Congregational Life
fellowship!
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006
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Cowboy Church starts four new churches
S
tarted less than two years ago, the Cowboy Church of Erath County in Stephenville, Texas, a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
partner church, has helped start four new cowboy churches in the north and central part of the state.
tailored appeal to a not reached people group in the U.S.,” said Phil Hester, the Fellowship’s associate coordinator of new church starts. “The preaching is simple and CBF relevant. The music may range from traditional to Toby Keith’s ‘If I Were Jesus’ to Dale Evans’ ‘Happy Trails to You.’” Most people in attendance, including the pastor, wear western clothing and cowboy hats. Two cowboy Church member Jacob Keeping was baptized in a horse trough. boots and a milk jug are located in the back of the church several throughout the summer while the for those who want to give money, prayer churches look for and train permanent pastors. One of the new church starts is affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist New Cowboy Fellowship and three affiliated with Church Starts the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), a Fellowship partner Cowboy Church of Young County in Graham, started April 2005, averages 250 organization. in attendance Most people attending the cowboy churches have never been to church or Happy Trails Fellowship in Glen Rose, started June 2006, averages 36 attendees have not attended a church for many years. The low-key, relaxed format offers Crossroads Cowboy Church of an atmosphere that contrasts with the Madisonville, started June 2006, averages 100 in attendance traditional church setting — in line with the Fellowship’s indigenous approach to Double N Cowboy Church of Dublin, starting churches. started July 2006, averages 110 in attendance “The success of these cowboy churches illustrates the power of a genuine custom-
Photo courtesy of Charles Higgs
Photo courtesy of Charles Higgs
“Wherever there’s a sale barn, you can start a church,” said Charles Higgs, pastor of Cowboy Church. Higgs has been instrumental in the new church starts, including preaching at
Charles Higgs has called himself a ‘circuit-riding preacher in a Ford pickup.’
requests or indicate that they prayed the sinners’ prayer with the pastor at the end of the service. “They feel accepted,” said Higgs, who wants to help start 250 cowboy churches in the next five years. “They like to come in [to church] after feeding their stock in the morning. They like the country flavor of the music.” When Higgs started the Cowboy Church of Erath County, he wanted “this church to be a contributing church and a reproducing church.” Five families from Higgs’ church committed to joining and helping the Double N Cowboy Church of Dublin, and two Baptist Student Ministries students from Tarleton State University in Stephenville lead the music at the new church in Glen Rose. “I hadn’t been here two days before Phil Hester came and helped us,” he said.
“[CBF] kind of reminds me of these cowboys. They are down to earth. You really sense an attitude of being a servant. I hope we can have a lot of cowboy churches team up with CBF.” Begun in a sale barn, the Cowboy Church of Erath County currently meets in a banquet hall and averages 300 on Sundays. They will pay off 22 acres of land in October and are planning to start construction on an outdoor arena in September and a church building/ meeting area in November. Higgs is developing ministry teams and lay pastors while transitioning to his new position as director of western ministries for the BGCT. He will work part-time in that role until moving to full time on Aug. 1, 2007. f! By contributing writer Alison Wingfield, Dallas, Texas
First ‘It’s Time’ grants awarded
to help fund a new program called Faith and
Back to the Book for students in that
grant. For information on “It’s Time,” go to
Sports Together, which will use sports as an
community.
www.thefellowship.info/ItsTime.
Toward Missional Faithfulness” study and
congregational ministers among the laity,
FREDERICKSBURG Baptist Church in Virginia
support of its Back to the Book event, which
meeting other requirements, congregations
church censuses, funding for student field
and First Baptist Church of Dalton, Ga., were
provides school supplies, clothing and other
are eligible to apply for the grant. To
internships, development of resources to
awarded the first It’s Time Missional Ministry
items to nearly 1,200 students in the Dalton
review the grant application process, log
strengthen family life within the missional
Grants by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
community. In July, 22 church members
on to www.thefellowship.info/ItsTime/
church context and encourage children and
Fredericksburg will use the $25,000 grant
traveled to Tchula, Miss., and conducted
TheMissionalChurch/grant.icm.
youth to develop missional lifestyles.
Fellowship receives $1.5 million grant
New stewardship resources online
THE COOPERATIVE Baptist Fellowship was
stewardship are now available online at the
agent for positive change. FBC Dalton was awarded $25,000 in
After completing the “It’s Time: a Journey
awarded a $1.5 million grant from Christ Is Our Salvation foundation to be administered over the next three years. The grant will be used to encourage churches in missional Photo courtesy of FBC Dalton
ministries. Half of the funds from the grant will support the Fellowship’s “It’s Time” missional ministry grants. Congregations who complete the “It’s Time: a Journey Toward Missional Faithfulness” study and meet other Members of FBC Dalton provided book bags and school supplies to children in the community.
w w w. t h e f e l l o w s h i p. i n f o
requirements are eligible to apply for the
The grant will also provide training for
STEWARDSHIP is about more than money. Resources related to many aspects of Fellowship’s congregational life Web site, www.thefellowship.info/CL. CBF’s new online resources provide a wealth of information to address the questions of stewarship. The information on the site is divided into several categories: articles, books, consult, events, sermons, studies/programs and Web links. The resources are designed to serve not only pastors but also lay people. f!
Cowboy Church Starts
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Congregational Life Updates