Pastor Jeremy Levi
I grew up in a Christian home and went through all the motions of “Church” and as a result never really had a relationship with God. I like to say, “We were really big on the do’s and don’ts, and real short on the love.”
I’ve always believed in God, but I sure lived far from Him.
I took a break from my treasured cowboy lifestyle in 2001 and joined the military for a career right after 9-11. I served from September 2001 to February 2009, but there was an emptiness inside me that I assumed was missing the cowboy life.
After separating from the service, I attended college at West Texas A&M and graduated with a bachelors in agriculture education.
I came back to where I belonged and worked on ranches across the country.
Once again, I put all my efforts into being the absolute best. I woke up thinking about it, practicing it, reading about it, surrounding myself with the best and went to sleep thinking about how I could be a better cowboy.
I again found another emptiness that needed filling. Perhaps I was searching for my real purpose in life. Then it hit me, “This is how Christ calls us to follow Him and to spread His Holy Word to those in the wilderness.” To give Him our best! I surrendered to Jesus and my mission today is to carry the Gospel to those in our rural culture and beyond!
With the help of my godly and beautiful wife, two sons and daughter, I pastor RRCF and am an independent farrier in the Hondo, Medina and Bandera area’s. I am enjoying life as Jesus wants me to live. By His Grace and Mercy, my life is now complete. He leads me down the path He wants me to travel.
Associate Pastor Corey Cline
Thank the Lord that he brought me here. I was having a hard time staying up to snuff at being a dad, husband, and provider. I love my family and I wanted to be everything they needed. God brought me to my knees and I finally realized I couldn’t do it on my own.
Thanks to Jesus, the Holy Spirit started working inside of me. He led me to this church and it has been our home ever since. Jeff and Jeremy were true examples of Christ and showed me how to follow him. I could never repay the blessing they have been in my life, yet I don’t intend to quit trying.
I started to give things to God. Not just burdens, worries and failures but also the good things that I love, like my family, and He blessed them all.
I am eternally grateful and have been honored to serve my Father through youth ministry, as a lay pastor, as an elder and now as a pastor. It has been a blessing to lead friends, family, even strangers to the Lord.
Our family has a passion for rodeo and it brings us great joy. We love our rodeo family and we are committed to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ while we are on the rodeo trail with anyone willing to listen.
If you want to get better, you will have to change. And what better example than the perfect sacrifice. Thank you Jesus.
Admin Pastor Jeff Bishop
God works in mysterious ways and I am so glad he led us to establish Ridin’ the River Cowboy Fellowship. It all started with meetings attended by few at the Twin Elm Guest Ranch. As winter approached, we saw the need to move indoors. This led to a few months at the city’s arena to moving our growing congregation to the old Bandera Downs racetrack. It was comfortable, but the building was beginning to be too small to hold new attendees. With God’s grace and mercy, He led our leaderships to purchase 17 acres of land outside Bandera and erecting our new home.
I am in awe of what God has done in my life and family’s through Jesus Christ.
My prayers are that I continue to grow closer in my relationship with Jesus and that His Holy Spirit will give me clarity to be bold in my faith, uncompromising in His Word and unapologetic in living the example Jesus has given us.
I pray I will learn to pray with more intensity and love of all people in and beyond our culture and how I worship the Lord in a raw and real way outside our church building. I strive to shepherd in a manner worthy of the calling of Jesus Christ and to make a difference in our part of the world.
I have been a cowboy church pastor since 2002. This calling is where my wife Kim and I have felt at home.
In 2010, Kim and I began to pray that we would follow the Lord’s guidance and direction. God has opened many doors for me and I answered His direction to establish a new cowboy church in Bandera, Texas. We moved to the Texas Hill Country in two horse trailers and a U-Haul truck and it has been a wonderful ride ever since.
God is leading people of all types to our congregation. We are a “come as you are” type group. We value the simplicity of worshipping the Lord while not compromising Biblical Christianity.