About Us
WHO ARE WE?
The Cowboy Country Church is a non-profit Christian organization whose leaders and congregation believe that the Bible is the true, complete and unfailing Word of God. The Church’s primary goal is to reach people in the western culture for Jesus Christ. Therefore, their church services and activities center on what is relevant to the interests of those in the western culture, but not wavering from Biblical Doctrine. A relaxed “come as you are” atmosphere where everyone is welcome is offered. A one hour service, live country music, Bible time, trail rides, campfire gatherings, barnyard fellowships, jubilees, horse clinics and many arena activities including practice longhorn roping and an annual rodeo, are just some of the activities that take place at the Cowboy Country Church.
The church is all about breaking down “barriers” that keep people from hearing the Word of God. Instead of looking inward -- the church looks outward! It’s about finding a way to get a lost farmer/rancher/cowhand in a place where he is comfortable enough and will sit long enough to hear about Jesus. Good fellowship, live country music, and a western culture sermon all done in a one hour cowboy church service is what they are all about.
CHURCH MISSION:
The mission and purpose of the Cowboy Country Church is to reach the farmers, ranchers and others in the Louisville and surrounding communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to disciple the saints and to help those in need.
CHURCH’S MOTTO:
Do all for the Glory of God. Conversations are to be done with love, respect, listening, and not lording over people. Language, actions and dress are to be appropriate for all ages.
AFFILIATION:
The Cowboy Country Church subscribes to the Statement of Faith modeled from the Baptist Faith and Message, taken from God’s Word. They follow the basic guidelines of God’s leadership consistent with those followed by cowboy churches affiliated with the American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches (AFCC)
The Cowboy Country Church is a non-profit Christian organization whose leaders and congregation believe that the Bible is the true, complete and unfailing Word of God. The Church’s primary goal is to reach people in the western culture for Jesus Christ. Therefore, their church services and activities center on what is relevant to the interests of those in the western culture, but not wavering from Biblical Doctrine. A relaxed “come as you are” atmosphere where everyone is welcome is offered. A one hour service, live country music, Bible time, trail rides, campfire gatherings, barnyard fellowships, jubilees, horse clinics and many arena activities including practice longhorn roping and an annual rodeo, are just some of the activities that take place at the Cowboy Country Church.
The church is all about breaking down “barriers” that keep people from hearing the Word of God. Instead of looking inward -- the church looks outward! It’s about finding a way to get a lost farmer/rancher/cowhand in a place where he is comfortable enough and will sit long enough to hear about Jesus. Good fellowship, live country music, and a western culture sermon all done in a one hour cowboy church service is what they are all about.
CHURCH MISSION:
The mission and purpose of the Cowboy Country Church is to reach the farmers, ranchers and others in the Louisville and surrounding communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to disciple the saints and to help those in need.
CHURCH’S MOTTO:
Do all for the Glory of God. Conversations are to be done with love, respect, listening, and not lording over people. Language, actions and dress are to be appropriate for all ages.
AFFILIATION:
The Cowboy Country Church subscribes to the Statement of Faith modeled from the Baptist Faith and Message, taken from God’s Word. They follow the basic guidelines of God’s leadership consistent with those followed by cowboy churches affiliated with the American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches (AFCC)
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DONALD G. BLANKA - INTERIM PASTOR
Don currently resides on a farm northeast of Louisville, Kansas with his wife, Berenice. He currently has a farming operation raising mostly corn and soybeans and his pastureland is rented out to others. He is no stranger to the cowboy, farmer and rancher lifestyle. He was born and raised on a farm near Westmoreland, Kansas where he helped his dad and brother doing farm work and taking care of cattle, hogs, chickens and a few horses. He also was involved in 4-H and FFA and was recognized as a State Farmer his senior year in high school. He served six years in the US Army Reserves and received an honorable discharge in 1972. He is a graduate from Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas and received his Certificate to practice accounting as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Missouri. He worked in public accounting and later held key financial jobs in corporations specializing in the health care field. In 1992, he retired from the city life and returned to his roots in the Kansas farmlands to start a farming/ranching operation. He grew his cow/calf operation to 200 head of breeding cows until he decided to semi-retire in 2011. He was married to his wife Kathy for 37 years. She passed away on March 5, 2001. They had two sons. He then married Berenice on June 15, 2002. On September 9, 2001, Don became a "born again" Christian and the Lord changed his life. It was at that time that he became a true believer in Jesus Christ and promised to trust Him and to follow Him in his daily life. Since becoming a "Christian" he has held various leadership positions in the churches that he attended. In 2010, God gave Don and Berenice the vision to establish a cowboy friendly church where the unchurched and unsaved would be comfortable in attending the services and hearing the Word. He has assisted in the management of this church, the Cowboy Country Church, since its inception. He is currently serving as the Interim Pastor in this church until a permanent pastor is located. 
TRAIL BOSS/ ARENA DIRECTOR - Alan Gilchrist
April 10, 2011 Alan and his family walked into a run down old tavern to attend the first Cowboy Country Church service. As President of the Onaga Saddle Club he thought it was a good community event to attend. Alan didn't really realize or fully understand that evening but his heart was searching for God more and more everyday. "That evening I sat clear in the back of that old converted tavern at a plastic patio table (about the only open spot) and listened to a Feedlot cowboy talk about how brands effect us, a story of critters I understand and a path I was walking. There was about 100 folks crammed in that ol' building but that cowboy was talking to ME!!! I didn't run up to the front that night but my heart opened up right there. Just a couple weeks latter I was asking that cowboy to baptize me. I had given my self to the Lord! That first night I walked into that crowd I was HOME!"
Alan, his wife Amy live outside of Onaga, Kansas with there three children. Although not a full time cowboy and having a town job Alan still manages some daywork for certain outfits. He has hung his shingle as a trainer in the past but has slowed down to concentrate on producing quality events for Cowboy Country Church. If you come to an event, a lot of time you will still see him riding a "work in progress" The country living and all it offers has always appealed to Alan. Not just horses and cattle but outdoor sports too. Quite frequently he can be found fishing or hunting and was a competitive shooter. |
FOUNDERS - Don and Berenice Blanka
GOD planted the start of Cowboy Country Church into the minds and hearts of one family; Don and Berenice Blanka. The Blankas have a farm and ranch operation North of Louisville, Kansas where they enjoy country living and caring for their crops and a few head of longhorn cattle.
They are both born again Christians saved by the grace of God. Berenice was saved at the age of nineteen and Don at the age of sixty. They both lost their spouses due to health in 2001. Don had been married thirty-seven years and Berenice forty-three years. After meeting at a church, they soon realized that they had a lot in common including their love for God and music. They were married on June 15, 2002, and continue to be very active in working for the Lord. They both have evangelistic hearts wanting their family members, friends and neighbors to be saved. God gave them the vision to establish a cowboy friendly church where the unsaved would be comfortable in attending the services and hearing the Word. This vision included Bible preaching and teaching from a cowboy's perspective dealing with real life situations that farmers and ranchers can relate to and understand. |
GREENHORN WRANGLER/ Youth Director - Hank "Hanklin the clown" Parker
Hank came to the cowboy country church in search of something more. Growing up he was always in church with his grandmother even when he didn't want to be. He worked on the family farm doing the daily choirs and working along side his best friend and uncle Curtis Roudybush. Curtis and Hank were a team they took care of one another in good times and bad. As the time past Hank's family moved to Oklahoma to raise and race thoroughbreds. Hank moved back to Kansas in 2008 to be near his mother and sisters and start a new life. In 2011 Hank met his wife and she changed his life for the good. They heard about a cowboy church in Louisville and went a hand full of times. Then the worst day ever happened. On August 20, 2015 Hank lost his mother and the good life he thought he had was shattered. Hank was lost working non stop and angry almost all the time. He found that old cowboy church again and his family continued to go. Till one sunday the Pastor (Curtis) gave a message about how he lost his dad (my grandpa) and how God had helped him to let go of the anger. It kicked him right in the gut like a squirmy ol' calf trying to get away and he gave it all to the Lord. Now Hank heads the youth group and has no plans of slowing down. His biggest supporters are his 5 kids and wife. Hank has a big soft spot for kids and encourages them to never give up. Some of Hank's hobbies include;
Riding and working with horses, coaching his sons baseball team, hunting, fishing, writing poetry, and teaching his children about Jesus. |
ROUND-UP LADY EDUCATION DIRECTOR - Mario Herrell
I'm the "Round up Lady" at C.C.C. I love to "Round up the Kids" and teach and have fun! I was born and raised in a Christian home in Ky. I think my love for teaching began as I saw my dad gather the neighbor kids at our house weekly to have a Bible study then games to follow. My parents arranged for us five kids to attend summer Bible camps. This is where I learned at an early age that sin was anything that displeased God, that God was Holy and there was no sin in heaven.........so where did that leave me? We had memorized John 3:16/ saying God loved us and sent His (sinless) son to die on a cross so we could be in Heaven with Him. I know God speaks to little children because He spoke to me that night. I asked God to forgive me for the lie's I had told, fighting with my siblings and wanting my way all the time. I asked Him to come into my heart so He could walk with me everyday to help me when I messed up. That was at age 8. I have learned and grown in many ways over the past 60 years. God has blessed me with a wonderful Christian husband as well as two daughters and sons in law who are raising our seven grandchildren to walk with the Lord. Since moving to Ks. in 1986 we attended two churches before being called to Cowboy Country Church. We felt called to help spread the gospel to our friends and neighbors who loved the western culture as we did. This church was different from any church we had attended. The mission of the church and the love these " plain ole hard working people" had for the Lord, confirmed our call. It has been "work" but oh what a blessing to serve our Lord and Savior at Cowboy Country Church!
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