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Faith at the Rodeo: Cowboy Church with the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys
- Amber Cole
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
It’s rodeo time in Houston, Texas, and that makes it the perfect time to highlight one of our CROP partners, The Fellowship of Christian Cowboys. FCC is on mission to reach cowboys, cowgirls, and all who cherish the western lifestyle with the Gospel, sharing the message of hope and salvation through faith.
I learned from Angela Everhart, Office Manager for FCC, that the organization was founded in 1974 by two rodeo cowboys—a rodeo clown and a calf roper/steer wrestler. The Fellowship of Christian Cowboys and the chaplains who serve with them work to create a welcoming space where cowboys, cowgirls, and anyone who works or serves in the rodeo environment can gather to worship and receive teaching from the Word of God. Today, FCC is the oldest Christian cowboy organization in existence.
On Sunday, March 8th, I attended Cowboy Church at Rodeo Houston. As we approached the meeting space on the west end of the second floor of NRG Center, we were greeted with smiling faces and warm welcomes. I connected with Dana Biddy, who serves each Sunday at the entry table. The table was filled with a variety of free Fellowship of Christian Cowboys resources, as well as a beautiful western-style embossed NIV Bibles available for purchase. We also learned about one of their most requested items, The Way for Cowboys, a booklet containing the New Testament along with Psalms and Proverbs. Later, her husband, Danny Biddy would lovingly joke, “That’s because there’s two kinds of people—cowboys and those who want to be cowboys.”
While standing there talking with Dana, a woman walked up who immediately caught my attention. It was someone who had attended my home church years ago before moving away. She now works at Rodeo Houston and had arrived early for her shift and decided to come to church. There were tears in her eyes as we recognized God’s kindness in placing a familiar face in such an unexpected place. During the time before service began, there was never a moment of awkward waiting. Someone was always ready to start a conversation or offer a warm greeting. The atmosphere felt immediately welcoming.
Ross and Dawn Asher shared with me that they had been serving with Cowboy Church for several years. At their home church, it’s simply understood that during the weeks of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, this is where they will be each Sunday. They explained that the ministry reaches far beyond just rodeo cowboys and cowgirls. Many who attend include HLSR staff, volunteers, committee members, and vendors who are all part of the rodeo environment.
The service began with worship led by Ben Murray, who guided us through several familiar hymns. Following worship, Bob Devine—Chairman of the Board for the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys and Lifetime Vice President of HLSR—shared about the ministry of FCC and the importance of the partnership with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. During the service there is also an opportunity for giving as they “pass the hat”—literally cowboy hats taken right off the heads of cowboys—supporting the ministry of FCC and many of their youth-focused programs throughout the year.
After the offering and before the message, Pastor Greg Tyler—former player for the Houston Oilers and Team Pastor for both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans—led us in prayer, thanking God for our time together and asking Him to bless the message and guide us in loving others the way Jesus does.
The message was shared by Danny Biddy, a chaplain with the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys. Danny spoke about the importance of time—and the fullness of time. In many rodeo events, completing the allotted time is required to earn a score. Think about the eight seconds a bull rider must stay on to qualify. In the same way, Danny reminded us that if we aren’t living our lives fully and intentionally, we may miss out on experiencing all that God has for us, and others may miss out on being ministered to through us.
A few weeks before attending Cowboy Church, I had the opportunity to sit down with Danny for an interview. During our conversation, he shared how the Lord led him into serving with the chapel at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Twenty-one years ago, he attended a rodeo committee meeting as a guest. Before the meeting ended, the committee chairman asked him to join the committee—something Danny shared was not the typical process for becoming part of an HLSR committee. It was, in his words, a true “God thing.” What he didn’t know at the time was that the chairman of that committee was also the chairman of the board for the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys. The Houston Rodeo has now partnered with FCC to provide Cowboy Church for more than forty years.
Danny eventually took on the responsibility of coordinating the Cowboy Church services during Rodeo Houston. Each year he invites worship leaders and teachers, organizes volunteers, and often preaches himself—as he did the Sunday we attended. Volunteers play a vital role in making Cowboy Church possible, from greeting guests and managing the resource table to leading music and sharing messages. Everyone involved is simply giving their time to serve a community they deeply love.
People travel from all over the world to participate in Rodeo Houston, and Danny shared that he has formed friendships with cowboys and cowgirls from across the globe—relationships that continue through social media long after the rodeo ends. Sometimes those in-person connections only last a few weeks each year, but they often become relationships that grow over time.
Growing up in the Houston area, I’ve always observed how the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo seems to pause the rhythm of life for many people each spring. After talking with Danny and attending Cowboy Church, I understand that a little better. There is a deep community formed during those three weeks—a shared commitment to serving a purpose that blesses thousands of lives through scholarships, education, and the western heritage that brings people together.
Cowboy Church itself is non-denominational, and everyone is welcome. After each service, there is also an opportunity to receive communion.
One of my favorite stories Danny shared involved a rodeo competitor he met after a service several years ago. They had a great conversation and would reconnect each year when the rodeo came back to Houston. One year, after the service, the cowboy approached Danny and asked what he was doing later that evening. The man explained that he had recently trusted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and would be baptized that night out where the cowboys stay on the rodeo grounds. He asked Danny if he would come. Danny not only attended but had the privilege of praying over him during the baptism.
Friends, that is community built three weeks at a time over the course of years. It’s a beautiful reminder that every moment matters and that living our lives intentionally—fully present in the time God has given us—can make an eternal difference.
If you ever attend the rodeo on a Sunday, I can’t encourage you enough to arrive a little early and attend Cowboy Church as well. For the 2026 rodeo season, services will be held at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. during the first two weeks, and at 10 a.m. during the final week.
What a beautiful example of the mission of the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys in action—reaching the western community with the hope of the Gospel.
We are so thankful for our listeners and donors who make it possible for KJIC to share stories like this and come alongside ministries serving right here in our community. Because of your support, we are able to step beyond the airwaves—connecting with organizations like the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys and shining a light on the ways God is reaching people in every corner of life, even in the middle of a rodeo arena. Your generosity helps us continue pointing hearts toward Jesus while celebrating the people and ministries faithfully serving others.