“Please remove your hats as we go to the Lord in prayer.”
I had never heard that introduction to prayer before. Please bow your heads—yes. Let’s stand and pray—yes. But remove your hats? Never. But it made sense. We were surrounded by men who were wearing cowboy hats and “ropin” hats (also known as “gimme” hats or baseball hats in the city.)
We were visiting The Cowboy Church in Brenham where my son and daughter-in-law are members. When we arrived, we were greeted by two cowboys on horseback. The praise team had a steel guitar. There was a wagon wheel on the pulpit, and the pastor wore boots, jeans, a western belt, a western shirt, and a cowboy hat. I realized I was worshipping in a different context than I had ever worshipped before.
A Cross-Cultural Experience
After the service, my son told me that the pastor did not grow up in a cowboy or rodeo culture. He even had to take horseback riding when he answered the call to pastor this church; he had to learn about the culture. I knew our missionaries had to do that when moving overseas to spread the gospel in another language and culture. It took me by surprise that a pastor had to do this to minister to people born in the United States with English as their first language.
I was intrigued by what was needed to learn this culture. I invited Pastor Marty Mosher to lunch to hear his story. I wanted to know what he did to reach out and present the gospel in a way that the cowboy culture could understand and respond to.
He confirmed that he did take horseback riding lessons that enable him to work the cattle with folks. He read books written in the culture—The Man Who Rode Midnight and The Time it Never Rained. Both books gave him a greater understanding of the culture. He hangs out with them to develop relationships and understand their way of life. The sale barn is a popular place to see and be seen. When a roping event is held, Pastor Marty works the chutes. He is intentional about being a cowboy—not just acting like one. And he works culturally relevant illustrations into his sermons. Needless to say, the music is culturally relevant, too.
The Cowboy Church is reaching people that aren’t going to walk into a typical Baptist church. The church has gone out of her way to present a relevant gospel to a people group that needs to hear the gospel.
An Opportunity with Inmates
Pastor Marty’s story reminded me of a story David Valentine, pastor of Covenant Fellowship in Huntsville, tells. David was a new pastor at First Baptist Church in Huntsville. Every day at noon, about one hundred men walked by his office window. Every day. Same time. He was curious, and in his research discovered that these men were ex-offenders that had just been released from the Walls Unit across the street from his office. They had no one to pick them up and they were walking to the bus station.
David learned in further research that the Walls Unit—which opened in 1849—is the oldest prison in Texas. He was intrigued by this institution that was at the back door of his church. He led his church to provide cold drinks for the officers that had “picket” duty in the open-air towers that guard the unit. As they continued to minister to the officers by handing out candy and providing lunches on occasion, other opportunities opened up.
A new warden arrived at the Wynne Unit and wanted a faith-based dorm like he had experienced at another unit. The officers told Warden Pittman he needed to talk to Pastor David. They knew him from his officer ministry and trusted him.
A faith-based dorm was started and filled up quickly. Fifty-nine men stay in this dorm for a year-long program of Bible study and discipleship. Other programs followed including a class to train house church pastors.
David was a typical First Baptist Church pastor in a typical Texas town. Prison ministry was the farthest thing from his mind. But he realized that God had transferred him to First Baptist Huntsville and called him to this ministry. He did his research. An officer in the system coached him on the language of the system and what to do when he visited. When distributing candy or providing lunches for the officers, he listened to them and learned their needs.
Whoever May Come
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:22-23
As I thought about the stories that Pastor Marty and Pastor David shared, I remembered this verse in 1 Corinthians. Pastor Marty paraphrased it and became a cowboy to win cowboys. David developed a heart for prisoners and guards so he might save some.
What institution is in your community that needs the gospel? What group of people have you noticed who have a cultural lifestyle that needs the gospel? Who do you need to reach out to in order that you might save some?
We often think that we need to be a long haul trucker to reach a long haul trucker. Or maybe we need to be a biker to reach a biker. Pastor Marty and Pastor David have shown us with their example that we can learn a new culture and—as Paul says—become like that culture for the sake of the gospel. In so doing, we will share its blessings.
Sally Hinzie is a Church Consultant who has worked at UBA for many years. Her primary areas of ministry focus include church planting, bible storying training, organic church, and ministry implementation.
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