Blazing a trail for the good news By Carol Pipes
Tucked away in the mountains of Central Idaho lies the town of Salmon. Three hours from the nearest Wal-Mart, the area surrounding Salmon boasts more cows than people.
According to Mike Palmer, pastor of Salmon Valley Baptist Church, close to 93 percent of the people in the county don’t have a relationship with Christ.
I have a real love for the outdoors, the people and the culture,” says Mike, a native Georgian. “This is home, it’s what we love, it’s what God has put in our hearts.”
About two and a half years ago, Mike and the members of his church saw a need to start a new work for the ranchers who lived 20-30 miles outside of town.
“Folks in the Lemhi River Valley could drive to Salmon for church, but the fact is, they don’t,” says Mike. “We’re mandated by Christ to go. So, so we decided to go and not wait on folks to come.”
And so was birthed the Lemhi River Cowboy Church. A church contextualizing the message of Christ to the people who live along the Upper Lemhi River. Mike and Jim Ballard, director of missions for the Eastern Idaho Southern Baptist Association, knew they’d need to plant a church that fit the people they were trying to reach.
“The cowboy culture’s a very independent culture, very much ‘I can do it myself, I can make my own way,’” says Mike. “There may not be a realization of needing God sometimes.”
One of the greatest hurdles to leading a cowboy to Christ is overcoming that independent, I can do it myself spirit.
Jim, who grew up ranching in Colorado knew it would take a special man to lead these rugged pioneers. In Jim’s mind, Mike was the perfect fit. “You don’t have to be a cowboy to pastor a cowboy church,” says Jim. That was good news to Mike, who’s never ranched a day in his life.
“Cowboys and ranchers stand strong on their integrity—your word’s your bond. And that still stands out here in the West,” says Jim. “They know Mike is a man of his word, he’s someone they can trust.”
Because ranching is a 24/7 job, the church meets on Sunday nights when a cowboy’s chores are done. And the atmosphere is casual. Jeans and boots are the norm. And you’re more likely to see cowboy hats than ties. It’s like a large family get-together.
“It doesn’t matter how you’re dressed, if you just got done feeding, even if you’re muddy,” says Mike. “God’s not worried about your suit or your tie.”
Lemhi River Church is already looking toward the future of building an indoor riding arena, a place big enough to rope, barrel race and have church. “We want to build a building for the community that they will want to use,” says Mike. “This is how we’re going to reach the community.”
Says Jim: “We have the greatest opportunity of anywhere on earth to take the gospel of Jesus to people who don’t know Him.” OM
Carol Pipes is editor of On Mission.
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