The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

Reporter's note: A couple of weeks ago, while reporting on sports camps sponsored by Montana Indian Ministries, I learned about the Ministry's Rodeo Bible Camp. The camp, also a day camp, is held at Wasay Wakpa Arena in Lodge Pole. I called Montana Indian Ministries' founder and president, Pastor Bruce Plummer, and asked if I could visit the rodeo camp and learn about its purpose and how it works. He invited me to come for a visit.

I learned that Pastor Plummer, and his wife Sande, have been doing their ministry for about 10 years. He explained that the Fort Belknap tribal leaders gave him a camping area, on Beaver Creek outside Lodge Pole, to use if he would develop it for youth and community programs. Plummer has recruited groups, from many churches in many states, to help develop the camp's facilities and expand the programming during the past decade.

I arrived at the arena and pow-wow grounds mid-morning. One end of the arena parking lot was filled with stock trailers, campers and pickups-all with Texas license plates. There were kids in the arena practicing on roping dummies. Another group surrounded a mechanical bull, taking turns riding the bull and cheering the rider. There was a mobile kitchen and a craft tent. There was activity everywhere.

Pastor Plummer said, "I need to run back to Beaver Camp, but I'll introduce you to two pastors who are here overseeing the rodeo camp." I met Greg Hunt and Matt Comer, both pastors with Cowboy Churches in Texas. Here's some of what I learned about the Rodeo Bible Camp in Lodge Pole.

Cowboy Church Fellowship, a growing evangelical group

According to Pastors Greg and Matt, there were 45 volunteers involved in the rodeo camp at Lodge Pole. All were from three Cowboy Churches in Texas-Pastor Greg's church in Magnolia, Pastor Matt's in Carthage and a group from the River Crossing Cowboy Church in Marshall. These churches are three of 150 Cowboy Churches 'planted' within the last 10 years in Texas. Pastor Greg said, "Among Texas Baptists, these churches had the largest number of professions of faith of any churches."

What are Cowboy Churches? To get some background on Cowboy Churches, the Texas pastors referred me to the official website (americanfcc.org) of the American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches.

Basically, the Fellowship is a loosely organized group of churches that are evangelistic in theology, open to all emphasizing "no barriers to worship" and focus on outreach to the unchurched through various mission projects. The churches preach the gospel in the context of Western Culture. The pastors explained, "A Cowboy Church is about how we do things, not so much a required list of specific beliefs or practices."

While looking for a mission project for his church, Greg Hunt said, "Through a friend we connected with Pastor Bruce Plummer and his Montana Indian Ministries. He wanted the kids to learn about the rodeo and master some rodeo-connected skills." The Texas group first came five years ago. According to Pastor Greg, "There was another church group leading Bible school, we supplemented what they were doing with some work with the kids in the arena." The interest was so keen that the rodeo camp began the next year. Now in its fifth year, it's still very popular with the local kids who come each day to learn about and practice rodeo skills.

For the Texans, this is one of five rodeo Bible camps they will do in the next six weeks. From Lodge Pole they were headed to Fort Peck reservation, then two camps at the Crow reservation in Montana and a final camp on a Crow reservation in Wyola, Oregon. Pastor Greg explained, "To make these camps happen we'll involve volunteers representing 15 Cowboy Churches from Texas, Alabama, Florida and Louisiana. Each week new volunteers arrive to replace others who have to go back home."

The Rodeo Bible Camp at Lodge Pole

The people who teach the rodeo skills are referred to as 'rodeo clinicians.' The clinicians make up about one third of the volunteer group at a given camp, with the other two-thirds serving as support. Support staff do everything from taking care of the animals to preparing lunch for the campers. Pastor Matt said, "We build relationships through working with the kids and sharing the gospel in small group devotions and short church services at the end of the day." One of the clinicians put it this way, "My job is to love the kids while teaching them rodeo skills."

Pastor Greg explained what it takes to present the camp and teach the skills. In addition to the mobile kitchen that came from Arkansas, the Texans brought one mechanical bull, 12 miniature bucking ponies, assorted roping dummies for practice and a drag steer that is pulled behind a four-wheeler for bulldogging practice. They leased some livestock once here.

Then there's the food for about 50 kids and 40 volunteers, all the ropes and gear related to the various rodeo skills and livestock feed and equipment. Greg laughed when he recalled the trip from Texas to Montana. He said, "It was a three-day caravan to get all the gear and people to the site." The Texas-based churches are about 1700 miles from Lodge Pole.

The Cowboy Churches are not just about the rodeo camp. The lead pastors described other projects they've done in the area-including improvements at the rodeo arena in Lodge Pole and, last summer, a new seating area built at the pow-wow grounds in Mission Canyon "to make the elders more comfortable during the pow-wow." Pastor Greg added, "At Christmas we gather up a horse trailer load of presents and distribute them through the local schools."

The people at the camp

Rodeo clinician Denise Fugler, from Carthage, Texas, is in her third year doing the rodeo camps. She teaches team sorting, barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying and general horsemanship. She said, "I love and enjoy riding and love teaching the kids the riding skills that relate to the rodeo. I get a great blessing from getting to know the kids and making new friendships each year. To see the kids have joy brings me joy."

Locals also get involved to make the camp work. Toby Werk, part of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, was gathering materials needed for the rodeo program. He explained why he helps with the rodeo camp, "These folks are bringing new ideas and skills to our kids. That benefits our culture as we share our culture with them. I want these programs for the kids to continue to succeed."

For a camper's view, I spoke with eighth-grader Kadin Racine, who had won second place in team roping the weekend before at Browning Indian Days. He's attended the camp since it began five years ago. Kadin said he found the camp fun and entertaining. He especially liked learning about roping, roping the dummies and then practicing on real steers. Kadin added, "I like learning about God and having fun."

Volunteers who teach rodeo skills at the Montana Indian Ministries' Rodeo Bible Camp are titled 'rodeo clinicians.' Denise Fugler, from Carthage, Texas, has been teaching horsemanship skills for the last three years. She said she makes the 1700-mile trip to Lodge Pole "because seeing the kids experience joy as they learn new skills gives me joy."

Eli Comer, a seventh grader who came with the volunteer group from Texas, said, "I learn from the kids in the camp. I can even talk some Indian." Then he did a short demonstration of his new language skills. Ethan Jones, a third-grade camper who was roping from his wheelchair, broke into a big smile when he landed a loop on the dummy's horns.

I asked Pastor Greg about the volunteers who were teaching the rodeo skills. He said, "Denise Fugler is a typical volunteer. She and her family own a restaurant in Carthage and also ranch. They leave that all in the care of others so they can make the 1700-mile trip up here from Texas." Later I asked Fugler if she planned to return next year. Without hesitation she replied, "Absolutely."

Pastors Greg and Matt summed up their take on why the rodeo Bible camp works, "We learned cowboys and Indians have common interests through horses and rodeos." Ministries' President Bruce Plummer said in an earlier phone conversation, "The Rodeo Bible Camp is a great example of cowboys and Indians working together."