“You can live your life rodeoing, or you don’t even have to own a horse; everybody’s welcome here of course...saddle up everybody, it’s time for cowboy church!”

These lyrics by Clarinda poet Brooke Turner greet those in attendance at the Bar None Cowboy Church held at the Jasper County Fairgrounds in Colfax each Thursday night, signaling the beginning of the anything-but-orthodox service. 

While the concept may simply seem like a country twist on worship, the service has deep roots in cowboy history, according to founder Pastor David Rex.