1. Spring 2019 Gospel Meeting Comparing God’s way to the “Cowboy” way
3/25/2019 pm
The Cowboy Bible and the Plan of Salvation
Comparing God’s way
to the
“Cowboy” way
Lane Frost was an American professional bull rider
1987 World Champion
1990 ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee.
The only rider to score qualified rides from the 1987 World Champion and 1990 ProRodeo Hall of Fame bull Red Rock.
He died in the arena at the 1989 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo as a result of injuries sustained when the bull Takin' Care of Business struck him after the ride.
The Cowboy Bible is an effort of Lane’s parents to save souls, and serves as a memorial to their son.
This is a NIV New Testament (Another version of the Cowboy Bible has been published with the Living Bible paraphrase)
Note: This lesson is not about the Cowboy Church movement
There has been an explosion of the Cowboy church movement in the last 20 years or so.
It is another non-denominational movement, with a decided Western flair. (Non-traditional). Though the Southern Baptist church has gotten involved.
The largest Cowboy church is located in Waxahachie, TX (about 60 miles from where I live).
No dress code, no membership, no collection plate. (Those who want to can put money in a boot when they come through the door).
However, I have visited a number of websites of Cowboy Churches, and the theological position that is examined today is typical of them.
Stan Cox

2. Inside
Front
cover

3. The
“Cowboy”
Way

4. Spring 2019 Gospel Meeting
3/25/2019 pm
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Stan Cox

5. The
“Cowboy”
Way

6. John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

7. John 6:35-37
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

8. The
“Cowboy”
Way

9. Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

10. The
“Cowboy”
Way

11. Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

12. The
“Cowboy”
Way

13. 2 Corinthians 5:21
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteous-ness of God in Him.

14. The
“Cowboy”
Way

15. 2 Corinthians 5:20
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

16. The “Cowboy” Way Spring 2019 Gospel Meeting 3/25/2019 pm Stan Cox
It is noteworthy the invitation to come to Jesus as a way of dealing with the guilt of sin is well established in Scripture
But, the way that the Frost family states regarding HOW to come to Jesus, has no scriptural basis at all!
Nowhere in scripture is there instruction given for an alien sinner to pray to God as a means of coming to Jesus/Salvation
Nowhere in all the examples of conversion found in the New Testament does a man come to Jesus through the sinner’s prayer
Nowhere in the New Testament is there ever an intimation that any man can be saved by praying this prayer or one like it.
In fact, in Acts 10, though Cornelius’ prayed to God and was heard by Him, he wasn’t saved by those petitions!
(Acts 10:1-6), “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
Where did the Sinner’s prayer come from?
Perhaps the first reference was in the 17th century (1678, in the book Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan)
However, the practice of calling for a Sinner to be saved by reciting a prayer is modern. It was first seen in the late 19th century Evangelical practicea in America
D.L. Moody, an evangelist in the Holiness movement ( ), was one of the first to use it in his Evangelical efforts
As a popular expression of how to come to Jesus, it has only become widely advocated in the 20th century (Quote from Wikipedia on the Origin of the practice)
“Evangelists such as Billy Graham and evangelistic organizations such as Campus Crusade for Christ brought the concept to prominence in the 20th century. Televangelists often ask viewers to pray a Sinner's Prayer with them, one phrase at a time, to become a Christian. Quite commonly, such a prayer appears at the conclusion of a tract and is recited in a religious service or other public service as an invitation for congregants to affirm their faith, sometimes as part of an altar call. It is said to happen many times every day around the world—in one-to-one conversations between friends, relatives, and even strangers; in pastors' offices; via ; in online chat rooms; in addition to both small and large worship services.”
Stan Cox

17. Acts 2 God’s Way to Come to Him! Hear (Romans 10:17)
Believe (Hebrews 11:6)
Repent (Luke 13:3)
Confess (Romans 10:9-10)
Baptism (1 Peter 3:21)

18. Which will you follow as you attempt to find and please God?
Spring 2019 Gospel Meeting
3/25/2019 pm
Which will you follow as you attempt to find and please God?
God’s Way?
or the
The Cowboy Way?
Stan Cox