Tuesday, December 15, 2009
National Finals Rodeo Ministry - November 29th-December 8th, 2008
This year's ministry in Vegas was a little different than previous years. We did not set up a booth at the Cowboy Christmas trade fair as we've done in the past. Instead a couple from a Colorado Springs chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys used our booth space to sell thier "Christian Cowboy" themed products along with keeping up a display of our outreach material (New Testaments, Bible tracts, and Bible studies). I was a little apprehensive of this change but the couple proved to be an excellent crew for the booth. Not needing to man our booth freed our team up to move around the Cowboy Christmas gift show and make several important meetings and events throughout Vegas. As a result, we were able to follow up on and spend more time with some relationships that would ordinarily have suffered. I am still praising God for this provision and we look forward to continuing this partnership with that chapter next year.
We also had a new opportunity this year to hold a Cowboy Church Service for the Miss Rodeo America Pageant. You probably remember that we have held a prayer breakfast for the pageant contestants in the past. This year we were asked by the Director of the Miss Rodeo America Association to hold a service for the family, friends, and spectators of the pageant. This was a huge opportunity for us. I believe that it was offered to us because of our faithfulness in ministering to the contestants at the prayer breakfast for so many years.
As you can imagine, when we have a new service it is sometimes hard to estimate how many people we will have or what kind of reception we will receive. With new ministries like this we sometimes have three people show up (like a few times at the American Royal Rodeo) or we can have fifteen hundred show up. We usually try to advertise the service with fliers, posters, and word of mouth and then we trust the Lord to bring those whose hearts have been softened. Around five minutes before the start of the service there were seven people in the room (and five of them were part of the service). That could be disheartening, but at the time the service was to start we were scrambling to find more chairs. The Lord provided the people! After the service we talked with quite a few who were challenged by the message and we are looking forward to keeping up those contacts this year!
Later in the week we held a prayer breakfast for the actual contestants of the Miss Rodeo America pageant. This is my fourth year organizing this event for the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys. The prayer breakfast is held during the most intensive time of the pageant and the Lord usually uses it to encourage the contestants and calm their nerves. We had two quick praise songs and then a testimony from the reigning Miss Rodeo America. Amy Wilson, Miss Rodeo America 2008, shared how the Lord had used her over the past year to be a witness in the rodeo world. She encouraged the ladies to see all the opportunities that they have throughout the year to serve the Lord and make the most of them. Following the service we presented each of the state rodeo queens with a Cowboy New Testament, a Bible tract, and a copy of the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys monthly magazine The Line Rider. We let our new helper, Curtis, make the presentation!
We finished up the week with a Cowboy Church Service at the Cowboy Christmas gift show. This service is one that I look forward to each year because so many of the Cowboy Christmas vendors have become like family to us. We've built relationships with many visitors to this service and this is usually the only time we get to meet and minister to them face to face.
I would appreciate your prayers specifically for those who made decisions for the Lord in Vegas this year and for our faithfulness in following up with discipleship! I can't wait until next year...
Click here for more pictures of the Miss Rodeo America Cowboy Church Service...
Click here for more pictures of the Miss Rodeo America Prayer Breakfast...
Click here for more pictures of the Cowboy Christmas Cowboy Church Service...
Monday, June 15, 2009
First Baptist Church of New Castle - June 14th, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Flint Hills Rodeo - June 5th-7th, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
FCC Rodeo Bible Camp Directors' Conference - May 28th-30th, 2009
Since their inception many years ago, the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys' Rodeo Bible Camps have been one of the greatest tools that the FCC has to impact this world for the cause of Christ. Countless lives have been changed (many of whom are at the top of their event in the PRCA standings) throughout the years. This year 17 local chapters are organizing and manning camps in five states.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Eastside Bible Church Missions Conference - April 29th-May 3rd, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Emmaus Mennonite Church - April 24th, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
A Faithful Testimony - March 9th, 2009
Last month I had the opportunity to partner again with the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys in coordinating the ministry at the National Western Stock Show. I have said many times (probably too much) that the National Western is one of my favorite ministries because it has such a great history as a rodeo and it is such a hospitable environment for ministry. This year was no different and I believe that the Lord used His Word in Denver in a mighty way!
During my time at the National Western I was able chat with a rancher who I had seen for several years at the National Western outreaches but had never had the chance to visit with. As we began to talk, Terry explained that he had visited a National Western Cowboy Church Service over ten years earlier while he was participating in a livestock show early on a Sunday morning. He was a man who had no church background and had never given a second thought to the Lord or eternity.
While attending that service Terry heard the Gospel for the first time and placed his faith in Christ. Praise God! For him, starting a relationship with Christ seemed like an easy choice. He had never before heard the truth and had a chance to respond. Since his commitment to Christ he has been active in his local church and has been faithful to make all three Cowboy Church Services at the National Western for the past ten years.
The fact that the Lord has given us such favor with the livestock shows in Denver and Houston has allowed us to put our service information on the livestock show’s schedule. I believe that this is one of the major reasons why so many like Terry visit one of our outreach services while attending a livestock show or rodeo. They come for the rodeo and leave with a life-changing relationship! What a huge opportunity that the Lord has given us.
I’m sure that there are many more like Terry at each rodeo where we minister...please keep them in your prayers. We will be heading to Houston this week to hold more life-changing outreaches. Please pray specifically for those services as well as our travel to and from Houston.
We love you and we can’t wait to give you a report on the Lord’s work in Houston!
In Christ’s Service,
Cory
Thursday, February 12, 2009
South Haven Baptist Church AWANA - January 28th, 2009
On January 28th, 2009 Leslie and I had the opportunity to share about cowboy ministry with the AWANA group at South Haven Baptist Church in Belton, MO. We have several friends that attend South Haven. The most remarkable part of this night was that the kids asked really good questions about rodeo, the ministry and our personal lives. We both had a great time explaining the intricacies of cowboy ministry with them all!
National Western Stock Show Ministry - January 10th-25th, 2009
This year marks the fourth year that we have partnered with the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys to minister at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, CO. The National Western is one of the oldest indoor rodeos in the country and has a very rich history of rodeo, livestock shows, and horse shows.
The bulk of this ministry consists of three Cowboy Church Service outreaches at the National Western complex and another service at the Denver Mart for the Western English Sales Association's annual expo.
The Western English Sales Association (WESA) expo is an annual meeting of western clothing manufacturers (such as Wrangler or Justin Boots) and distributors (such as Shepler's or Tractor Supply). We work with the expo's leadership in holding a Cowboy Church Service during each year's expo. It is a great privilege to have that invitation but it also allows us the opportunity to spend a little more time for relationships with the vendors that we see at many other rodeos throughout the year (like Houston, National High School Finals, and the National Finals). You can see from the picture above that there were around a hundred people who attended the service. This year there were several familiar faces but quite a lot of new faces.
The other outreach services were held at the National Western Complex. The services averaged three to four hundred. This year we had the opportunity to work with RW Hampton. RW led the music for two of our church services did a great job. We have worked with RW in the past and I have always been impressed with his ability to meet a crowd where they are and lead them in worship. There is a possibility of having RW help us in Houston (so keep praying).
As with all of our ministries, please keep praying for those who heard the Word and made decisions for the Lord! Pray also for our faithfulness in keeping up contact with those that we can.
Click here for pictures from the WESA Cowboy Church Service on 1/18/2009...
Click here for pictures from the National Western Stock Show Cowboy Church Service from 1/18/2009...
Click here for pictures from the National Western Stock Show Cowboy Church Service from 1/25/2009...