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Your church home on the range

Well since the first setting for worshiping Jesus involved a stable and a manger, why not?

At least 600 cowboy churches are scattered across the U.S., according to leaders in the movement and published accounts. In central and southern Illinois, an estimated two dozen congregations meet in barns and arenas, on the dusty trails and in churchesโ€”some decorated with Western memorabilia

Some evangelical Christians have questioned whether the churches only offer gimmicks and fail to provide a meaningful spiritual experience But pastors and churchgoers said their services are divinely inspired. Like the suburban megachurches that beckon teenagers with gospel-themed rap and rock music, cowboy sanctuaries promote country-western worship while seeking to attract those who find traditional rural church settings unattractive


from โ€œWhere prayers come with a twang,โ€ by E.A. Torriero, Chicago Tribune, 4 August 2008

Aug 7, 2008, updated Mar 31, 2025