For the last 10 years I have served as a full time pastor. I am not one of those cheesy televagelists or fire and brimstone kinda guys. Over the last year as my desires have begun to merge in an incredible way I have felt a leading or maybe just a hope to build a church that meets on Sunday mornings at Field Trials and Hunt Tests in the state of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. I am not sure of the feasabiliy or the interest within our community of dog freaks. If this idea peaks your interests in any way please give feedback. I am just kinda testing the waters right now!!!
Trial and Test Church
1 - 20 of 51 Posts
Joined
·
1,785 Posts
I would certainly encourage you to follow this calling. Hank Hough did, and started his "Kingdom Dog" ministry. I've heard him at various HT's over the years. He and his dog deliver a wonderful non-denominational message during lunchtime on Sunday. Usually attracts a good number of bird boys, handlers, club members and sometimes the property owners. (I'll give our judges the benefit of the doubt that they're too busy wolfing down lunch, tallying scores and working on callbacks :wink: )
You should check out his website: www.kingdomdog.com/ .
You should check out his website: www.kingdomdog.com/ .
Joined
·
301 Posts
Great idea! I have even thought about a Christian Retriever Trainers Assoc. I can use all the help I can get, specially when I am still there on sunday mornings. :wink:
LT
LT
Joined
·
390 Posts
This could be good. I know between hunting, dirt bikes and hunt tests, my family has fallen into the "poinsettia and lily crowd"*.
Kingdom Dog Ministries © 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKohJ1k4oKA
*Ed Young, Jr.
Kingdom Dog Ministries © 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKohJ1k4oKA
*Ed Young, Jr.
Joined
·
224 Posts
Yes Please do
Thee single most moving and memorable message I ever heard was at the BCS HT a couple years back. Don't remember the speaker but do his message it was about the parallels between dog training and the Gospel ... still think of it quite often when staring out the windshield or looking into the embers of a camp fire ...
Sunday morning Lunchtime Regards
Thee single most moving and memorable message I ever heard was at the BCS HT a couple years back. Don't remember the speaker but do his message it was about the parallels between dog training and the Gospel ... still think of it quite often when staring out the windshield or looking into the embers of a camp fire ...
Sunday morning Lunchtime Regards
Joined
·
13,714 Posts
Re: Yes Please do
Could you expand on this please?
bruce said:
Could you expand on this please?
Joined
·
1,809 Posts
I would like to bless you, for coming forth when your heart felt prompting! I'm a full time pastor as well, with a family of six children and we thoroughly enjoy Hunt Tests. We have met over the years some very nice people there. It's such a clean sport and environment that a Sunday morning meeting with Jesus would really complete the quality of this sport.onthemark said:
Mel E.
Ps. I also LOVED the Kingdom Dog ministries link. Ken B, he gives some illistrations on the video concerning the parallels between dog training and the gospel. I encourage you to check the video out, VERY interesting.
Joined
·
224 Posts
Ken
One of the keys to the lesson was that we have to submit to the will of God much the same way a pup has to submit to us the "Master" in order to achieve our goal. As the sig line above says can God run a blind with you. There was also a leave it demonstration were the speaker had hiddeen a runbber snake and threw a bumper close tot he spot sent the pup and then recalled saying sometimes God dosn't let us have what we want beacause there is danger nearby, again the master knows best. The mesasge is very powerful ... if you run a parallel to what we expect from a dog and what God expects from us ... wish I could express it better ... wish I could remeber the fellas name ... would like to see it more ...click on the link in Chris post above to get a slice of what he talks about ....
One of the keys to the lesson was that we have to submit to the will of God much the same way a pup has to submit to us the "Master" in order to achieve our goal. As the sig line above says can God run a blind with you. There was also a leave it demonstration were the speaker had hiddeen a runbber snake and threw a bumper close tot he spot sent the pup and then recalled saying sometimes God dosn't let us have what we want beacause there is danger nearby, again the master knows best. The mesasge is very powerful ... if you run a parallel to what we expect from a dog and what God expects from us ... wish I could express it better ... wish I could remeber the fellas name ... would like to see it more ...click on the link in Chris post above to get a slice of what he talks about ....
Joined
·
275 Posts
I think it's a great idea!!! I know when I used to Rodeo there was an organization that would have non-denominational services on Sundays. I think you should follow your calling to do this.
I would love to see some type of services at the HT I go to...in fact I even got permission to hold a prayer and devotion service at PHRC in La. and several of the peolple that said that would be a good idea someone should do that didnt show :roll: figure that out......so I just talk about Jesus when I am at the stake running my dog..........but yes I think it would be a great idea.
Joined
·
188 Posts
The opportunity to share Jesus at a Field Trial/Hunt Test......
Awesome! Let's face the facts He chooses that none should perish and all should come to the knowledge of Him. Where are these going to get that message, if not from those believers that are there.
I think it is a great idea. Look at the signs of the times and know the urgency is there. Field Trialers/ Hunt Test people need Jesus! We all need Jesus. :lol:
Go into all the world and preach the gospel. He didn't say except at Field Trials and HuntTests! :wink:
Goose
Awesome! Let's face the facts He chooses that none should perish and all should come to the knowledge of Him. Where are these going to get that message, if not from those believers that are there.
I think it is a great idea. Look at the signs of the times and know the urgency is there. Field Trialers/ Hunt Test people need Jesus! We all need Jesus. :lol:
Go into all the world and preach the gospel. He didn't say except at Field Trials and HuntTests! :wink:
Goose
Joined
·
13,714 Posts
I just did, very interesting point of view. The blind retrieve question could easily be discussion for a theology class.Dogtrainer4God said:
That is a great way to put it, I have never heard it said that way. In the minute it took me to mentally prepare for this post, I remembered my Grandparents, and that is always a good thing. All four are passed away, for some time now. Both sets were Catholic. My Fathers parents, whom I lived with were very active in the church. I was usher with my Grandfather for a number of years. My regular attendance came to a screeching halt when I turned 16 and got my drivers license on my birthday, Grandpa was not happy about that. I remember telling the Monsignor that God would rather have me waist deep in a trout stream, thinking of Him. Instead of being in Church, thinking of standing waist deep in a trout stream.Chris S. said:
I think, as long as it was indeed non-denominational, and did not interfere with the trial/test what harm could it be. I have seen a few on line that needed prayer. I have heard the name of Jesus at a few tests, not always the was my old Monsignor would approve of. If I were to run across a service at a test I attended, I could very well even stop in for a bit. If for no other reason than to remember the great times with my Grandparents in my youth. Like on Palm Sundays, the only day Grandpa would let me bring a knife to Church, to help him cut the bulk palm fronds into small personal size palms. Man I do miss those days.louisianadukdog said:
Ken Bora
Joined
·
2,869 Posts
sounds like an awesome idea.
I happened to walk up near the end of this Service. Like the dog, I had no idea that the "snake" was out there. When he called the dog off the retrieve then asked the question (paraphrasing) "Why would God tell us NO when there is obviously no danger in what we are doing?" Then walks out and picks the snake up and answers "Because the danger is not always obvious to us."bruce said:
I was impressed.
Jerry
There's a book out there that's similar to the message you mentioned - a friend of mine who's a Sister of Mercy at our parish gave it to me. I'll have to see if I can find it - it had a black Lab on the cover.
In a similar vein, there's a book called Lessons from a Sheepdog that takes the herding dog/Border Collie slant on the idea. It's really good. Can research the author too.
In a similar vein, there's a book called Lessons from a Sheepdog that takes the herding dog/Border Collie slant on the idea. It's really good. Can research the author too.
G
Guest
·I have heard of small groups meeting for worship on Sunday mornings before the start of a test or trial. If my memory serves, Connie Cleveland and some of her friends have done or still do this... I remember because Joie and I talked about joining them one day if we were ever at a trial with them. This was years ago... Connie isn't a pastor, but my point is that I think you would find people would join you. And I think many of us have a tinge of guilt about being in the field on Sunday morning instead of at church...
-Kristie
-Kristie
Joined
·
649 Posts
onthemark said:
It takes 3 things to make a Sunday morning worship service happen at a HT or FT:
(1) a person willing to do the service
(2) a HT/FT chairman or person on the HT/FT committee willing to push to make the arrangements. Ie. the person to contact the person doing the service, get it on the schedule (so people know about it), etc.
(3) Someone at headquarters the day of the test to actually make it all happen.
Imho,
(1) is a person like Hank Hough. If you look around, you'll find others like him (perhaps even yourself!).
(2) well - speaks for itself.
(3) My wife was a great example of this for my club's tests. She set an area aside close to where the lunch line would form. Nothing special - just a hay bale for Hank to set his stuff on and a couple of lawn chairs. Most everyone else brought their own chair. But then when the time came, which was always right around the time lunch was about to be served (and a few people getting in line), she announced that lunch would not be served until after the worship service. 8) This made sure there were always at least a few people there right at the beginning (as soon as Hank started, the crowd would grow).
Joined
·
1,785 Posts
How 'bout a club deciding to include this in their agenda, making it happen, and adding it to their premium (for visibility, place the details somewhere between "Lunch" and "Directions" :wink: )
I've wondered why after all these years, "Sunday Service" isn't a default category on each premium. eg. either: "No Sunday Service will be offered" or, "A non-denominational worship service will be offered at 12:00 across from Hunt Test Headquarters." Is there an AKC rule on this too?
1 - 20 of 51 Posts
