Chris Clarke (missionary)

William Christopher "Chris" Clarke
Born	December 6, 1957 (1957-12-06) (age 53)
Residence	Salem, Livingston County Kentucky, USA
Alma mater	Campbellsville University Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Occupation	Christian missionary
Religion	Baptist
Spouse	Shelia Clarke
Children	Robert Clarke, Elizabeth Clarke, and Laura Clarke
Website
http://www.myspace.com/happytrailsministry

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 rodeos.

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 University. He later attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, graduating in 1988.^[1]

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 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.^[2]

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 Testaments, 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.^[1]

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.^[1] 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.^[3] 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".

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Dannah Prather (April 27, 2010). "Happy Trails Pardner: Kentuckian hands reins to Christ, now shares gospel on horseback". Western Recorder. http://www.westernrecorder.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=268:happy-trails-pardner&catid=56:kentucky&Itemid=168. Retrieved September 17, 2010. 
2. ^ "History". Marion Baptist Church Website. http://www.marionbaptistchurch.com/about-us-history.asp. Retrieved September 17, 2010. 
3. ^ Misti Drew (June 18, 2010). "The Kentucky Opry Introduces Kentucky Lake Cowboy Church". Marshall County Daily. http://marshallcountydaily.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=898:the-kentucky-opry-introduces-kentucky-lake-cowboy-church&catid=166:editors-picks&Itemid=368. Retrieved September 17, 2010. 

Persondata
Name	Clarke, William Christopher
Alternative names	Chris Clarke
Short description
Date of birth	December 6, 1957
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death

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