PRINTVIDEO: A conversation with Dale Larison
A Southern Baptist pastor brings country flair to Columbia's cowboy church
October 20, 2011 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Video produced by Emilie Stigliani and Sraavani Pere
With blue jeans, cowboy boots and a hint of a southern drawl, Pastor Dale Larison puts a Western spin on preaching at Columbia’s first cowboy church.
Related LinksThe horse arena at Midway Expo Center has bleacher seating and a ground filled with fresh dirt. It’s not a Gothic cathedral, and the congregation doesn’t wear suits and ties. This is the Gateway to the High Country Cowboy Church, where the gospel message has been shared with everyday vernacular since April 2011.
Although he spends much of his time as a transitional Southern Baptist preacher in Fulton, Larison has been preaching for 22 years in churches throughout Missouri and Oregon. After graduating from MU in 1971 and pursuing a professional forestry career, he realized God’s chosen path for him was to preach. Years later, with support from his wife and children, Larison has taken the opportunity — and a hint from God — to put churchgoers in their own element with what he calls a “come as you are” place of worship.
Why did you start the cowboy church?
We’re trying to reach a different culture than the traditional church. At the cowboy church, people are expected to come as they are. Wear Western if you want, wear your boots, your hats. I’d been thinking, praying and dreaming about starting a cowboy church for years. I thought this was an opportunity, just like God had laid it in my heart.
What were the first steps in starting the church?
The Lord told me to start in Columbia because it’s just such a great population, and I think people here really resonate with who we are. So, I started visiting the cowboy churches around Missouri. I’ve had a lot of help with this; a lot of good friends have given their time and money without any reimbursement, and I think a lot of them are genuinely having a good time.
How does preaching at the cowboy church differ from other churches?
I like to say the word of God is for everybody whether you’re a cowboy, a city slicker or whatever. I’m a very illustrative pastor, I stick close to the Bible, but here I can throw in things about cattle drives and the nature of horses. The message is the same, but sometimes the illustration changes. I just try to preach the folks’ language wherever I am, and I certainly do that in the cowboy church.
What are some of the country aspects of your services?
We have a really talented Christian praise band that has become the church’s cowboy band. They’ll take some of the old hymns and “country-fy” them. They’ll sing some of the old cowboy songs and will also play some of Toby Keith’s music and other contemporary country artists.
How do you use horses in your services?
If you have a horse, we really encourage you to bring it into the arena. We like to see the horses there; it adds to the flavor of the cowboy church. For me, I’ve always been a very outdoor person, but I don’t have much background with horses.
What events do you have planned outside your Monday services?
We’d like to do some trail rides. I’ve been thinking about starting a group of Western artists who paint wildlife and landscape. We do have quite a few seniors that attend, so we’ve thought about starting a quilters-for-Christ group. A lot of cowboy churches actually start motorcycle groups within them and end up combining motorcycle enthusiasts with everyone else. So, we’re open to that as well.
What do you see for the future of the cowboy church in Columbia?
Right now, I see new people every time we meet. People from saddle clubs and horse groups have taken notice. Our goal is to eventually make up our church with the country and cowboy culture. I think it’s going to fly, Lord willing, and I just feel really good about it.
When were you called to become a preacher?
I attribute it to hearing God’s voice in my own heart and mind. Before going through seminary, I was a freelance artist, who painted landscape and wildlife, and I had an experience one day at an art show. I was in my hotel room watching the Christian channel. The preacher spoke of a war going on inside of each of us and said the side winning the war is the side that you’re feeding the most. I knew I was feeding myself worldly fare and began reading the Bible that night.
In what ways have you changed since becoming a preacher?
Preaching was the farthest thing from my mind at that point, more than 20 years ago. I was a very shy person, very reserved and terrified to stand up and speak. People tell me I’m a different guy; I’ve come out of my shell. I still like to paint and draw, though when I look at landscapes or wildlife now, I see the hand of God everywhere.
