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Wilde About Texas: Cowboy church pairs faith, bull riding
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"Just like 90 miles an hour wind, I guess, just fast, fast, fast, fast and you just kind of react to it."
Dwin Roland has been riding bulls for more than 5 years.
On Tuesdays, you'll find him at the Hays County Civic Center, but he's not just here for the thrill of the ride.
"The church service, that's what I like most here,” Roland said. “The church service and I get to get on bulls afterward, but I like coming to the church service."
Call it religion and roping, bulls and bible study.
Before the bulls leave the chute, Pastor Jeff Latham shares a message.
"Sin is sin and all people sin,” Latham said. “It takes holy blood to forgive us from our sins."
"We've rodeoed for everything under the sun except for Jesus,” he said. “So we just thought we'd do a ministry and use all the horses we have for kids and families."
Latham grew up in Blanco County, has worked in the medical field, but keeps finding his way back to his horse.
Rodeo for Jesus is one way he's fulfilling his calling to minister.
"To be able to meet people where they are and it doesn't matter where they've been and what they've done,” Latham said. “All that matters is God loves 'em just the way they are."
Even if they're covered in mud after a ride on a bull.
Rodeo for Jesus gives beginners the chance to learn the ropes, both riding and with the Lord.
"We're going to do a baptism. I'm going to pull my truck right up in this arena, put some warm water in a horse trough and we're going to do a baptism right here,” Latham said. “We're going to baptize and we're going to buck some bulls."