Rawhide horse whisperer evangelists take ‘the Good News’ to St. Mary
By Staff
October 12, 2004
ST. MARY – Two of the 14 Missouri Baptist horse whisperer evangelists, who were trained April 3 to share the Gospel as they broke a wild horse, communicated Christ Sept. 19 to an estimated audience of 200-250.
Jim Matthews, pastor, Cape County Cowboy Church, Fruitland, and Rusty Johnson, member, Cape County Cowboy Church, worked as a team with a 2-year-old filly that had never been ridden or handled. Johnson worked inside the corral as Matthews, from outside the corral, commented on what he was doing with the horse on the piece of property owned by two brothers, Glen and Joe Brewster, members of the sponsoring church, Trinity Baptist Church, St. Mary.
Several times, the horse rose up on its hind legs and fell over backwards. As the filly began to trust and give control to Johnson, he related how this compared to his coming to know Christ in January and his relationship with Christ since then.
As Johnson continued to work with the wild horse, Matthews talked about how God wants the best for us, and that the best happens when we give control of our lives to Him.
It took about 90 minutes for Johnson to saddle and ride the filly. Before dismounting, he rode the horse in circles to the left, then to the right. After a little resistance, he had the horse taking a few steps backward.
“Rusty and Jim did a terrific job with the horse and the Gospel message,” said Irvin Brooks, pastor, Trinity Baptist Church. “We have had many positive comments about the event. I’m sure we will do this event or something similar again in the future. We hope that in some way this event helped those who attended have a closer relationship with God. If it changed one life, it was worth all the expense and effort.”
Trinity Baptist Church runs about 105 in worship in a community of about 400 people that is dominated by the Roman Catholic tradition. Brooks, who has been their pastor for 11 years, said the event had a very good effect on the community, which is located near where Ste. Genevieve and Perry counties approach the Mississippi River. Brooks said that 65 Bibles were handed out to the spectators beforehand and many people were seen reading them in the stands.
“It probably helped the cowboy church as much as our church,” Brooks said. “We got a pretty good list of prospects out of it to go and visit and invite.”