I Want My Church to Be Like a Cowboy

I recently read about a frustrated church searcher who finally found a church. She decided to use Mr. Rogers’ values to guide her. While I have nothing against cardigan sweaters, my model is the American cowboy.

I love the plain-spoken, salt of the earth perspectives of American cowboys. They shoot straight and call it like it is. Their actions and behaviors embody the cowboy character of honesty, practicality, and steadfastness. The real deal reflects a transparent, authentic spirituality not commonly found in our urban tribes. The Cowboy way is genuinely Christian to me. And I want my church to resemble the standards upheld by the guys (and gals) in the saddle.

One of my favorite modern day cowboy promoters is Philip Armour.* Over the years, he’s offered these insights into the cowboy culture that I look for in churches:

• “The ability and desire to match our insides with our outsides is a mark of lasting happiness.” A cowboy’s happiness doesn’t stem from complacency in bunkhouse comforts. Happiness occurs in finding one’s place among all God’s creation. This is a church “on mission.” 
• “May wisdom rule our choices in all things, for with great power comes great responsibility.” Cowboys don’t get lost in options. Responsibility is based on human limitations and God’s provisions. Churches, like cowboys, are keen discerners and practice sustainability.
• “Put a man to work, and his actions will place him.” Cowboys don’t just do the work; they embody the life. I want a church that challenges me to not just share the Gospel, but to become the Gospel for others.
• “The cowboy sees the big picture and is able to bridge contradictions, which is how we view ourselves and the world views us.” Replace “cowboy” with “church,” and the expectation is clear.

Whether or not you use Mr. Rogers, cowboys, or Jesus himself as the model you want a church to represent, don’t settle for a lower standard. Yeah, some people won’t meet your expectations, but I encourage you to look past the few to the church’s overall character.

*Philip Armour is the editor-in-chief of American Cowboy magazine.