Jasper church uses rodeo to support missions

Pastor Fred Karthaus had never attended a rodeo. So when two of his church members suggested that New Prospect Baptist Church, Jasper, sponsor a rodeo to raise money for missions, Karthaus was unsure if the church would accept the idea.
   
“The idea for our church getting involved in sponsoring a rodeo began last summer as we were raising funds to send one of our church members to China on mission,” he said. “Carla Lightsey and Wilene Sherer, who both love rodeos, discussed that a local school had sponsored a rodeo and raised money for their school. The idea was tossed around that our church could sponsor a rodeo to raise money for missions and, at the same time, reach out to the participants and the spectators who come to the rodeo.”
   
Recently that idea became a reality when New Prospect Baptist sponsored a two-night Dixie Rodeo Association Triple E Rodeo at the Jasper Jaycees Fairgrounds, raising more than $6,700 to support Christian missions in Texas, Honduras and around the world.
   
Lightsey said some of the money would be used for an upcoming youth trip to Brownsville, Texas, and Mexico.
   
“Some of the other people who would not have been able to attend will be able to because of this event,” she noted. 
   
The rodeo also allowed New Prospect to reach people in the community, attracting about 2,000 people and nearly 150 rodeo participants from many surrounding states. One hour before the Saturday-night rodeo began, Karthaus led cowboy church, a worship service where the gospel was presented and people were invited to accept Christ as Lord.
   
“We intentionally focused on the cowboy culture to reach a group of people who haven’t had the gospel presented to them on a regular basis,” Karthaus said. “Several people responded to the gospel, and that made the weekend even more successful.”
   
While attending the event, Dorman Grace, a deacon at First Baptist Church, Jasper, said the rodeo was a good community event.
   
“People come here that might not come to church,” Grace said. “With the church sponsoring it, they might pick up a tract, and who knows what will happen.”
   
More than 100 of New Prospect’s 170 attending members worked to make the event a success. Volunteers of all ages parked cars; sold ads, programs and tickets; worked the concession area and cleaned up to make the rodeo happen.
   
“This was a wonderful event for us financially, but the work of church membership brought fellowship to our congregation,” Karthaus said.
   
Church member June Hudson noted, “It’s been hard work but anything worth doing is hard work.”
   
Chris Edwards, stock contractor for Triple E Rodeo in Jasper, said New Prospect volunteers helped make the event a great success.
   
“They had a lot of people that got involved,” Edwards said. “The whole church was behind it, and everybody was there to lend a hand and that makes a difference.”
   
He added that several churches have sponsored rodeos as fund-raisers.
   
“Rodeo has been a very clean, family sport since the beginning,” he noted. “At every rodeo that we ever have, the first thing that happens in the arena is opening prayer and the national anthem.”