A gift

This Sunday morning my brother in law and I are leaving to go to a ranch on the outskirts of Kerrville, TX. We are going to be hunting there for a few days. They say that the Axis deer are coming right up to the front porch. Well I thought that might be a big exaggeration but they sent pictures that prove it.

I am excited because I have never been able to hunt for axis before. They are a beautiful animal and much larger than a whitetail. This year we are going with a purpose. I have two families in our church that could use some good deer meat and I am dedicating this hunt to the Lord so I can provide for others. I even hope to keep some meat for my freezer. Please pray for a bountiful harvest

My Mommy the Dancer

One day a fourth-grade teacher asked the children what their mothers did for a living. All the typical answers came up -- teacher, nurse, businesswoman, saleswoman, doctor, lawyer, and so forth. However, little Justin was being uncharacteristically quiet, so when the teacher prodded him about his mother, he replied, "Well my mother's an exotic dancer in a cabaret and takes off all her clothes in front of men and they put money in her underwear. Sometimes, if the offer is really good, she will go home with some guy and stay with him all night for money."

The teacher, obviously shaken by this statement, hurriedly set the other children to work on some exercises and then took little Justin aside to ask him, "Is that really true about your mother?" "No," the boy said, "She works for the Democratic National Committee and is helping to get Hillary Clinton to be our next President, but I was too embarrassed to say that in front of the other kids."

Sorry just a little humor, I hope you can laugh at this.

My Anniversary

Well today is the day that is so special to me because today is my anniversary. I have been married to Caye the love of my life for six years now. I know it seems like we have been together all of our lives.

Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.

God has blessed me big as we say in the Cowboy Church.

A wise Cowboy

A friend sent me an email with this radio call in from a young cowboy, I sure was humbled by that child , it goes to show out of the mouth of babes praise is perfected, enjoy. http://www.godtube.com/view_video?viewkey=d5d4ee2c067a456e7c0f

Back to basics

Hi everybody, I have started a new blogspot for the church it is at

http://www.impactcowboychurch.blogspot.com/ so I am gong to get this one back to be my hunting blog. I am attaching some pics of my first Doe this season. My brother Keith is in the Pics as well. He helped me clean her and it sure is good to have help. Enjoy

New Beginnings 11-3-07

This weekend has been great. Starting on saturday we had 1 baby dedication, 3 baptisms, and 1 salvation. It was an awesome night. On sunday I went and preached at the Piney Woods Cutting Horse Association and got to take some members out to it and later we all went to lunch. This was the first Baptism service se have had and boy was it fun.

Our new chuckwagon

Here are some pics of our new chuckwagon. We found it in Woster, Ohio so we are about to take a road trip to go get it. We will leave sunday morning and hopefully be back tuesday. Our Chuckwagon cook is so excited I may have to get him to calm down so he don't have a stroke or something.

It sure will look good going down main street with our new logo on the side

ICC livestock

Cowboy churches are a little different in the fact that they usually have some livestock that belongs to the church. We are no exception now. The only thing now is I am starting to feel like Gus Mccrae on Lonesome Dove with his two pigs because that is what we have now.

We caught two wild pigs that we will fatten up and serve as our "guest of honor" for our first Christmas dinner. Yum Yum come get some.

We have a black one and a red one. The black one thinks he is a real rank twister but I don't think that his foul attitude is going to save him though. The word crafty would cover this mean little critter, but I think in the end the only thing that will cover him is going to be Kraft BBQ sauce.Enjoy the movie and don't laugh too hard.

Blessings

first two services at ICC

Good Morning, I know it has been awhile since I blogged, I have been busy running around trying to get everything taken care of so we could have our first church services.

Let me start and say that starting a new church is not for the weak at heart or for someone who has a not so strong marriage because the stress could cause a heart attack or divorce. I am fortunate that after loosing 53 lbs that I am healthy as a horse and my marriage to my beautiful wife is strong enough to bend and be flexible.

I am very excited about the first two services we had and am looking on to the future. I am going to buy the Baptism Tub today (8ft long water trough). I am hoping to have our first baptism service in about two weeks. I hope to have a good crowd around for that and our first baby dedication will be the 2nd weekend in November.

Our first service we had about 70 people total and the 2nd service we had 43 but we had to compete with the big Piney Woods Fair so although it looks like we went down we had several people call and say that they was going to the fair because it is only once a year and or was going out of town.

I can't wait to see what happens this weekend because it just get's better all the time. I am lucky to have the friends and support staff that have come around me to help me get this started and no one person can do it alone. As a matter of fact I have to lay the credit down at the feet of my staff because it is because of their hard work and contacts that we have been able to grow. I do know how important it is to take care of your staff so we are trying to plan our first staff get a way even if it just one day.

Our praise and worship team we are calling the "On the fly band" because they just flew into our lives and came along right when we needed them. Only God can bring about something like that. I love the sound that they have. It is old style honkey tonk country music put to christian lyrics and old gospel songs. As a matter of fact I thank most of your honky tonkers would feel right at home in our service. We have already had one salvation and several baptisms lined up to be had so I am hanging on for the ride my life.

God Bless,

Launch Date

Well tomorrow we will kick off our new church plant called Impact Cowboy Church of Nacogdoches. Along with the help and support of Liberty Fellowship and The Vine Fellowship of Arlington, TX we are about to kick off our new work. The thing about Cowboy Church is that there is at least a little cowboy in every American. We as American always pull for the under dog and we fancy ourselves as people like John Wayne in the movies. We walk around with a little swagger and we have confidence that can't be shaken but we all know as people we have our flaws. John Wayne in his personal life had many flaws such as alcohol and women. Two big weak points for most men, although he is remembered for being larger than life he still died of Cancer I believe.

Please don't think I dislike John Wayne because I love to catch a good J.W. movie but he represents the fallen man in all of us. In my first two messages I will be preaching about a Biblical character named Nehemiah and he was the real Godly version of John Wayne. He rode into town with a purpose and didn't care who he offended because he served God. He was a real cowboy at heart in Neh 2-11-15 It talk about Nehemiah going out to inspect the walls of of Jerusalem well he went riding on horse back at night so he could secretly examine the wall now with the wall being torn down and rubble being everywhere he had to be a good horseman just to make the ride. Well when he got together with everyone he told them what God wanted him to do and man they came on board with him because he was a leader.

One last thing and it is a small thing but most cowboys have had to deal with alcohol at some point in there life. So did Nehemiah he was the cup bearer for the King, you could say that he got his start serving alcohol because I don't think too many Kings had cup bearers to get them a glass of milk. ;-D just kidding

Next week I will be talking about the revival that broke out once they started listening to the Word of God. I am excited to see what God is doing for us and I hope you will be able to come see us in Nacogdoches, (ROB)

Blessings,

New Logo

We just got our new logo. I fell in love with it. It represents a church that got roped in by the Holy Spirit and was branded for Christ and now through the Power of the Cross are reaching out to the Western Heritage culture, Let me know what you think.

Stan

My little buckaroo

Recently Maw Maw went shopping for Jonathan and got him all fixed up with some Wrangler jeans, boots and belt. Aunt Pam got him a few western shirts so I had to take some pictures of my little buckaroo. Recently a friend of my mine named Rob gave me a cd of a country singer named Rodney Adkins and on that cd was a song called my little buckaroo (I think). It is about how a father notices that his son is growing up and watching daddy in everything he does. Well Jonathan is growing up fast I hope you enjoy the picture.

And so it begins!

We are back from a trip to Fairfield, TX where the Texas Fellowship of Cowboy Churches hosted a Cowboy church planting school. It was a two day event which kicked off Saturday at 12:15 pm and lasted till 9pm and ended with a concert of three different Cowboy bands. It was a great time to be had by all. On Sunday it started at 7am with a chuck wagon breakfast and then started our classes and went on till about 2:30pm.

The one thing that I forgot to tell you was that the temperature was around 100 degrees outside both days and yes after two days of sweating it sure felt good to be back home in our home. Although we were lucky we had our fifth wheel camper so we did have hot showers and A/C at night. We were probably a lot better off than 90% of everybody else. There were people sleeping in their horse trailors and in hotel rooms that were rather quiet expensive.

I was able to take my core group with us to the school. There were 7 of us all together. Keith Wright which is my brother in law which will be our lay pastor of chuck wagon cooking, Rex Crenshaw which will be one of my starting Elders. Darlene Estes which is our Singles Director, Joe and Leigh Rush a sweet couple with a great heart for youth. He used to be a Pro Bull rider. He is either aweful brave or really crazy, which to be honest you need to be a little of both to want to work with Youth, and then there was Caye and I.

It was a great time, and there was about 400 people there for the school. There are going to be a lot of cowboy churches started this year. They think there will be 250 cowboy churches by 2010. Cowboy church is done differently and is more comfortable for those people that are not of the traditional church mindset. It is about bringing people to God in an enviroment that they can understand. When you come to a cowboy church you may hear country and western praise worship music that you might think sounds like honky tonk music and I love it. Sometimes you can look up during praise and worship and see a couple doing the two step or the jitterbug swing during worship. I don't think you will see that in a traditional church. Maybe we need to all rethink our pirpose of church.

We can't expect the lost to jump to when we start reading KJV, it just ain't going to happen, and yes "ain't" is a word in the Cowboy church. Cowboys want to know how God relates in their lives and they are not complicated. It reminds me of Joe Friday "Just the facts!" They want to know that you are a straight shooter and that you don't have any hidden agendas and that you just don't want their money. Which the average cowboy don't have money to throw around. They are loyal people when they are attached to someone or something. They ride for the brand and yes God even wants to save cattle rustlers and horse thieves although everyone else wants them hung for their crimes God wants to pardon them.

So in the spirit of doing something different we are going to be doing team roping's and team ranch rodeos as well as trail rides. God is spreading his grace on Cowboy Churches because they are missionary minded because they are reaching a lost people group right here in the U.S.

Blessings,

stan

What a blast!

What a blast I had this weekend. I went to go preach at a church in Denton, TX that has been in the middle of a major change. The Pastor has stepped down and the congregation has been in a hard place. I was sent there to love on them and for the first time I experience a side of ministry that was so awesome. The Lord gave me direction to just be real with them so I let formality take a back seat and just speak to them like they were old friends that I had not seen in a while. I found it strange that they had certain things that the old pastor would not allow and when they told me about some of them I decided that it was time to so them something different. I got to walk the isle and even touch them as I walked by. I saw there hearts melt when I would stop by and and touch a man's shoulder or just spend time sharing with them the word that the lord had given for them.

It did not go exactly like I planned but I think it was better. I got them to laugh, some cried, some shouted back in rejoicing and praising the Lord. I asked them if they would be willing to be interactive in praising the Lord and they responded. It was fun and I am thankful I had they chance to see people respond to my antidotes of life. I was explaing that my wife and I were about to go to Nacogdoches and how I thought is was funny that the Lord would send a cowboy from High Springs, FL to start a cowboy church in Nacogdoches, TX and how I thought that was an oxy moron and they started laughing but agreed that God had a sence of humor as well.

I hated to leave because I think my 15 month old son found him a girl friend there, and it was great to watch him play with her. Any who all said and done it was awesome. Thanks Pastor David for the chance to share with them.

Blessings

Surprise

Impact Cowboy Church of Nacogdoches

Surprise, I have interesting news to share with you. After months of planning and trying to conceptualize the church I am going to start has some what changed into something a little different than I originally planned for, but it is awesome to watch God shape and mold something to bring about his plan to being reality. I started meet with people in Nacogdoches about starting our church and things started coming evident pretty quick. First I had always planned on having a church that was in the country side of life. For instance I was thinking about having praise and worship with the country and western sound and I had thought about rustic design for the church, but what everybody really wanted in the town was a Cowboy Church. The more I started thinking about it the more I started to see that they already have enough "church" on every corner but you usually want see many cowboys there because it is too much for them. They want a place where they belong and can feel like they can contribute with their unique gifts that are not in much demand at a normal church. At a cowboy church if you can rope you can easily lead someone to Jesus.

In Nacogdoches we have a coffee shop called Java Jacks and trust me they have some awesome coffee in you are ever in town they are better than Starbucks, but any how on their sign out front it says "Down the street from ordinary". Well that got me thinking and I had to ask my self did I really want to do something for God or did I just want to do something? I know that I want to do something for God! The closest Cowboy Church around is about thirty miles away. This way I am not trying to edge in on somebodies so called turf or their corner of the Kingdom.

Most Cowboy churches are usually Baptist and in fact it has become one of the fastest growing church planting concepts that they have, but I am not Baptist I consider myself practically Charismatic. I came across a church that changed my life called The Vine Fellowship and a Pastor named David Kerr who believed enough in me to allow me to serve with him. I have always been different than most people at our church but that was how God has made me and I love the fact that I grew up on farms and ranched for a time of my life and that I like hunting and have a passion for sharing it with others so they can learn to enjoy God's creation for themselves. I have been studying 1 Corinthians and in chapter 12 it talks about the Body of Christ, well although I am doing something just a Little different I am still in the same Body and I think that is the awesome ways of God how he uses different people to do the same work but yet in a different way.

A friend of mine named Rob is always excited in showing people how to discover and use their spiritual gifts. Well I am getting excited about the same thing except I am going to a different type of people.

I will keep you informed as I get information.

Blessings,

Stan

Strange days

I had meetings with two of the leading pastors here in Nacogdoches yesterday and they both asked me not to plant a church here because it is already strained in the area and they have had a downturn on finaces here in town. I thought it was funny thought how one of them wanted me to go start a church in Lufkin saying that it was more fertile ground and even offered finacial help in doing so. These were the same people who several months ago said that it would be great to have the help here in town.

Frustration is the word of the day around here, the job market is looking pretty rough and we will be leaning on the Lord to get us through. I am having to pick myself up and dust myself off and go on. Please pray for me and my family for wisdom and financial backing.

Blessings,
Stan

Rain rain go away come back another day.

Well friends, I am in Nacogdoches, TX where I want to move and we have been taking a few days to relax because of the rain and thought that a good couple of days down time would be awesome, but it has never quit raining yet and the extended forecast shows the next eight days with rain and thunder storms. I am in a coffee house here in Nacogdoches called Java Jacks and it is raining so hard it is going sideways.

I knew something was wrong when I heard a knock at the door and saw Noah, he wanted to borrow a can of coffee, it really bothered me when he asked if I thought it might last for 40 day's or not. What was that about? Sorry enough with the bad jokes. I am just a little sad because of the weather and wanted to see anyone felt the same way I do.

I am trying to make appointments with the local pastors here in town to get to know some of them better. I am also wanting to get hooked up with the ministry alliance in town.

Well that is what is going on with me today,
Blessings,
Stan

Dealing with disapointment

Have you ever had one of those days where everything you were hoping for went down the drain? Today is one of those days for me. I am dealing with a personal loss of something that I was really looking forward to, and today I found out that it was not to be. (won't mention what because of a personal nature)



I am now looking forward to getting started on what I need to do to secure my dreams. I am looking at starting a new church in Nacogdoches, TX called "Impact Church of Nacogdoches" Our slogan is "Impacting people at the point of their needs". I am now presently trying to recruit staff members and people that will be glad to serve the community that they live in and believe in. I have found that when dealing with people that you want to pour into or serve, sometimes they can and will let you down.



I am ex military and so I believe in a feeling of team work and a sense of pride in supporting those who you have served and those who have served you. It is hard to expect people to be loyal to you if you have not been loyal to them. That is the way I live my life. For those I serve I do so with extinction. The Army Rangers have a credo that say's that they will leave no one behind dead or alive it makes no difference. I feel that you should never have to worry about where I stand if I am serving you or your command I will "stick".



Today I talked to a friend who was serving as a replacement pastor for a large denomination who did not give him the support that he should have been given and was eventually asked to live his church after uprooting his whole family to take over this church that was being run by one family that was related to everyone in the town. So when he got there to relieve the old pastor the church got up and walked out and staged a protest by walking out after worship was over every sunday. Thing started changing for them and they began having 3-4 families attend and was beginning to turn things around. I have seen a change happen in my friend that broke my heart. He is ex military as well and needed the support of his chain of command and they walked out on him and asked him to leave so they could bring back the old pastor who they were not happy with in the first place. Jodi was a complete company man for this denomination if you would like to call it like that. When people serve you remember they are usually trying to do the very best they can to do at what you want them to do without the benefit of your support or experience.



So as I look for people to help me in my new venture, it is important that to find people who will "stick" in the hard times. I call them "peanut butter" type people. I know that is a crude way to look at people but take a spoon and put it in a jar of peanut butter and get a big spoonful. When you pull it out turn it upside down and watch what happens. Nothing, if it is good peanut butter it will not move it will "stick" to the spoon. I am not looking for jello type people who are always wiggling around and don't stick to anything except the pan that they were made in.

I know that is a strange analogy but it is fitting. Please look around at your work, and family enviroment and take notice of the people who "stick" and support them with all your heart because they don't run from a fight and they try to do what is best. Who knows it may be you that needs someone to come along side of you and say's don't worry I don't leave any body behind.

I know it is a strange post but just some thoughts I have been thinking about. Please leave any comments

Family time in a time of transition.

Sorry it has been so long since I blogged, but I have been in some serious transitions in my family life. This picture is of me and my wife at deer camp on Christmas of 2004. This was before the birth of our Son Jonathan. On April 11, 2006 He was born and boy let me tell you that is when life got turned upside down and inside out. He came into this world weighing 9lbs 14oz, which is bigger than the average baby. When he came into our lives so many things changed for good never to go back to the same ever again. In this picture Caye and I look so happy but it can't compare to the happiness we have today because of our son.

Well just as the change came by adding him into the family we have made some more drastic changes that will forever change our lives and how we live. Three weeks ago I went into the hospital and discovered that I have diabetes and it I had probably have had it for a while. I was lucky to find it when I did. As a result I have to change my life style and how I live and eat. I have lost twenty lbs since I have had to change my diet. It is hard and frustrating but I am getting through it. My wife has been a rock for me because she started taking the diabetic diet with me so that I would not have to do it myself. Having a support staff or group means everything to me because she is showing me that she loves me and wants me to be around so we can share our old age together. She has even lost six lbs since we have been on it so she even take advantage of a strange situation.

Last Sunday we wrapped up our last week at the the church were I was on staff as associate pastor. I have been a part of that family for over eight years and have seen a lot of ups and downs, good times and bad times, but I would not trade them for anything. The reason we are leaving is so we can go start a church plant in Nacogdoches, TX. We are excited about it and yet scared as well. I was taking to a friend here recently and he asked how I was so sure that God was calling me to do it? You see he went to start a church plant and it did not work out and he lost faith in what he was doing and he stopped trying. Well when it was boiled down I told him that what was left was an unchangeable or unshakable hunch of what I am supposed to do. Well I have been thinking about that here recently. My wife turned in her notice at her school where she is a teacher and she gets paid through August and since I am no longer on staff I no longer receive a pay check. I will admit that right now I am scared to think about the possibilities of what is happening with us. We are trying to sell our house and let me tell you it is a time of severe change. I am a man and I don't handle change well and through it all God reminds me in Psalms 68 it say's Let God arise and his enemies scatter. I know that I am a man of God who get's scared but it not fear that disqualifies you but how you handle the fear. In war and on battle graound through out the world we have had men that have sucked up the fear and performed great acts of heroism and we have had great men lock up in fear and just give up.

This is a time of gut checking and asking myself will I let my fear for my family out wiegh the fear of the Lord. I stand strong in nowing that "As for me and my family we shall serve the LORD." Please keep checking in for updates on our church planting and my upcoming deer season hunting stories.

Firearms refresher course

FIREARMS REFRESHER COURSE
1. An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.
2. A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
3. Colt: The original point and click interface.
4. Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.
5. If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?
6. If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.
7. "Free" men do not ask permission to bear arms.
8. If you don't know your rights you don't have any.
9. Those who trade liberty for security have neither.
10. The United States Constitution (c) 1791. All Rights reserved.
11. What part of "shall not be infringed" do you not understand?
12. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians
ignore the others.
13. 84,987,543 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.
14. Guns only have two enemies: rust and politicians.
15. Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.
16. You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.
17. 911 - government sponsored Dial-a-Prayer.
18. Assault is a behavior, not a device.
19. Criminals love gun control -- it makes their jobs safer.
20. If guns cause crime, then matches cause arson.
21. Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.
22. You only have the rights you are willing to fight for.
23. Enforce the "gun control laws" we ALREADY have, don't make more.
24. When you remove the people's right to bear arms, you create slaves.
25. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.
IF YOU AGREE: PLEASE PASS THIS 'REFRESHER' ON TO 10 FREE CITIZENS
"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not."
- Thomas Jefferson

Computer addiction

I came across this and thought all you computer junkies might enjoy.
*Have you begun using the words "dot com" when addressing the Father in prayer?
*Have you begun feeding your mouse instead of your pets?
*Do you refer to Bill Gates as "Dad"?
*Has the TV remote control been missing and you don't care?
*Do you wake up at 3:00 AM to go to the bathroom but check for your e-mail first?
*On an airplane do you hold your laptop and put your child in the overhead compartment?
*Is your monthly phone bill delivered to you in a box?
*When facing temptation do you try to click it off?
*Have you stopped calling on parishioners because they don't have a modem?
*When preaching on Heaven's splendor, do your descriptions sound more and more like Silicon Valley?
*At a new parsonage would you rather Netscape than landscape?

If you've answered "yes" to any of the above you may have a problem, too.

Deer Evangelism season

Food for thought!

For all the hunters that are wondering why they never see deer when they go hunting on Sunday's well it is because they have picked up on the fact that if you are in the woods, you are not in the church.

Thanks to www.reverendfun.com look them up it is a great comical relief.

Living in a life of opposition

Have you ever been in a situation where you think everything that you touch messes up and there is no way to stop it? That has been my whole last week.

We went to Nacogdoches, TX for the Christmas break to get away and do some research for our church plant that we will be starting there. I went there thinking that it was going to be a great time and we were going to celebrate our 5th year anniversary and that is where the record player scratched and everything went down hill.

My Mother in Love (MIL) had put in a 30 amp plug on the electric pole for my Brother in Love (BIL) and me to hook up our R.V.s into for power but when you use a friend of a friend don't be surprised if you get less that professional work. The R.V. needs 110 with 30 amp circuit and he wired it with a 220. Well it fried our converter, microwave, and alarm clock and thank goodness that the frig and the A/C was cut off or they would have been fried. That was on December 22th which was my anniversary date. Do you get where I am going?

Let's put it this way wives do not like missing there anniversary dinner because their husbands are outside at 10 pm trying to work on a problems that is way above their heads. It was actually one week later before we could go have that dinner at Red Lobster.

I had friends that showed up out of town and wanted to go hunting with me on our property so she felt like she was getting the short end of the stick and she probably was. I was recently reminded that our Doctor that delivered my son Jonathan was talking to Caye and I about when we make plans God laughs at them because we try and take care of things ourselves and not look to God for his answers. I was beginning to think that it was a rain on stan's day parade or something like that.

Not to mention the rain storms that came and dropped 4-6 inches of rain overnight on us and got everything all muddy. We were able to get the camper in the shop the day after Christmas and get the essentials fixed. Total damage will end up around $400.00. Not to mention when the electrician came out and looked at the electrical socket he said that he should have figured out it was 110 and not 220.

I was not able to get a shot on any deer or pigs and had to endure the birds that kept coming up and stealing our corn that was meant for the deer and would make noises that they had to go to class to learn how to annoy humans and they really excelled in the annoying part. It was like having to endure nagging for hours at a time with out being able to say a single word.

By Saturday things started to calm down and trust me I am leaving out a lot of stuff because you just would not believe me if I said anything else. I got my dinner with my wife who was beginning to think that I was getting closer to being accepted as being a human, not quite but I will take what I can get at that level.

So guys remember right when you think you have everything thought off there is something else unforeseen. Prov 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.

Seek God when things are going wrong and don't try and fix things yourself.