Nashville Bar Serves Up Sunday Services

The preacher wears jeans and a Western shirt. The worshipers sit on bar stools. The offering plate is a cowboy hat.

It’s the Nashville Cowboy Church, which holds services in a hotel lounge.

Harry Yates, 47, the minister-founder of the church, says cowboys attended church services in saloons, so since late September he has been preaching every Sunday in the hotel lounge.

“We’ve been called a few names here and there about meeting in the bar and dressing the way we do,” Yates said. “I seem to remember that Jesus was called a wine bibber. I think we’re in good company. We’re supposed to preach the gospel everywhere.”

Yates’ clerical garb for the nondenominational service is jeans, Western shirt, bolo tie and cowboy hat--the collection plate.

“We’re not doctrinal, and I just preach a short message, 15 or 20 minutes,” he said.

Yates, ordained in the Independent Assemblies of God, doesn’t rail against drinking and carousing and the like.

“We don’t preach against things. We just preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

A couple of guitar players supply the music.

When services are over, worshipers get $2 off the price of brunch at the hotel restaurant. “It’s an incentive,” Yates said.

Attendance has averaged more than 30 even though the church is just getting started. Roughly half are tourists, many of whom spent the night before listening to cry-in-your-beer country music at the Grand Ole Opry three miles down the road.

“Tourists come to town and don’t bring suits and ties,” Yates said. “At our services, you can dress any way you like. We’re trying to take away excuses for not going to church.”

Bob Darmos, a manager for a Nashville trash company, has been attending the church regularly.

“I was skeptical at first, going to a saloon and being so casual. But you can relax, be yourself and worship. It puts you in the right frame of mind.

“I can go in a shirt and jeans and no one looks down his nose at me.”