Rodeo Bible Camp Week

Chariton Hills Rodeo Bible Camp is an event that is marked on our family's calendar a year in advance. The excitement begins to build for the next year's camp week as soon as the current year's camp is coming to a close.

This four day camp offers beginner instruction in rodeo events like bull riding, bareback bronc, team roping, barrels, trick roping, trick riding, goat tying, and an intro class of horesmanship.


Colton, age 16, my bareback bronc riding cowboy.


Tori Rose demonstrating how to goat tie.

Students are to bring their own horses in events that apply, their cowboy hats and boots and spend an intensive two day boot camp of instruction with a recorded real rodeo at the camp conclusion.

Cowboy Chapel, worship service, devotions, stall mucking, watermelon eating, these are a few other highlightes every year. Oh, and don't forget the talent show!


Cole accepting the Bareback Bronc Buckle.

Belt buckles are then awarded for each class based on character and skill with a special buckle going to one young man and one young lady who exhibited outstanding Christ-like character during the week.

This is the Walk the Talk Buckle. The children who receive this buckle are encouraged to lay this award down at the throne of God and to walk the talk daily, living as for Christ.


Tori Rose accepting the "Walk the Talk" buckle her first year at camp.



"Future Most Christlike Character???"

I am consistently amazed at the level of encouragement and the dedication to Godly character that is taught at these four day Bible Rodeo Camps. I've noticed that there is a great call to chivalry impressed upon our young men.

In a feminist world, I love this focus. The young ladies of the camp always eat before the young men. Always.....Young men are taught to raise their cowboy hat in a greeting of respect when a lady addresses them, to stand and quickly offer their seat upon seeing a lady standing, to carry anything heavier than 'a piece of paper' for any lady in view of need.

Yes Mame and No Sir echo in response to questions here. Young men are called out to a chivalrous level and young ladies swoon as they feel cherished as the weaker sex, perhaps for the first time in their young lives.

I grin and giggle in pure delight through the entire rodeo day....every single year.



These two camp cowboy leaders rank high up on our family's list of real men. It was a treat to have them into our homes this year to join us for supper and fellowship at a more intimate level.

Cole and Wyatt have both had the pleasure of going out to Pueblo, Colorado, home of Paul Sholtz (pictured on the right in the above photo) for both missionary training and ministry.

Paul is a retired pro bucking horse rider and current missionary to rodeo. He travels a large summer circuit reaching out to younger children through the summer months at rodeo camps throughout the west and midwest parts of the U.S.

Scott Brown (Left in above picture) is a Christian Cowboy and Speaker/Songwriter/Singer as well as one of the most down to earth and hilarious people we've ever met.
Check him out here...
http://www.brandofthecross.org/www
http://www.brandofthecross.org/downloads/Prayingforyou.wma

I love this description of Sunday Meetin' from Scott's web page.

WHERE
Brand of the Cross Ranch
3460 Keith Road
Ringgold, GA 30736

Real People
We are a body of men and women who are really real. We work with our hands, say and do things we shouldn't, and struggle with real problems. If you are looking for a place where everyone admires how perfect the other person is, you're looking in the wrong place.

Brand of the Cross Cowboy Fellowship is more like a "spiritual hospital" than a "museum of the saints".

We are not judgmental because we know we have no stones to throw. We're not better than anyone else, we've just found the cure for the disease of sin. To quote a dead theologian: “We are just beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.”

Guests are welcome!
This is the perfect setting for making new friends. You are valued for who you are. We always do our best to make you feel welcome and accepted.

Come as you are.
The relaxed, informal setting allows you to come as you are. Hopefully, you will leave changed!

If a sand floor, tarps for walls, and a dog wandering around looking for food during the teaching time is something you can understand and appreciate, you'll feel right at home in the pole barn where we meet.

By the way, it's a bit chilly this Winter so dress warmly. There are a dozen propane heaters to huddle around, but it still gets nippy.

Relevant, Christ-centered and Bible-based
We're NOT going to overwhelm you with fancy, twenty-dollar words and it's NOT our job to beat you up with an hour long, hell-fire and brimstone sermon every Sunday morning.

Our sermons are insightful, interactive, practical and encouraging. We don't water down the message of Jesus Christ, but there is more to a relationship with God than just being angry at everyone and everything that doesn't suit our fancy.

Contemporary Music
We use both contemporary and traditional songs in our worship. Most of it sounds like the music you would hear on the radio. Sometimes our music is loud and exciting. Sometimes it’s quiet and contemplative. But it’s always about God.

What we won’t do
> Pressure you
> Beg you for money
> Embarrass you
> Be judgmental

Contact Scott Brown for more information.

I would love to take a road trip to this Sunday Meetin'. It's funny at one level and completely refreshing at another. Scott shared that many lives have been changed by Christ to many who feel that they weren't good enough to go to 'Church' through this group of believers meeting.



Zayne and Maisi playing with our goat, Ellie, who Tori realized is the perfect size to practice goat tying on.



Cole said it best when he quoted something Paul shared with him this year at camp.

"Get out there and ride. Ride as a love offering to God. Whatever you are doing, Cole, pour it out as a love offering to God!"--Paul Sholtz