Where we Worship is a FAVS.News feature that profiles different houses of worship in the Inland Northwest including the regions of Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington. If you are interested in having your organization featured, email tr**********@**vs.news.
By Lisa Ormond | FāVS News Reporter
It’s pretty wild and welcoming at Bustin’ Loose Cowboy Church where Christians worship outdoors in a large canvas tent year-round in Chewelah, Washington — a small town of approximately 2,800 about 45 miles north of Spokane.
Worship here is not bound by real tight reins or rules. Much of the service goes with the flow and the Holy Spirit in this rural region of God’s country where ranching, farming, family and faith take center stage.
“We’re Bible-based and Holy-Spirit-led and driven,” said its charismatic Spokane-born pastor, Blayne McCoy.
Bustin’ Loose stands alone as the only cowboy church of its kind in the Inland Northwest, and it just celebrated its fifth-year anniversary with no signs of slowing its gallop.
“We are patriotic, Second Amendment and pro-life” is how the congregation’s 58-year-old, self-proclaimed cowboy McCoy described his ministries and his community.
“If you like the traditional style of service, this may not be your rodeo, but just know you are most welcome to join in,” McCoy said.
Cowboy Church: Off the beaten path
Cowboy Church meets at 2221 Sand Canyon Road on Sundays at 10 a.m. on the five-acre property of McCoy and his wife of 38 years, Vonnie. Their partnership provides the spiritual “can do” attitude and care for the church’s body.
According to Vonnie McCoy, they average about 80 participants attending service.
“We have 142 chairs, but there have been Sundays we’ve ran out of chairs,” she said.
A worshipper will discover distinct features at Bustin’ Loose that are quite different from mainstream churches. A few examples include:
- Blayne McCoy doesn’t prepare sermons. “I grab my Bible, open it and see what catches my heart. He gives me the words to speak. I haven’t prepared a sermon in nearly six years.”
- The church’s floor is covered with green astro-turf, and art banners hang inside the tent.
- Stools and a three-foot-high cross made of welded horseshoes adorns the front stage holding a lasso and sometimes Blayne McCoy’s cowboy hat.
- Communion is offered monthly in shot glasses.
- Outhouses are available outside the tent in a nearby field; and the list goes on.
A unique brand
With its own flare and flavor, Cowboy Church. offers a joyful, casual, down-home friendly atmosphere for its faith followers, and folks embrace it. Blayne McCoy and his approachable, authentic, country-like church draws folks beyond Chewelah for worship from as far north as Kettle Falls, east as Newport and south as Spokane. Also, Bustin’ Loose livestreams Sunday services on Facebook to over 550 followers.
Service is “come as you are time,” Blayne McCoy said. “If you are just getting off work from a back of a horse, from behind the wheel of a big rig or serving orders at the local café, come on in and get refreshed!”
“Bustin’ Loose Cowboy Ministries: Where the Holy Spirit is Free to Roam” is the church’s motto. Their weekly praise and worship style follows its motto offering a robust ride of spontaneous Bible teachings and prayers, deep personal faith sharing, impromptu standing and dancing and often a young children’s faith lesson taught by an adult member. A potluck meal, free drinks and fellowship follow all worship services.
“Food brings the people,” Blayne McCoy said. They keep coming, too, and he said he couldn’t be more pleased. “People tell me they feel safe here and a sense of freedom.”
Nothing like it
Brent Kubik has been an active member for two years.
“Why come here?” Kubik said. “Well, because of the people; they’re real.”
“The first time we came here, I knew we were home,” said Jan Elliott, four-year church member.
She teared up talking about it. Her 91-year-old mom Jennia comes with her on Sundays, and Elliot said her mom’s alertness and engagement with people has skyrocketed since joining.
Debra Funk and her husband Darrell Funk and their autistic son William Funk have been church goers for almost three years.
“We were embraced immediately,” Darrell Funk said.
“They’re so loving and kind with all three of us,” Debra Funk said. “Plus, there is no stifling of the Holy Spirit here like other churches I’ve attended.”
Music and the Word central
Cowboy church does offer typical Christian cornerstones weekly in the way of dynamic live music and biblically-based sermons with heartful faith discussions.
“It all begins with music from the old style to the modern,” said Blayne McCoy.
The church has a stage, TV monitors, a sound system and acoustic musicians ready to belt out praise songs.
From a flatbed truck to a canvas tent
According to Vonnie McCoy, Bustin’ Loose wasn’t her and her husband’s first step out into cowboy ministries. The two of them for over 20 years went on the road on weekends to rodeo circuits around the state and offered Cowboy Church at events.
“This ministry has an impact on lives, Praise God!” Vonnie McCoy exclaimed.
Cowboy Church rose from the ashes of COVID in March 2020 when the state government closed churches down for worship. This left many area faith followers without a place to celebrate Easter service.
“They started calling our house and pleading with us to hold worship,” Vonnie McCoy said. “I told Blayne we need to do something” adding divine intervention was the next step. “The Lord spoke to my heart and said, ‘Feed my sheep; feed my lambs,’” she said.
Around 30 people from various faiths (Catholic, Lutheran, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Seventh-day Adventist and more) showed up on their field in lawn chairs and sat on their tailgates as the McCoys led a community Easter service from a flatbed car hauler.
“Then, people just kept calling and coming around,” Vonnie McCoy said. “We laugh and say it has been the longest Easter service we’ve ever had.”
The wild ride keeps on giving
Blayne McCoy said he serves unselfishly and blessings continue to pour over him and his church body.
“I let God do the work knowing it bears fruit,” he said.
The congregation also engages in ministries beyond Sunday — such as youth religious education, home Bible studies, men, women, and family events and community-at-large gatherings including prayer fests and movie nights.
“The consistent flow of helpful hands, hearts, and donations keeps the ministries moving forward in serving others and saving souls,” Blayne McCoy said.
He is also grateful and “beyond excited” about how he has seen his faith followers come together as a supportive body of Christ over these past five years.
“There’s nothing like it anywhere in the world,” Blayne McCoy said. . “There’s so much love here.”
Standing strong in the Holy Spirit
Blayne McCoy acknowledges God’s ways are “mysterious” most of the time. But he expects that now and surrenders to it.
“It’s not us making this happen at Bustin’ Loose. It’s more like you stay out of his way and let him do it.”
This cowboy pastor said he “just keeps showing up” every Sunday in the tent and during the week on the range for his community and Jesus regardless of life’s happenings and circumstances.
“Honestly, I don’t know how anyone can walk away from Jesus,” Blayne McCoy said.
If you appreciate this article, please consider making a donation to FāVS News, a non-profit newsroom.
Thanks, Lisa, for reporting with admiration on this cowboy church, even though its form of worship and probably it’s theology are very different from yours (and mine).
You are welcome, Walter. Learning from others keeps me growing as a human.
As a Catholic, I love the structure and tradition of the Catholic Church, but I can definitely get behind what Pastor Blayne is doing up there in Chewelah. Nothing like a good old Holy Spirit inspired, come-as-you-are, seat-of-your-pants worship service inside a tent in the great outdoors! I love the origin story and how their first service brought people from varied denominations together to worship at a time when so many were seeking community. God bless, “y’all” and thanks for covering this, Lisa!
Holy Spirit synergy is definitely a refreshing, spiritually invigorating way to worship and embrace! Strong community connections and base there at Cowboy Church. Thanks for your perspectives, Mark.