‘It all starts with belief’: Embracing the call to plant a cowboy church

Most pastors dream of building a healthy, growing church. Chris Clarke believes God is calling him to leave one.
Chris Clarke has served faithfully as a pastor of Kentucky Lake Cowboy Church for 16 years. He is planting another cowboy church in White Plains, where he lives.
(Photo courtesy of Kentucky Today)

‘It all starts with belief’: Embracing the call to plant a cowboy church

Most pastors dream of building a healthy, growing church. Chris Clarke believes God is calling him to leave one.

After serving Kentucky Lake Cowboy Church for the past 16 years, Clarke recently announced he will step down as pastor to plant a new cowboy church in White Plains, about an hour east of the Marshall County congregation he helped establish.

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The decision wasn’t prompted by declining attendance or ministry challenges. In fact, Kentucky Lake Cowboy Church is experiencing one of its strongest seasons yet. The church averages around 110 in attendance and recently celebrated its anniversary with a record crowd of 150.

For Clarke, the decision came down to faithfully following what he believes God was asking him to do.

“When God speaks, we have to make the decision,” Clarke said. “We’re either going to obey Him or disobey Him.”

That sense of calling came unexpectedly just a few months ago while he was cleaning horse stalls at his home in White Plains.

“I felt the Lord clearly saying, ‘I’m through with you at Kentucky Lake Cowboy Church, and I want you to start a new work for Me right there where you live in White Plains,'” Clarke said.

The call to start over wasn’t unfamiliar.

Full story.

EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Lillian Eline and originally published by Kentucky Today. 

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