Chris Clarke (missionary)
Encyclopedia
William Christopher Clarke, known as Chris Clarke (born December 6, 1957), is a non-traditional Southern Baptist minister and missionary
in Kentucky
, who carries the gospel
message to people at equestrian events, including horse shows, horse auctions, or rodeo
s.
. He later attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
in Louisville
, graduating in 1988.
Following his seminary graduation in 1988, Clarke accepted a call to serve as Minister of Music and Youth at First Baptist Church, Earlington
KY where he served from 1988-1999. He served as Minister of Music and Youth at Marion Baptist Church from 1999-2003 in Marion
, KY Crittenden County
.
Chris and Shelia's interest in horses grew when their youngest child Laura began riding horses and competing in youth events of the American Quarter Horse Association
. Clarke realized there was a lack of ministries in the equestrian community, and noted that horse enthusiasts were often absent from church on Sundays because of competing weekend events. In October 2003, Clarke believed that God was calling him and his family to take the Gospel
to those in the equestrian community. Since January 2004, Clarke has been taking his cowboy church
to horse enthusiasts on the road. He is classified as a missionary
through the Southern Baptist Mission Service Corps. In 2009, he organized worship services at nearly 30 equine events in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri. He also spoke at more than 40 churches. Clarke said that horse show managers have never discouraged his ministry. Clarke and his wife, Shelia, minister together: they sing, preach, give testimony and devotionals and distribute New Testament
s, gospel tracts, and bottled water with scripture verses attached. In the fall of 2010, they ministered at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky
.
Clarke calls his ministry "Happy Trails Ministry," which he established in 2004 in Burna
in western Kentucky. He adopted the name from the Roy Rogers
and Dale Evans
song, "Happy Trails
". During the week, he operates a riding stable with his sister, Lori Clarke. Each weekend, Clarke ministers in a different city at another horse show.
In 2010, Clarke joined Clay Campbell, the owner of the Kentucky Opry, a country music theatre in Draffenville
, to establish the Kentucky Lake Cowboy Church. The facility on Kentucky Lake
is patterned after similar theaters in Branson, Missouri
. It may draw people from the larger city of Paducah
. "We are doing things the cowboy way here and expect God to do great things at Kentucky Lake Cowboy Church," said Clarke. Services are held each Sunday morning, 10:30 a.m., with rotating ministers, including Clarke, at the Kentucky Opry Theatre on Highway 641 in Draffenville where the motto is "Connecting people with Jesus... the Cowboy Way".
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, who carries the gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
message to people at equestrian events, including horse shows, horse auctions, or rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
s.
Early life and education
Born in Salem, Kentucky, Clarke became interested in singing and guitar when young and learned both. He did his undergraduate work at Campbellsville UniversityCampbellsville University
Campbellsville University, also known as CU, is a private university in Campbellsville, Kentucky, the seat of Taylor County. Founded as Russell Creek Academy, a Baptist institution, the university currently enrolls more than 3,000 students and is open to students of all denominations...
. He later attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , located in Louisville, Kentucky, is the oldest of the six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention . The seminary was founded in 1859, at Greenville, South Carolina. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to Louisville...
in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, graduating in 1988.
Marriage and family
Clarke married Shelia and they have 3 children: Robert, Elizabeth, and Laura.Career
During the 1980s, Clarke used his singing and guitar practice in his music and youth ministry at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church while a student at Campbellsville (KY) College and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY).Following his seminary graduation in 1988, Clarke accepted a call to serve as Minister of Music and Youth at First Baptist Church, Earlington
Earlington, Kentucky
Earlington is a city in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 1,649. It was founded by European Americans in 1870 around the area coal fields, and was named for John Baylis Earl, a lawyer who was central in developing the coal industry in the...
KY where he served from 1988-1999. He served as Minister of Music and Youth at Marion Baptist Church from 1999-2003 in Marion
Marion, Kentucky
Marion is a city in Crittenden County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 3,196. It is the county seat of Crittenden County...
, KY Crittenden County
Crittenden County, Kentucky
Crittenden County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky.It was formed in 1842. As of 2000, the population was 9,384. Its county seat is Marion. The county is named for John J. Crittenden who was Governor of Kentucky 1848-1850...
.
Chris and Shelia's interest in horses grew when their youngest child Laura began riding horses and competing in youth events of the American Quarter Horse Association
American Quarter Horse Association
The American Quarter Horse Association , based in Amarillo, Texas, is an international organization dedicated to the preservation, improvement and record-keeping of the American Quarter Horse. The association sanctions many competitive events and maintains the official registry...
. Clarke realized there was a lack of ministries in the equestrian community, and noted that horse enthusiasts were often absent from church on Sundays because of competing weekend events. In October 2003, Clarke believed that God was calling him and his family to take the Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
to those in the equestrian community. Since January 2004, Clarke has been taking his cowboy church
Cowboy church
Cowboy churches are local Christian churches within the cowboy culture that are distinctively Western heritage in character. A typical cowboy church may meet in a rural setting in a barn, metal building, arena, sale barn, or old western building, have its own rodeo arena, and a country gospel band....
to horse enthusiasts on the road. He is classified as a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
through the Southern Baptist Mission Service Corps. In 2009, he organized worship services at nearly 30 equine events in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri. He also spoke at more than 40 churches. Clarke said that horse show managers have never discouraged his ministry. Clarke and his wife, Shelia, minister together: they sing, preach, give testimony and devotionals and distribute New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
s, gospel tracts, and bottled water with scripture verses attached. In the fall of 2010, they ministered at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
.
Clarke calls his ministry "Happy Trails Ministry," which he established in 2004 in Burna
Burna, Kentucky
Burna is an unincorporated community in central Livingston County, Kentucky, United States. The name was decided upon by a contest. A young girl named Burna was selected as the winner, and so the town was named after her...
in western Kentucky. He adopted the name from the Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...
and Dale Evans
Dale Evans
Dale Evans, was an American writer, movie star, and singer-songwriter. She was the third wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers.-Early life:...
song, "Happy Trails
Happy Trails (song)
"Happy Trails," by Dale Evans Rogers, was the theme song for the 1940s and 1950s radio program and the 1950s television show starring Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Rogers, always sung over the end credits of the program. Happy Trails was released in 1952 as a 78 RPM and 45 RPM by Rogers and Evans with...
". During the week, he operates a riding stable with his sister, Lori Clarke. Each weekend, Clarke ministers in a different city at another horse show.
In 2010, Clarke joined Clay Campbell, the owner of the Kentucky Opry, a country music theatre in Draffenville
Draffenville, Kentucky
Draffenville is an unincorporated community in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. It lies at the intersection of the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway, U.S. Route 68, and U.S. Route 641. Several businesses, Marshall County High School, and Mike Miller County Park are located in the...
, to establish the Kentucky Lake Cowboy Church. The facility on Kentucky Lake
Kentucky Lake
Kentucky Lake is a major navigable reservoir along the Tennessee River in Kentucky and Tennessee. Created in 1944 by the Tennessee Valley Authority's impounding of the Tennessee River by Kentucky Dam, the lake is the largest artificial lake by surface area in the United States east of the...
is patterned after similar theaters in Branson, Missouri
Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s....
. It may draw people from the larger city of Paducah
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
. "We are doing things the cowboy way here and expect God to do great things at Kentucky Lake Cowboy Church," said Clarke. Services are held each Sunday morning, 10:30 a.m., with rotating ministers, including Clarke, at the Kentucky Opry Theatre on Highway 641 in Draffenville where the motto is "Connecting people with Jesus... the Cowboy Way".