Keith Green started a church in Pike Road in August 2014 and was intentional about selecting the strong cowboy culture in the area. Green’s church is the first of its kind in Montgomery County — a cowboy church, utilizing the cowboy culture to preach the gospel.
“Believe it or not there are some folks who still live by the cowboy code, which stands for a lot of the things the Bible teaches everyone to do and live by,” Green said. “We simply encourage the cowboy code along with the Word of God.”
Pike Road is known for having one of the largest working ranches in the state, so Green knew it was the perfect location for such a church. So far Pike Road Cowboy Church averages 30 in attendance each Sunday.
“A wise pastor told me many years ago to build your church congregation slowly because gaining a huge crowd very quickly would not mean that all will stick with you,” Green said. “We want that steady, consistent growth each week at Pike Road Cowboy Church and I get calls every week from folks wanting to know about our church and what we do there.”
Perhaps as expected, Pike Road Cowboy Church uses Christian country and gospel music in their church services and their church slogan reads, “Come as you are.” Despite the name the church isn’t restricted to just those who embrace the cowboy lifestyle. Green said they encourage participants to wear whatever they feel most comfortable in, whether that is a three-piece suit or jeans and boots. They even allow people to wear hats while worshipping.
In fact during warmer months church services at Pike Road Cowboy Church are held outside in a covered area.
Ben Atkinson has been attending the cowboy church for about three months and said he enjoys its welcoming vibe.
“I love the atmosphere. No one is looking down on the other for what he wears and I also love the cowboy way of thinking,” said Atkinson, who has been participating in rodeos for more than two decades. “We need a lot more thinking like that in this world — putting God back into every moment in our lives.”
Green has plans to keep spreading the word about his church around the community and plans to host several rodeo events this year.
“We already plan to host a horse whisperer event in May and a cowboy youth conference in August,” Green said. “A lot of our youth rodeo with different associations in the state and we are wanting to work with any of those to reach out to our youth with the gospel. Some folks do outreach with basketball and softball, and we do outreach in the dirt of a rodeo arena.”
Pike Road Cowboy Church is an Autauga Baptist Association church and Green strongly credits Bill Morgan, director of missions, with helping to get his church started, along with Fresh Rain Family Worship Center, a church located nearby.
Morgan said, “I’m excited to see how the Lord is using Keith Green to reach the cowboy culture. Keith is beginning a Thursday night Bible study on a farm in (the) Autaugaville area. Fresh Rain, sponsoring Pike Road, has a church planting heart.”
Looking to the future
Green said he has plans to continue growing the cowboy church presence in the area through the Bible study.
“We have future plans of starting a cell group in Autauga County which we will call our ‘cowboy camp,’ and it will be an extension of what we do at Pike Road Cowboy Church,” he said. “God has called us to the cowboy culture of the river region and we are here to stay no matter where the ride takes us along the trail.”
Share with others: