New Cowboy Church calls to different crowd to find faith
By SHARON KERR Staff Writer

Brady Barnett

No red carpet, no rituals, no bells and whistles- that's how pastor Brady Barnett describes his new Jasper Cowboy Church, which will hold its first service Easter Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at the Junior Livestock Arena across from the airport in Jasper.

"The cowboy church concept has been growing since the early 90's," Barnett said. "It's really caught on and is popping up everywhere, not just Texas, because it is reaching a community that is often not reached by traditional churches."

The friendly, come-asyou are atmosphere is appealing to the western crowd, and so are the pairings of activities. At the long-established cowboy church in Ellis County, their calendar matches barrel racing with ladies Bible study on Tuesdays, and team roping practice with a young adult program the next night.

Barnett says they will have roping practice and rodeo events, and a greeter on a horse in the parking lot, but those aren't gimmicks. They are to make people feel comfortable and welcome.

"Eighty percent of the ministering in a cowboy church is done outside of Sunday morning services," Barnett said. He bases that on experience looking at churches like Ellis.

Newsboy photo/ Charles Kerr THE CORE GROUP has been planning the first service and rehearsing for the Cowboy Church band for a long time. East Sunday at 10:30 a.m. it all comes together with the first official Cowboy Church of Jasper service at the Junior Livestock Arena.

"My original plan (for a career) was to major in psychology and be a crisis counselor, but God called me to pastor, and the idea of a cowboy church fits my personality," Barnett said.

Barnett graduated from Kirbyville High School in 2002, attended Dallas Baptist University where he majored in psychology with a double minor in Bible studies and sociology. Mutual friends introduced him to his wife, Ashley, who was attending Southern Methodist University. After graduation, they moved to Magnolia Springs.

He's been organizing the new church for several months now. Each of the core group came to him through personal connections.

"Word of this traveled like wildfire. People have come to us who wanted to help at the foundational level. We had the first meeting at our house, and 27 showed up," Barnett said.

For the first service, a Christian country band, Branded, will provide the music. People can sit in the bleachers at the arena or bring lawn chairs if they want, Barnett said.

A typical cowboy service might consist of sign-ins for team events before the services, the house band or guest musicians playing bluegrass and country gospel, hymns sung by the congregation and a short sermon by the pastor, followed by roping competition at noon.

Barnett's first service will include a baptism in a horse trough.

He knows that the informal setting may make traditional church folks uncomfortable, but he hopes it will attract others who might not hear the message otherwise.

"We are delivering the same message, but using different methods," Barnett said. "It's a church without apology."

By that he means that it doesn't matter if you show up in jeans and boots and cowboy hats or baseball caps; it's not about the stained glass or cushioned pews; it doesn't require anything other than the congregation to come together.

"It's as simple as you can get it," Barnett said.

He's not worried that the arena may be cold in March, or that in a few months it will be baking under the summer sun and has no airconditioning.

"This is a group of people who work outdoors, and the elements don't deter them," Barnett said.

Barnett calls this an "incarnational" ministry rather than a promotional one.

"Incarnational means living persons networking; it's hard to witness without a relationship, so that is what we are striving for," Barnett said. "Our number one goal is to help the lost. All my efforts are to tell somebody who doesn't know about the Lord, who would not be reached otherwise."