i guess they ought to just leave them in the dam truck, thats what i do anyway.

I swear some of you people crack me up. You might not know it but there are other cultures and rules of manners in the world. Not everyone believes taking your hat off in a building or church is disrespectful. Just because you say so doesn't make it so.

whatever, have your fun but don't touch my hat.

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Not everyone believes taking your hat off in a building or church is disrespectful. Just because you say so doesn't make it so.

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In the United States, especially in the South, a man taking his hat off in a building or church is the custom. Or at least it used to be. The first thing I thought when I saw the Cowboy Church picture was that the dude in the Cowboy Hat needs to show some respect and manners.

We aren't discussing outer Mongolia here.

there is a harley church in canton...

i always thought church/religon/god was supposed to bring people together....

my uncle went to one, he loved it. i was glad he went back to a church. i thought is was hokey. they had a "buck off" every sunday evening.

what's next? tramp stamp church? hog hunters church?