Part III: Christian Cowboy Outreach

Recently a cowboy church was started in Brenham, Texas and the numbers grew exponentially. The perceived mass of modern Christians turning away from the “mainstream” church prompted Charles Lynn to reassure everyone that mainstream is a relative term, "Mainstream is never mainstream." Cowboy churches are already courting if not relishing in the mainstream.

Whatever is accepted as the popular thing is almost always something itself in flux and either on the way in or on the way out. As we talk of the cowboy church as outside that golden place we all think is reserved for some other entity, it may well be already nestling into the main stream of Christian life. The “mainstream” church is losing people at such a rate, and the cowboy church movement is growing at such a rate, it is quite possible at some juncture in the near future, without any announcement, the cowboy churches will reach a critical mass and one day be “the thing,” or at least be accepted as solid partners in the evangelical movement.

Stacey Nobles offered that at this stage, as fast as things are happening, word of mouth is going to carry the momentum, and advertising programs fall behind the flow as the word spreads like wildfire.

Singer songwriter George Ensle, who regularly performs for cowboy churches throughout central Texas, offered that he has more and more learned to trust the Lord to inspire the music, and give him the songs that relate to the day’s message. He also believes that humor and being real are essential to effective outreach. He proposed that any “real Christianity” will include an emphasis given to reaching our kids. “We treat our children like second-class citizens.” Yet Jesus said we had to be like them to ever enter the Kingdom! Ensle seemed to be suggesting that any correct strategy will include making the kids, and outreach to them, top priority.

As that strategy took on refinement, and it was agreed that Fathers were the essential building block to bringing in the whole family, and truly impacting kids, Barry Chinn offered some perspective about the place of fathers. After years of ministry in the penal system, prison ministers found one haunting fact: Almost every man on death row was known to hate his own father. Our job is to model Christ, as He is the ultimate surrogate father for kids with no fathers or ones whose fathers have failed to be good fathers.

Singer-songwriter Kyle Hutton of Magnolia was asked to give some words before he had to leave. He is the founder and host of “Real Life, Real Music,” ministry. He seemed to be optimistic that even if fathers and preachers fail, God will find his own. “Even when there is no leader, people will find a way.” Hutton said he and his fellowship were finding that they must see everyone that crosses their path as the target of their ministry. It might be the folks that come, or it might be the musicians they have recruited that day. He warned that we must be discerning between the legitimate hunger that Lynn spoke of, and downright disobedience. In other words, some of the folks that we meet in this movement are restless for the wrong reasons. Some are running from accountability or nurturing a personal rebellion against God, and not just the mainstream religions.

Chuck Walker of Cedar Park explained how God has led him into a rewarding radio ministry. It is called the Jesus Country Show.

Comedian Chuck Montgomery broke everybody up with his impish smile and off the wall approach. He reminded us that nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care. If the cowboy church has become the vanguard of outreach, then the mainstream church unfortunately has become the “Pharisees,” standing in the way. “And no Pharisee ever won anybody to Christ!” To be successful we must abandon old judgmental paradigms, look hard for our commonalities, and forever bury old divisive attitudes. We need to find common ground with people and doing that proves we care. He echoed George Ensle’s idea that church needs to be fun. Humor trumps almost all opposition. And that’s where he comes in.

Then he offered something almost profound… “We need to clean out our own houses…” and just accept and love people where they are, and not try so much to clean out their houses.

I offer at this point that it is this overwhelming need for “housecleaning” in American Christianity that has opened the opportunity for cowboy churches to take off like a rocket. People are just choosing to walk away rather than fight the fight inside the so-called mainstream churches. When a great river runs into an obstacle, if it cannot move it, it floods around it.

Next : We will sit in on an intimate circle between several young cowboy pastors and Michael Martin Murphy.

Note: This is a part of a popular series on Cowboy churches. You can find and read all of them by going back to the main page, and use the search button at the top right to search: CHRISTIAN COWBOYS.

Danny Everitt: It was too good to be true.

I couldn't really enjoy the last Friday night of music, thinking about all the great music we have had during the "Summer Songwriter's Series," and how it has hit the cold north wind and will all finally come to an end. This was the last in a long line of excellent intimate concerts, by outstanding performers, all under the gentle and winsome guidance of Danny Everitt, who has become the ultimate talent scout, mentor, mother hen and agent for some great Texas songwriters and musicians.

On this night he was playing as well, and the singers took turns sharing their songs. Danny is so low key and unassuming, and such a giving performer, it was typical to see him sit on the fringe, as two others sat in the limelight. They seemed to really enjoy performing together, and played like friends would do, teasing, assisting, sometimes doing harmonies.

Danny Everitt has found an exceptional line-up of artists, and we wish him and them well. They have brought a great bit of joy to the Corner, and the memories will be swimming around there for years. Here are just a few sights we have shared... I just wish I could attach music to these shots, because that's what it was all about.

Thanks to Danny and Jeff Moreland, who conceived such a project here in Navasota, and in the process of doing it, made music history in the Blues Capital of Texas!

More shots of our bah itchin' music scene!

We have been so fortunate to see and hear great musicians right here in Navasota, in the past few months, and the images they create have been almost as memorable. True, some are a little "autistic" since I don't use a flash, but I'd rather capture the lighting and colors... sometimes thatsacrifices sharpness... But l@@k at what has been going on here! Look! And I got to see and hear every freaking bit of it, and I still can't believe it!

George Ensle: A Messenger from the Other Side.

Maybe it was because he was from Houston, my old hometown. Or maybe it was because he had known and even opened for Navasota’s hero, Mance Lipscomb. It might have been because so many of his songs seemed to conjure up such familiar pictures in my mind. But it was probably because of the funny, sometimes heart-grabbing stories and introductions George Ensle told between his original songs that made him one of my personal favorites that have performed at the Corner Café.

He shared about a human dynamo across the street from his home in South Austin, a little old lady who had once helped her husband build their home, doing a great deal of the stone work herself. He and his wife had set out to be of her assistance, and ended up receiving a blessing themselves. George Ensle has learned to relish in God’s mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. And guys down the street that found insane pleasure in sitting in front of an air conditioner, out in the yard! Ensle seems to genuinely enjoy his own jokes, and the everyday hilarity in life. And he remembered Mance as a warm and generous friend who had always invited him to come and visit in Navasota. But regretfully, he never did. He still finds satisfaction though, that Mance Lipscomb, upon hearing him play, told him he had good rhythm as he stepped off the stage. You can tell that moment stands like a tiny trophy in his heart, treasured encouragement given from somebody who ought to have known. He even played a song inspired by, and written in tribute to Mance.

Ensle has mastered the difficult task of bringing to life the forgotten and unseen realities around us. He told of a tender moment, which had repeated itself, after someone close to him had died, when a butterfly came and landed on his toe, as if to give a comforting farewell, like a messenger from the other side. And maybe it was. But only an artist of some kind would have comprehended the timely love note. Many of his songs are written about everyday incidents or people who made eternal impressions on him. They and their spirits have been kept alive by his soulful lyrics.

Ensle sings about the here and the now as well, about his wife, his daughter, red neck neighbors who never throw anything away, yet always aware that God had woven himself through every person and incident and facet of our lives. George Ensle reminds us of the miracles that we once saw, and the ones we might miss if we quit looking for them. He is no angel, but he is definitely a messenger from the other side.