OAK GROVE – Four years ago, church planter Brandon Smith was ready to throw in the towel. He knew God had called him and his family to minister to outdoorsmen, but just 10 people at the year-old church was just too discouraging for him take.
“It looked like this thing might not survive,” Smith said. “But I see it now as God’s timing.”
Fortunately, a faithful group of 10 is more than enough for God to build a church. Paradise Outfitters, a Missouri Baptist Convention congregation that began in Smith’s basement in 2008, just added a third weekly worship service, and they are reaching more than 300 people each week.
God blessed and Paradise Outfitters steadily outgrew Smith’s home; then they moved to a local lake resort and after some up and down attendance, they began meeting in a remodeled 17,000-square-foot facility, a good chunk of which is dedicated to their 20-lane, archery range.
“We opened the archery range saying that it would make us or break us,” Smith said.
It made them.
“God provided that facility knowing what He wanted us to do with it,” Smith said. “The first night, we had 30 people. From there, we have been on a steady incline ever since.”
The archery range opens an hour before the Sunday morning service, and people are welcome to come and shoot, regardless of whether or not they are church members or even attend the worship service.
“People can and do shoot and then leave before the services,” Smith said, “and we’re completely fine with that. It’s relationship building and it at least gets them in the door and feeling more comfortable. What we do isn’t super cutting-edge necessarily, but it creates an atmosphere of fellowship.”
Having hunting and shooting in common, or maybe a fish story to swap, gives an instant point of contact where many prospects may not feel they can be part of a religious conversation.
“They walk in our church, they can be part of that conversation,” Smith said. “Someone is going to be standing off to the side talking about gun rights, or showing off their deer in the back of their truck. There’s going to be something that will let them get into the conversation.”
The archery range is just one way the outdoorsman church looks different that the typical First Baptist Church, Anytown, Mo. There’s an emphasis on family, even if that means cutting back on “extra” church activities. In the fall when the people Paradise Outfitters are trying to reach are on the water or in the woods, the church calendar is empty.
“We know families are out hunting or fishing, and we actually encourage them to spend that time together,” Smith said. “We know there’s a breakdown in the family in America.”
The most-attended church service is on Thursday evening, allowing those with family weekend plans a chance to worship. Even their Sunday morning activities don’t start until 11, giving hunters a chance to get in from the field. Once “at church,” they sit in camp chairs and at picnic tables.
“They come in dressed in full camo on Sunday morning, or pull up into the parking lot towing their boat,” Smith said.
But with the cooler weather, the church’s outreach calendar is heating up again. Men’s and women’s Bible studies are starting soon and they are planning a mission trip to St. Clair to help with the evangelistic event The Truth and the Outdoors Expo March 8. Fellowship is key. The church has already sold 550 tickets to their wild game supper March 23. They began a new archery league last week, and will host a children’s archery clinic next week. They also do group hunts, shooting sports activities and classes.
The church’s website includes a “Braggin’ Board,” with church-goers’ proud pictures of deer, turkey and fish, with many of those same trophies decorating the worship facility. As you might expect, Smith’s messages start out with an outdoorsy illustration or hunting story that transitions into Scripture.
“We’re so simple, it’s almost a throwback,” he said.
Smith offered several ways people can pray for Paradise Outfitters Ministries.
For one, the building they’re in is for sale. It’s been for sale since day one, but should it sell it would mean a big and fast transition for a church that capitalizes on its unique facilities. Second, he asked for prayer of other outdoorsmen churches across the state in Springfield, Branson, St. Clair and Cuba. Finally, Smith asked that people pray for the unchurched outdoorsman.
“Simply put, it’s not easy to reach the American adult male,” he said. “Most of the time it’s just perception, but they don’t fee l like they fit. It can be a difficult and long process to get them to the point of salvation and discipleship.
“If they can get connected with the church in any way through an archery range, a shooting activity or a concealed carry class, that’s a good thing,” he said. “They may not have thought, ‘I’m going to get up and go to church this morning,’ but they’re there and building a relationship with us and we’re pointing them to Jesus.”