Educational Media Reviews Online

Cowboy Church is one of the most heart-warming documentaries I have seen in a long time. Sociologists, musicians, as well as those interested in the study of religion will enjoy this close-up look at a small Midwest church and the authentic, warm personalities of its musicians. The film is about a country and western band that "saved" a small church by increasing attendance and offerings threefold.

Cowboy Church is a non-denominational musical worship service at the First Christian Church in Farmer City, Illinois. Gospel-loving Midwesterners and musicians from all over Illinois gather at this white clapboard church every Sunday night to share their faith, love and spiritual hope.

These musicians bring a unique type of message to the congregation through lively, heart-felt countrified renditions of everyone's favorite hymns and gospel songs. Not your typical choir members, the church house band consists of electric guitars, steel guitar, bass, fiddle, foot-stomping piano and any other instruments that show up.

The film gives us a rich understanding of the lives and religious beliefs of rural churchgoers who enjoy music as part of their spiritual life. The viewer is eloquently given an old-time flavor of going home. We see interviews of people who never went to church before as they become transformed through the music and the people. We see how the people of this church touch their whole community and many surrounding towns through their gift of love and singing.

This program is presented in a clear chronological order that shows us the musical worship service, as it is today and how it originated. The film shots seem to be natural and unedited - straight from the hearts and mouths of these people. I know the producer has been successful in portraying the true spirit of these people because I have personally visited this church on several occasions.

The documentary opens with band members talking about becoming Christians in mid-life and the experiences that brought them here. We then see the church house band warming up as worshippers from everywhere fill the church. For some, Cowboy Church is the only one they regularly attend.

We also see intergenerational sharing and stories. The older musicians share their history and life experiences as they sing and play with the younger ones. A 90 year-old fiddler is a regular with the band. Everyone ignores the fact that Grandpa can no longer stay in time with the rest of the band.

The pastor of Cowboy Church recounts how it all came about. He and some other church members got the idea for a country music ministry when they attended a service of the Cowboy Church in Nashville. Musicians volunteered their time and were moved to become Christians as a result of their service.

Many of the house band musicians openly share their own personal stories. Jesse, the flamboyant "character" in the group, who always wears some kind of flashy hat, tells of his past life playing in bars. Jesse says he's had the greatest feeling ever in his life since he starting playing at the Cowboy Church.

The producer carries this feeling to the viewer through the scenes of love and fellowship so clearly portrayed throughout the video. Paula tells of how the Cowboy Church gave her the family she was missing. Rob Roy gives us a sincere account of the outpouring of love from the church members when he was ill.

Throughout the video we are richly entertained with a lot of delightful old-time foot-stomping gospel music and the sincerity of the musicians. Through the camera, we see and feel the power of music as it moves those in the band as well as those in the pews. Again, this feel-good portrayal of people at their best is highly recommended.