SAN ANTONIO—At the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo exhibit hall, where a “howdy” is more common than a “hello,” throngs of people in cowboy hats and boots move from one display to another, looking at clothes, candies, toffees and western paraphernalia. But one booth offers an opportunity none of the others do—a chance to engage in a relationship with Christ.
Charles Higgs, western-heritage church-starting specialist with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, builds relationships and shares the gospel with guests at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. (PHOTO/John Hall/Texas Baptist Communications)
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Texas Baptist cowboy churches from throughout South Central Texas staffed a booth in the exhibit hall, where they could share information about cowboy churches, connect people with local congregations and share the hope of Christ.
Conversations took place naturally between people with common cultural backgrounds, said Charles Higgs, western-heritage church-starting specialist with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
Cowboy church volunteers staffed the booth, handing out literature about cowboy churches and gospel tracts featuring the testimonies of professional rodeo cowboys, purchased with the help of funds from the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions.
At least one person accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, and several other people said they would attend a cowboy church in their area, Higgs said.
Pete Pawelek, senior pastor of Cowboy Fellowship of Atascosa County, said the booth is “one of those opportunities where we can be the light” of Christ. It provides a way to introduce cowboy churches to those who may not know they exist. Cowboy church members visited with people from across the nation and several countries around the globe.
“We really get to interact in one place with people from our Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth even,” Pawelek said. “This is one of the unique opportunities we have where they can really come to us instead of us going to them.”
The booth reflects the commitment of cowboy churches to take the gospel to people who have yet to embrace it, Higgs said. Wherever cowboys gather, cowboy churches seek to share the gospel.
“When we see the hoofprints, we see more baptisms,” he said. “We’ve got to be where the hoofprints are.”
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John Hall writes for Texas Baptist Communications.